Because it’s 2019.
Because I’m a white guy living in the U.S. who is purposefully writing characters who are anything other than white, and I don’t want them to be stereotypes.
Because just making them not stereotypes isn’t enough.
Because I haven’t lived as a POC and there will be things I get wrong.
Because I haven’t lived as a woman and there will be things I get wrong.
Because part of being a writer… no… part of being aware… no… part of being a decent human being is letting go of your ego.
Because if I want diversity in my books, and diversity in my readership, I need to have diversity in the creative process.
Because Google Translate doesn’t really speak Spanish.
Because I have unconscious biases. As much as it hurts to admit and as scary as it is to face, it’s true.
Because POC deserve respect. Part of that is me putting in the time and energy and cost of getting things right, when creating something to (hopefully) represent them.
Because women deserve respect. Part of that is me putting in the time and the energy and the cost of getting things right, when creating something to (hopefully) represent them.
Because sensitivity readers aren’t hard to find. Seriously. Go to Twitter, type it in as a hashtag. Easy. No more excuses.
Because they were professional and polite and more than one showed appreciation that I was trying to be better. They didn’t have to do it, and I didn’t expect it from them. Still, it warmed my heart.
Because they made my book so much better.
Because I learned things about myself. Some of them made me sad. But sadness is good. Sadness is a tiny wound, and now I can heal it.
Because I learned things about others. Some of them were beautiful. Now, I can carry them with me and go back to them and smile.
Because words matter, and I have a duty to use mine for something good.
Because there’s no good reason not to.
Because it’s time for me to be better.