African-American Literature and me

I'll start off with this point: I'm an African-American (a fact that i myself was unaware of until my early teens).

I know all too well that i'd be just one among many Black authors, that doesn't really bother me, but what does is the legacy that African-American authors have left, and my inability to follow suit.

African-American authors have been known to write stories about their own hardships and/or the hardships of caricatures of themselves. They also delve into serious and soulful ideas and concepts (hope, faith, etc.)

However, the stories i've always written were Adventure, Fantasy and/or Sci-Fi. I'm not even sure if i could even write stories like, say, Maya Angelou.

Is this a problem?

I don't see any reason your race should dictate the kind of stories you write.

...is there a reason it should be?

I mean, if anything, saying an African-American has to write about the African-American experience is pretty discriminatory, because it implies they are incapable of becoming respected as a writer for anything else.

But more importantly, write what you want to write, because you're not going to get much done writing things you don't want to write. Unless you're getting paid.

edited 9th Jan '14 4:49:36 PM by Night

@srebak: Why is it a problem? Do you want to write realistic fiction about African Americans?

Write whatever you want.

Everyone has a unique perspective on life, and that will always show at least a little bit in one's writing (even if one is writing about elves or aliens).

You don't have to try to share your perspective, it just kinda happens.

Showing even a small amount of that perspective will be always be useful.

edited 9th Jan '14 10:13:05 PM by DrStarky

I'm white, but I don't have to write about the dark side of white privilege. I'm also female, and I don't feel particularity obligated to write about the struggle for women's rights, either. I think if you write in the genre you want, with the themes that you find interesting, you'll earn respect for your work without having to conform to the category you've set up for yourself.

There are quite a few Sci-Fi and Fantasy authors who are African American, so I'd say you'd be in good company.

Don't let your race pigeonhole you. You're also allowed to write true crime novels and thug romances.

edited 10th Jan '14 8:39:07 PM by Wheezy

Setting aside the fact that you shouldn't have to write about race if you're a minority, I must ask you: Have you ever heard of Samuel Delany? How about Octavia Butler? Or Percival Everett?

Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler strongly draws from an African-American woman's perspective (the main character shares this trait with Butler), and yet is full-on Worldbuilding scifi. Writing scifi/fantasy doesn't conflict with drawing from an African-American literary legacy.

Why not combine both these aspects? If you find stories about hardships of African-Americans inspiring, I think it would be cool to write a fantasy with that influence. I think writing what interests you is always a good starting point.

edited 14th Jan '14 11:37:49 PM by editerguy