POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
AND THE INDEPENDENT AUTHOR
Do independent authors need to be
concerned about being politically correct in their writing? Or does anything go
if they’re writing fiction?
The short answer
is that you can’t be too careful. In fiction, it may be realistic to have a
character who spouts politically incorrect statements. But do it too much and
you could be offending some of your readers. In description, stay away from
anything the least bit offensive.
I do understand
that sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the latest terminology. Be aware that
is easy to inadvertently say the wrong thing. In researching my second book, I
discovered that it’s no longer correct to say a person is an albino: That
person has albinism. Do your homework when in doubt.
It’s safest to
avoid getting involved in anything political or possibly offensive to minority
groups while you’re on social networks. Fiction authors work hard to build an
audience. It’s a daunting task, sometimes taking years; you can’t afford to put
anyone off.
Tips to stay out of trouble with
your readers.
1.
Limit any politically incorrect commentary to
character dialogue, and only if it’s necessary to the story. Limit it to one
character, one who is unsympathetic.
2.
In any descriptive passages, remain neutral.
3.
When uncertain, do your research.
4.
Keep your social networking social—avoid anything
political.
5.
When in doubt, leave it out.
Dear Readers,
None of us wants to offend a
reader, even with a well-intended comment. I’ve had the advantage of being in a
critique group with a person who was very politically correct. I was called to
the carpet on things I thought were just factual, but could have been
interpreted the wrong way. I learned to rewrite it or leave it out without any
problem in the storyline.
I hope all of you are finding time
to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been having here in the Midwest.
Marla
