Episode 44: Writing about social issues
In this episode, Fable and the Verbivore dive into the question of how to explore social issues respectfully and honestly in writing.
We start off this conversation, by giving a broad definition for social issues as problems, experiences, or identities that impact or influence many citizens within a society. This means that writing about social issues could take the form of a character who is being bullied in school, someone working to manage a mental illness, an individual or group experiencing discrimination based on their appearance, or a child growing up in a food desert - along with many others.
In this episode, as writers we talk about checking in with ourselves to ensure we understand our reasons for choosing to write about a given topic. We discuss being respectful of experiences that are not our own, doing the research to ensure that our writing is representative of a given experience, and striving to not fall into stereotypes. We also talk about some of the resources out there from YouTube videos to websites that can help you keep your stories honest when writing about topics that we haven’t lived firsthand.
As readers, we discuss books that tackle difficult and painful experiences, that there is a place for all types of stories from stories that are subtle to stories that are overt with their messages, and some examples of how authors choose to use a preface or letter to share their intention with their audience. We also discuss the benefit of authors including trigger warnings as part of their work, especially when dealing with topics that could have a negative impact on an individual’s mental state.
We hope you enjoy this episode. It gave us a lot to think about. Keep creating and putting your unique voice out there!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
Since the definition of Social Issues is so broad, it is difficult to identify and define every single one. Here are some lists that include many of them:
Understanding Social Problems https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_social-problems-continuity-and-change/s04-understanding-social-problems.html
There are many resources for writing about some of the topics we discussed. Here are a few:
The Dos and Don’ts of Writing About the Disabled
https://lithub.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-writing-about-the-disabled/
10 Things Fiction Writers Need to Remember About Disability (1-5) http://blobolobolob.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-things-fiction-writers-need-to.html
10 Things Fiction Writers Need to Remember About Disability (6-10) http://blobolobolob.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-things-fiction-writers-need-to_10.html
Do’s and Don’ts of Including Mental Illness in Your Fiction
How to Treat Mentally Ill Characters When Writing a Novel
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/treat-mentally-ill-characters-writing-novel
Fable and the Verbivore discuss trigger warnings that are included in the books themselves, but there are also many resources dedicated to identifying trigger warnings connected with works of fiction. Here are several:
Books Mentioned:
Poinsettia by Marlene Devose
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)