Pod: Character, not Caricature: Writing People Who are Not Like You

With Cheryl A Head:

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You’re a writer so you should be able to write about anything you want. Right?  Well, yes. But…if you’re writing fiction that includes characters who are, for instance, persons of color, differently-abled, non-binary, or culturally different than you, your readers want (and increasingly demand) you give those characters full, authentic, three-dimensional personality.  Let’s discuss some of the techniques, and resources that can help you write what you may not know.

Cheryl A Head (she/her) writes the award-winning, Charlie Mack Motown Mysteries whose female PI protagonist is queer and black. Head is a two-time Lambda Literary Award finalist and her books are listed in the Detroit Public Library’s African American Book List. In 2020, the third book in Head’s mystery series was shortlisted for the Next Generation Indie Book Award. In 2019, Head was named to the Hall of Fame of the New Orleans Saints and Sinners Literary Festival. She is a current member of the national Bouchercon Board of Directors. Head lives in Washington, DC with her partner and Abby & Frisby who provide canine supervision. For more information about this author and to view book purchase information, visit the Authors page.