Question from Akossiwa Ketoglo: Do ever feel pressured into making your cultural descriptions accessible to readers who are not from the same culture? For example you mention a specific type of dish and immediately follow it with a description.
Dave
2 years ago
A friend of mine was writing a fictionalized version of his Indian grandfather becoming indentured and sent to Guyana. He spent a lot of his text translating words, and explaining customs. Sometimes it didn’t interrupt the flow of the story, but there were parts where it felt like a manual. Afterward I realized I’ve read fantasy novels that did that a little too — because even the unreal have diversity and identity. How do you decide what to explain?
Kristoff
2 years ago
Hi Gail. I have read Erin Entrada Kelly’s books. The only books I’ve read with postcolonial themes. Basing from the synopsis, your book has the same theme, which I am so glad to know because there really is a lack of postcolonial themes in children’s books especially from the Philippines. I’m interested in your opinion on the lack of children’s books that tackle postcolonial issues and conditions especially in the Philippines. What are your thoughts on this?
Mindy Yuksel
2 years ago
Can you tell us about the Writing in the Margins mentoring program? Are there other mentoring programs you would recommend for writers with and without agents?
Renee'
2 years ago
How do you feel about someone writing characters without identifying any skin color or ethnicity (unless necessary), so the reader can associate the characters to people and locations they identify with, rather than specifying and forcing a color, culture, etc? I know it can’t be done all the time, but I don’t see just one color or background when I write, either. I agree that research and feedback are vital, too.
Mindy Yuksel
2 years ago
Thank you! This was awesome!!!
Osemome Ndebbio
2 years ago
Thanks dor sharing. This is going to be helpful when trying to develop the right mindset for writing my own truths. Waiting for your book!
Question from Akossiwa Ketoglo: Do ever feel pressured into making your cultural descriptions accessible to readers who are not from the same culture? For example you mention a specific type of dish and immediately follow it with a description.
A friend of mine was writing a fictionalized version of his Indian grandfather becoming indentured and sent to Guyana. He spent a lot of his text translating words, and explaining customs. Sometimes it didn’t interrupt the flow of the story, but there were parts where it felt like a manual. Afterward I realized I’ve read fantasy novels that did that a little too — because even the unreal have diversity and identity. How do you decide what to explain?
Hi Gail. I have read Erin Entrada Kelly’s books. The only books I’ve read with postcolonial themes. Basing from the synopsis, your book has the same theme, which I am so glad to know because there really is a lack of postcolonial themes in children’s books especially from the Philippines. I’m interested in your opinion on the lack of children’s books that tackle postcolonial issues and conditions especially in the Philippines. What are your thoughts on this?
Can you tell us about the Writing in the Margins mentoring program? Are there other mentoring programs you would recommend for writers with and without agents?
How do you feel about someone writing characters without identifying any skin color or ethnicity (unless necessary), so the reader can associate the characters to people and locations they identify with, rather than specifying and forcing a color, culture, etc? I know it can’t be done all the time, but I don’t see just one color or background when I write, either. I agree that research and feedback are vital, too.
Thank you! This was awesome!!!
Thanks dor sharing. This is going to be helpful when trying to develop the right mindset for writing my own truths. Waiting for your book!