Writing About People From Different Cultures

At the end of last year, I spent 10 weeks attending a course in practical philosophy. During that time, we were asked to consider whether we believed in any absolute truths. Most of us—myself included—rolled our eyes. "Wasn’t truth entirely personal?" we asked. Wasn’t a person’s understanding of it moulded by their own experiences?

(Writing From Traditional Chickasaw Stories.)

By the time the course ended, however, many of us had come to think differently. We had been introduced to the idea of truth being the thing that sits deep beneath the surface of our subjective experiences. Something that connects us, that we all to varying degrees recognize.

It occurred to me that I had already been thinking about this whilst writing Belgrave Road, perhaps without realizing that I was, keeping at the center of my mind the search for the thing hidden beneath the words that would connect me with my readers. I thought of the novels I loved. Why did some stay with me long after I had finished reading, whilst others were immediately forgotten? I concluded it was to do with the empathy they elicited from me, which always stems from recognition and truth.

I was writing about characters whose lives were vastly different to my own and the only way I could do this was to remember the things that united us, namely our humanity and our emotions—things which remain free of gender, class, race, creed. When writing about characters who are unfamiliar, my first piece of advice is therefore to tap into what’s familiar. To let that be the nucleus around which your prose is built, which will help protect it and anchor it.

Having said this, there was no denying the subjectivity of the lived experience which I knew I had to honor because I loved my characters and wanted them to feel completely real. The next tip is to therefore engage with people from the community that has inspired you. This might not be easy, but it’s worth pursuing. Writers are observers, after all, and so much can be gleaned from even the smallest interaction. Hearing about people’s thoughts and experiences can be an invaluable way of understanding their fears and what motivates them.  

The next tip is to read widely—books, poems, memoir, magazines, Reddit threads—about the people or situations you wish to write about. Reading broadly helps ensure you consider different perspectives and avoid falling prey to stereotypes. Whole communities are notoriously difficult to write about. This is because they, similar to cultures, are moving and constantly evolving. Therefore, rather than attempt the impossible, pick a few details which capture your imagination and deepen your research into those. Lean into whatever excites you.

Thinking about these few things within the context of your characters’ lives should add cultural context in the way that isn’t heavy-handed. Remember, research can be very important, but even the most rigorous research should hum softly (rather than shout) in the background of your story. Research is not itself a character, but a tool used to build character. Your story should be about your characters and not about your research.

Documentaries are another great way to understand and interrogate people and situations. They may not always paint a fair or rounded picture, but a good documentary should show different sides of an arguments through the eyes of different people, some of which may be subject matter experts. Try to listen without judgement. Whether or not you include the information in your story, you will inevitably come away with further layers added to the world of your imagination.

As you begin to expose your work to readers (something all writers should do!), try and find readers from the relevant community who can offer honest and constructive feedback. Regardless of how much research you do, there are chances that you may have misunderstood or misrepresented something. If this happens, try to understand what and how to rectify the error.

This all boils down to having respect for the thing you wish to write about. Finally, be brave. Fiction is about imagination. The fact that you want to write about something you might not fully understand shows courage. Match your courage with research and deep thought and watch the magic unfurl.

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