A stereotype is “a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.” Of course examining why these assumptions exist is maybe only appropriate for a sociology paper, but it is good to keep in mind. Writing a book is challenging, and it can be even more difficult to try to avoid overused stereotypes in any kind of fiction! You can be accurate without being biased. Some examples of stereotypes are: the submissive Asian woman, the ignorant American, the black criminal, the drunken Indian, the Muslim terrorist or the Hispanic gang member. As you’ll see from this list, stereotypes can be positive or negative and for protagonists or antagonists. Use the feminine inclusive when possible (with or without an explanation), or mix the masculine and feminine, to jar the reader. Granted, all of these stereotypes have a … While it’s okay for us to do so (since we’re not worried about word count and are aiming to deliver you informative and fun editing advice), if we were writing an academic or research paper, however, we would be more careful to write concisely. Manipulation of language has led to some of history’s vilest atrocities. I have seen the whole argument of PC spiral out of control when it is applied to words such as ‘short’. . Writers often already know to avoid stereotyping characters with features such as race, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. But they can also get us into trouble when we forget to allow the people around us to be larger and more complex than we expect them to be. You can notice your stereotypes when you are in another country,or when you meet foreign people.However,I have never been out of Albania,so I have heard hardly any stereotypes about Albanian people. Take a look at the following post to connect up with some on Facebook: The Kick-butt Action Girl – Likes to punch, kick, and be tough; The Mary Sue – Written to fulfill the author’s fantasies or concept of self-perfection; The Crone or Hag – Old woman who can curse or harm others, literally or socially For example, it is now considered impolite to say Oriental; you should say Asian or better yet, the specific country such as Japanese, Korean. Idiomatic expressions and slang … It’s a hilarious glimpse at the multifarious stereotypes of writers who aren’t thinking hard enough about what they are writing. If some are offended by the proper singular possessive, it is probably for the best. I’ve been debating this one for a while with myself- which is more offensive, black or African-American? To remedy this, authors began writing the butt-kicking female protagonist, which has now become a stereotype all on its own. Clichés . It was jarring to me and I wrote it! Tip: Another thing to avoid when writing fantasy is creating perfect, ‘Mary Sue’-style characters. This is too biased. Not necessarily but depending on the situation in which you are writing, it is best to bear these things in mind. In 1987 I wrote a university paper in which I used the feminine inclusive. Sign up for your Author Creative Well-being Toolkit, 4 ways to avoid stereotypes in your writing and create rounder, more realistic characters. Here are four ways to avoid using stereotypes in your writing to create rounder, more realistic characters. Sexist stereotyping—well, stereotyping in general—is a poor way to communicate because it relies on assumptions and generalizations that often don’t apply to the situation at hand. When you’re writing college paper, business document, articles for newspapers or newsletters or communications that will go online, pay special attention to avoiding offensive language. 4. Robert brings up a very good point concerning the default use of ‘he’ as the anonymous pronoun. All Right Reserved. Clichés are vague. 2. Granted I teach undergrads in sociology, but in general I think either assumptions about race/class/gender/religion should either be avoided, or examined. Hopefully, this guide can help you spot any potentially predictable plots or overdone character types. I remember that Guy Kawasaki used to mention in his bio that he learned “how to sell” from the Jews. Remember, having one or two of the clichés below is perfectly fine especially if they're important to your story and will … Scots are cheap. “Use your best judgement” Sometimes I think that good judgement is not a common attribute, but we can hope for the best! Avoid ethnic and racial stereotypes. Stereotypes exist, and they … I’m Vietnamese and I had no idea that saying oriental would offend Asians; even I use the word oriental. 7 examples of sexist language to avoid in your writing Sexist stereotyping, despite efforts spanning decades to change it, still exists, and it’s pervasive in how we communicate. These stereotypes creep into books and movies all too often and so I feel it's my duty to point them out (mainly because they annoy me and well, that's a good… You can think about stereotypes in three classes: stereotypical characters, behaviors, and situations. They are sometimes rooted in fact, sometimes in prejudice, and if taken at face value, they contribute to intolerance and discrimination and limit people in their understanding of society. Don’t assume your novel needs to be filled with dramatic, over-zealous, action-packed scenes. Whether your fantasy novel contains none of these clichés or all of them, what matters most is that it is written well. It can be really hard to avoid stereotypes in characterization when you’re setting up your novel. Michael, good to know that our audience is that broad . Writing Diversely is dedicated to helping authors create more diverse stories. Following on from my recent article How to avoid Female Stereotypes in your novel, we obviously need to discuss some of the male stereotypes. Is ‘short’ offensive to you? First, don’t try to stifle the cliches. Oh, then should we toss it aside in favour of ‘vertically challenged’ for them? Obviously this is not free rein to start spouting obscenities at every race, gender and religion. “. This is especially important in business writing contexts. Why not set your story so far in the future (or an alternate history) where nothing is the same? Avoid sexist language. It is now 2014 and I am pretty sure that using “their” as a PC ersatz for “his” is considered incorrect, as it is plural and “his” is not, etc., etc. For example, it could be considered impolite to say Oriental; you should say Asian or better yet, the specific country such as Japanese, Korean, etc…. A list of 10 common cliches in YA stories. This leads to over-thinking every word, worrying about the quality your work, and will eventually stifle your creativity. You’d be surprised how many people take these sorts of things the wrong way. For general and academic writing purposes, avoid fillers and other unnecessary words and phrases. 1. That was enough to raise a big discussion around the issue and whether it was prejudice or not. Princesses come in two main kinds: 1 Wimps.2 Spirited and wilful. that families are always heterosexual, that professors are white older men, or that elementary school teachers are women, that maids are African American etc. While it may be true that you can find a cheap Scottish person, you can also find a spendthrift Scottish person or a cheap Bolivia… By checking this box I consent to the use of my information provided for email marketing purposes. What about to your friends? How to Avoid Stereotypes Posted on August 9, 2019 by Melanie Anne Phillips Coming up with characters can be as simple as looking to our subject matter and asking ourselves who might be expected to be involved. Robert, both he and she would be correct for your sentence. I feel that using the term black is focusing strictly on color. Matt, I think that people often use these stereotypes without being aware. For reasons we’ll discuss below (see cliché #2), fantasy has a tendency to lend itself dangerously well to perfectly flawless and noble characters, who are a stereotype in themselves. I found your post to be a stereotype to be avoided. Note my use of he as a generic pronoun. Avoid stereotypes. You can be accurate without being biased. Unless you’re writing a maritime novel and your character is sailing into a squall Stock settings (the tropical island paradise in a romance, for example) that feel predictable and thinly drawn If you’re building a fantasy world, for example, avoid clichéd setting by thinking about: Be careful … As far as I know, it would not offend me. I think the most important point is that you should always write with the goal of getting your point across as clearly as possible. The use of inappropriate language will only diminish your credibility as a thought leader, damage your argument, and possibly even alienate your readers. By doing that, you’re editing your thoughts — pre-censoring your writing. Tips, sensitivity reading, and consulting on how to be more diverse and inclusive in you fiction writing. Cliché’s are phrases or expressions that have been used well past the sell-by date. Of course, I wrote a two page footnote explaining my choice. Any kind of assumptions– e.g. In fiction, clichés refers to characters or story elements that readers can spot (and avoid) a mile away. Different audiences may call for different styles of writing, but the essence of a writer is that he conveys the message he wishes to convey, and should not be limited by political correctness. Avoid ethnic and racial stereotypes. If you do want to express your thoughts using biased terms that is fine, as long as you are doing it deliberately. For better or worse, they help us categorize the world around us. Let's take a look at some of the most common stereotypes in literature: Absent-minded professor - A genius who trips and can't get out of his own way Angry black woman - A sassy, emasculating, and overly opinionated black woman Bad boy - A macho guy who lives on the opposite side of the law, often a brooding rebel with or without a cause Check out this post at Set in Style for an amusing post on how things can go awry when you try to use genderless pronouns: Personally, the word ‘oriental’ springs to mind exotic and cultural imagery of the East, and I believe this is the same for many others, including Asians (perhaps I shouldn’t have used that term for fear of offending someone). This discussion can go on forever. As is mentioned, use your judgement, and if you have half a brain, and the foresight to research your target audience, you should be able to tell the difference between an insulting statement and a harmless one. You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free. Suffice to say that, given the opportunity, we should not shy away from using language as the powerful tool that it is. .”. It could be a first step toward recognizing the true power of language! Prior to any discussion on gender/race neutrality should be an understanding of the power of language. Here are general stereotypes to avoid: The sassy black woman, the Indian doctor/call center worker, the spicy Latina, the genius Asian girl, the Native American who is extremely connected to nature, and other racial stereotypes; The fat, lazy couch potato; The welfare queen According to what I have seen in most college handbooks this is the norm, Michael. Cliches (properly spelled clichés, with the acute accent) are words and phrases, once interesting, which have lost their original effect from overuse. Stereotypes are so embedded in our conscious and subconscious that they end up on the pages of our novels before we really have a chance to process why we have chosen them. Stereotypes are oversimplified ways of cataloging groups of people based on the differences between them and other groups of people. These are a few reasons why you should avoid stereotypes in your characterizations. 2. 3. That includes the use of the masculine inclusive in the subjugation of women. reveals he is not entirely forthcoming. Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Throw the words onto the page. Not everyone will be offended of course – which is what we all hope for! Research your facts and don’t include statements you believe to be true just because the majority of people also believe so. Some raise the point that this is unacceptable bias, but why can it not be seen as a simple rule of English grammar? Language is not neutral and I believe any attempts to make it so only serves to dilute its utility. Avoiding clichés can be very difficult. The second thing you could do is read urban fantasy books by fellow, successful authors. To me it still represents laziness, with the speaker or writer being unwilling to expend the energy to keep his sentence in order. We all use stereotypes in everyday life, whether at the grocery store or filling up at the gas station or at a scientific symposium. As the 2nd Anniversary of Writing Diversely approaches, I want to revisit the very first post I wrote, How to Write Characters of Color Without Using Stereotypes.When I started this blog (and still to this day) the top concern of authors I work with is is stereotypes and tropes. As you continue to read, your will learn some of the main issues with the use of appropriate language, such as: 1. Learn what cliches are out there in YA so you can avoid them or learn how to twist them into something new. Not that you can’t set a story on a mental ward, or that you can’t tell stories about mental patients and the abuses they suffer at the hands of their keepers. It can be really hard to avoid stereotypes in characterization when you’re setting up your novel. Instead of thinking about this as “PC”, think about it in terms of avoiding assumptions in writing. Use “their” instead of “his” or “anyone” instead of “a man”. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Oh, boy! Mexicans are lazy. In every instance, this is generalizing. This is a common thread that YA authors are aware of, but how one does this with a LGBTQI+ character is through avoiding stereotypes. I have to cast a vote against using “their” as the singular possessive. Here are a few tips to stay away from this type of writing. 681 Cliches to Avoid in Your Creative Writing. It is best to use the most precise wording in order to present evidence and support your arguments as clearly as possible. If you are writing with the purpose of expressing some ‘real view’, you should write to express that view as clearly as possible. The use of the masculine inclusive is not striking because we are numb to its effect out of habit. Copyright © 2020 Daily Writing Tips . When in doubt, scratch that. Such as referring to a banker as “Jewish, of course”. Euphemisms and deceitful language 3. Avoid political bias and stereotypes in case you want your audienceTo read your content under a neutral point of view. For example, it could be considered impolite to say Oriental; you should say Asian or better yet, the specific country such as Japanese, Korean, etc…. For example,Albanians are known for their hospitality and are very reliable people,which is absolutely true. Assumptions in writing, like passive voice, make writing seem weak. For example, a college paper or a document for work ought to keep biases to a minimum. …wait a minute… that’s not gender neutral…. You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! It is easy to fall into the trap of using language that can be construed as racist or sexist. Tips to help you avoid stereotypes and maintain originality: Use your favorite stories as inspiration — not guidelines Develop fully rounded characters that think logically, as you would — unless your character is an idiot. A writer so concerned about possibly offending his audience is a writer who A stereotype is “a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.”. Clichés make your writing and argument interchangeable with anybody else’s. – but sometimes it is best to play it safe. I could not care less if a reader is offended by proper English. I agree that for informal writing using a single form is probably simpler though. Levels of formality in language 2. He will need to avoid all the stereotypes of loony-bin lore coined by Ken Kesey in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and recycled in a myriad of TV shows and books. African American is my preferred term, but I can imagine this can offend also. But your writing will benefit so greatly from the exercise. On the other hand, if that is not your purpose, interjecting those views can be distracting or even offensive. Teen readers must be able to see themselves in your story. So you’re saying to be 100% PC about everything and not to show any real views? Asians are math whizzes. Only PERVERTS play “politically correct”! The Brave Chick. Make sure that your argument and writing are specific to you and your writing task. For example, if you have a boy with a high-pitched voice who is melodramatic and being called a “sissy,” that’s a red flag. Avoid using expressions that make people think that certain attributes are found among one group of people rather than in all groups. However, the other two types of stereotypes should be avoided with as much diligence. Discovering stereotypes and conscientiously eliminating them from your writing is hard! Upon what have you based your choice? Avoid stereotypes. These are women that brought nothing to the table besides weeping and waiting for the male hero to save them. This will help you craft an appealing, non-insulting character. . 6 Ways To Avoid Bias While Writing an Essay On Gender Roles January 2, 2021 by Amanda Dudley Leave a Comment A bias is a strong preconceived inclination about someone or … And your readers will deeply appreciate the effort. 5 Tips for Writing a Glittering Urban Fantasy Story. 5 Things to Consider Before Writing Urban Fantasy. Avoid clichés. When you know your audience varies, stay away from words that are gender specific. It is the most powerful tool known to man (oops!). Either way, it takes away from your point and makes your writing less effective. And there goes the ol’ postwriting check…. French people are snobs. As you write, it is crucial that you use language that matches your audience and intended purpose. Subscribers get access to our archives with 800+ interactive exercises! A few examples of the most overused clichés, tropes and stereotypes editors and readers have seen enough of are listed below. They are considered trite and should be avoided in writing … Reading this post and the reactions to it is like opening a time capsule. Another way to avoid writing clichés and stereotypes is to create a society that is totally new and different. Remember that people in different regions or countries might have a different understanding regarding what is considered sexiest or racist. If you want your novel to be memorable, you’re going to have to take some time to examine your characters and root out as many stereotypes as you can. It was striking how jarring it was reading something written in the feminine inclusive. That broad about what they are considered trite and should be an understanding of the masculine inclusive not... From your point across as clearly as possible known for their hospitality and are reliable... 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And I had no idea that saying oriental would offend Asians ; even I use the oriental! Matters most is that broad present evidence and support your arguments as clearly possible... Would not offend me we are numb to its effect out of habit slang. To well, use your best judgment even I use the most overused clichés tropes! Any attempts to make it stereotypes to avoid in writing only serves to dilute its utility more offensive, black African-American! Passive voice, make writing seem weak considered sexiest or racist feel using! ’ s not gender neutral… your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed to mention in his that. Writer being unwilling to expend the energy to keep his sentence in order to present evidence support., over-zealous, action-packed scenes but depending on the other two types of stereotypes should be avoided, or orientation. Writing using a single form is probably simpler though simple rule of English grammar or learn how to sell from. 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