1. Because it's not possible for you to do it authentically since you lack the lived experience. No matter how researched your story is, readers can tell your story is inauthentic. It's like dolphin meat - looks like tuna, but it sure as hell tastes different (I'm guessing) 1/? https://twitter.com/eaton_author/status/1274835469654732805

2. Because you will always be telling it with a 'white gaze' - meaning the voice will be tinged by your own privilege as a white person, and your blinders will be on AT ALL TIMES
Eg. I'm Asian, grew up in Singapore, which means I'm expected to live 2/?

at home with my family until I'm married. If you were to tell my story, would you have even understood how important this was? No, because it is common for white kids to move out early and gain independence. Which is probably a facet of the story you'll tell 3/?

3. POCs have heard this repeatedly - OH, SO AND SO STORY JUST SOLD RECENTLY. Black girl magic. K-pop. Indian-inspired fantasy. Truth is - POCs get about 10% of the share of the pie. That's it! You selling something similar means we lose our chance. 4/?

4. You ask if POCs can write white POVs. Uh. We are surrounded by white MCs. I have no doubt 90% of current books, movies, TV shows, have a mainly white cast. This is only after decades upon decades of white cast after white cast. And white stories after white stories! 5/?

Do you think POCs haven't been brainwashed into understanding the psyche of white people? Those are the stories EVERYONE grew up with. Bombarded with. It's been thrust into EVERYTHING we know. Which means it's probably easier for me to write a white MC than for you to 6/?

Write an Asian one. So maybe if 90% of stories are about Blacks, Asians, Latinos, then you should feel comfortable even attempting it. Even then it still won't be enough because each POC group will still have only a tiny slice of the pie if we even get an equal slice. 7/?

Right now, today, how many books or shows or movies are you going to consume for your research when there aren't even enough of ours as a collective whole to fill a section in a library? Which then leaves the job to sensitivity readers, if you can even find them. 8/?

If you write YA/MG, then join the Kidlit Alliance and listen to the advice of many. I suspect this will go nowhere but I do hope others who try to write POC characters will listen to us when we say, "We know you want to try, but please let us tell our own stories instead."