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My last novel Hotel Arcadia was deemed ‘difficult’ with the main character ‘unrelatable’ by an industry that prefers its stereotyped, and yes racist, version of ‘authenticity’ over the one I have lived, observed and written about.
Oh and the novel before that, With Krishna’s Eyes, was considered ‘too Indian’ by UK publishing.
Oh and my first novel, Nani’s Book of Suicides, was too ‘alienating’ and also ‘unbelievable.’
Then there are my short stories. One exploring the psyche of a suicide bomber was seen as ‘too controversial.’
Another, about the family of a soldier gone MIA was “too soon” given that the forever wars had just begun.
Another, about the family of a soldier gone MIA was “too soon” given that the forever wars had just begun.
All of these were eventually published. Hotel Arcadia - my only novel with a UK edition - by an indie publisher. The short stories ran in small, indie journals. One was published by a magazine with MASSIVE circulation in the USA and in translation in Japan.
My work has been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, even Serbian. But yeah, apparently too difficult/unrelatable/unbelievable for UK publishing.
Still I am in REALLY privileged spot. I have an amazing agent (she pushed a short story for NINE years till she placed it because as she said ‘it’s a great story’).
I have a job that I live and which pays the bills and lets me research and think so I write on my own time.
I have a job that I live and which pays the bills and lets me research and think so I write on my own time.
But when I see the performative allyship on twitter and press releases, I really have to snigger.
If you REALLY mean it, then commission, sign, publish and market writers of colour. And publish us WELL with proper resources not just to make your lists look ‘diverse.’
If you REALLY mean it, then commission, sign, publish and market writers of colour. And publish us WELL with proper resources not just to make your lists look ‘diverse.’
And hire , pay, promote people of colour. Not just in editorial but also design, marketing, sales. ALL areas!
And FFS! STOP saying that your white writers ‘can’t write things because....angry brown and black people on social media’ will criticise them!
Stop blaming your - and your writers’ - racism on our ‘political correctness.’
Stop blaming your - and your writers’ - racism on our ‘political correctness.’
Oh and agents: i can see how you’d rather sign mediocre white writers than hugely talented writers of colour?
I can see how you prefer an American Dirt over far better work written by writers of colour. You can talk ‘marketability’ but really, it’s about gatekeeping!
I can see how you prefer an American Dirt over far better work written by writers of colour. You can talk ‘marketability’ but really, it’s about gatekeeping!
And bookshop folk - esp indy bookshops: how often do you have mostly white shelves with your one token book by a writer of colour?
How often do you recommend a book by a writer of colour that isn’t one from a major publisher? One that you discovered because you read us?
How often do you recommend a book by a writer of colour that isn’t one from a major publisher? One that you discovered because you read us?
And book journos here: how often do you read books by writers of colour? Review us?
And yeah I know about those ‘limited book pages’ (you still have enough to multiple reviews of white writers when you want though).
How many of us do you even follow here?
And yeah I know about those ‘limited book pages’ (you still have enough to multiple reviews of white writers when you want though).
How many of us do you even follow here?
This isn’t new. This isn’t rocket science.
What is new though: your quick, vocal performativity this time. It shows not that you have changed but that you feel pressured and scared to be seen as racist.
Good! You should!
What is new though: your quick, vocal performativity this time. It shows not that you have changed but that you feel pressured and scared to be seen as racist.
Good! You should!
As my mum said when I was fuming at her about politics (again) earlier this week, “people change when they have no other option but to change.”
And that makes me hopeful as I watch your fear induced performativity.
I look forward to leaving you with no option but to change!
And that makes me hopeful as I watch your fear induced performativity.
I look forward to leaving you with no option but to change!
