tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post5582663522891615812..comments2023-09-12T10:19:46.166-04:00Comments on Christina Lee: Outside Your Comfort ZoneChristina Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-77846784166433911542012-05-27T04:51:47.483-04:002012-05-27T04:51:47.483-04:00I was just discussing this with my daughter yester...I was just discussing this with my daughter yesterday. She was saying how much she liked Katniss as a character because most of her books about strong, fighting main characters were boys. Usually the female was the friend. She also knew about the movie controversy over Rue and the other African character. I told her about Kate's discovery of YA covers. The manuscript I'm about to query has a half-Asian, half-caucasian MC. Hope it gets published. And if it does, hope the cover reflects the diversity.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-80402352196608107882012-05-25T10:51:11.461-04:002012-05-25T10:51:11.461-04:00I always remember hearing: write what you know. ...I always remember hearing: write what you know. Which of course, is easy. But as I got older, I realized that as the writer you are, the "creator." It's your world. Star Wars, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter...on and on.Louriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05477223472789865063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-79335016346607479982012-05-23T08:27:38.391-04:002012-05-23T08:27:38.391-04:00I hear you, Laura. Honesty is good. And I think yo...I hear you, Laura. Honesty is good. And I think you should only do it if you’ve been interested in trying it--just giving a nudge to those on the fence! I think there are lots of us.Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-16085049862738141612012-05-23T08:02:04.712-04:002012-05-23T08:02:04.712-04:00It is a good idea but at the same time I don't...It is a good idea but at the same time I don't want to end up white washing an ethnic character. I live in the most white part of the country so my experience is nil and the last thing I want to do is fall back on stereotypes or insult anyone. I guess that would be my fear. Just being honest.Laura Paulinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06503090226508079501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-14603668176194044592012-05-22T13:30:33.585-04:002012-05-22T13:30:33.585-04:00Such fascinating statistics! I definitely need to ...Such fascinating statistics! I definitely need to push myself out of my comfort zone. Thanks for the inspiration, Christina!Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462382909938737612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-58677660726153552332012-05-22T10:57:41.348-04:002012-05-22T10:57:41.348-04:00YAY for male perspective, JEM! But what about if i...YAY for male perspective, JEM! But what about if it was less about being "authentic" and more about being "matter-of-fact"?Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-65179246852491645042012-05-22T10:55:15.726-04:002012-05-22T10:55:15.726-04:00Very interesting. I definitely love writing from t...Very interesting. I definitely love writing from the male perspective, since my brain works much more along logical and less emotional lines. My female characters end up coming off cold :), but my male characters are hilarious. Go figure. Moving into other races would be hard for me at this point, though, because I really don't have that experience. I would hate more than anything to come off as inauthentic. I obviously need to diversify my friend group.JEMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04043891292719086478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-59252673482636219522012-05-22T10:41:46.012-04:002012-05-22T10:41:46.012-04:00I hear you, DL, but that fear will only hold peopl...I hear you, DL, but that fear will only hold people back. Nothing is cookie cutter anyway, not even the characters we are comfortable writing!Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-53123759683051088962012-05-22T10:32:03.126-04:002012-05-22T10:32:03.126-04:00Laying seige to my comfort zone is a theme for me ...Laying seige to my comfort zone is a theme for me this year, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to make this leap quite yet. I consider it a huge responsibility to do it accurately! :)DL Hammonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02007260062331783715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-59665669391635747852012-05-22T09:22:36.489-04:002012-05-22T09:22:36.489-04:00Just this. YES!Just this. YES!storyqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039684494823420722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-80442189701596154002012-05-22T08:35:22.772-04:002012-05-22T08:35:22.772-04:00Important points, Stina. I like books that have a ...Important points, Stina. I like books that have a diverse cast of characters, whose cultures aren't pointed out, it just is what it is. But I'm talking about main characters here, and people taking the chance to write them, even if they are scared to. Practice with your diverse side characters, sure. GREAT idea.Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-67586866332144616852012-05-22T07:39:14.871-04:002012-05-22T07:39:14.871-04:00I'm the same as Matt. I've had books with ...I'm the same as Matt. I've had books with different ethnic groups in them, but I don't make a big deal about it. They're who they are, and their ethnic background doesn't drive the story. I'm also for letting the reader fit the person they want into the role. If it's important to the story that the person is from Japan, then I would mention it, otherwise it's up to the reader to decide.Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-62607736301573622932012-05-22T07:33:04.123-04:002012-05-22T07:33:04.123-04:00So awesome, Matt (and I though you were cool befor...So awesome, Matt (and I though you were cool before...)!Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145236456769195141.post-81836727536919882172012-05-22T07:26:12.073-04:002012-05-22T07:26:12.073-04:00I started writing the manuscript long before I kne...I started writing the manuscript long before I knew a single thing about publishing, but I'm proud to say my first book features a protagonist who is white, Asian, AND African, who falls in love with a white girl, and has Chinese, Japanese, Jamaican, white, Jewish, and British/Ex-Pat Indian friends.<br /><br />I didn't set out to write a cast of diverse characters on purpose. Those were just the characters that came to me, because those are the kinds of people I know.<br /><br />My next book, well ... it does something very interesting (I hope - I pray) with ethnicity.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.com