Young Writers Society

Yes, that is a valid fear, but avoiding researching the heritage isn't the way to represent Natives. Researching, researching, and researching is the way to avoid offence. I have spent legitimately ten years researching Mughal India to figure out how to properly represent it in a rich, nuanced way, and I still have way more to learn.

If you want to stop being a misguided weirdo, you have to dive in and ask the questions. You have to start researching tribes, and start pouring yourself into learning. You won't stop being misguided until you do the research. It's okay to be misguided at first. You might get some people rebuffing you, but you'll also get people who want your help and will educate you.

Yes, you're going to make mistakes, and yes, it will make you realize how little you know. It'll be hard. I understand. It's terrifying. But in order to get better, you have to push through that. You have to start wading in and realizing what you don't know, but also trusting that you have room to learn.

Representation is not a one-off thing. It's a case of constant study. Learning another culture isn't an insurmountable task, but it is a hefty one.

Unless you're willing to dive in, put your own ego aside, and really learn, then you're going to come across as offensive for a lot longer than if you simply avoid it. Not giving them heritage is worse.

It will take time. It will take a lot of effort. But it's not impossible.

wait a minute, 10 freaking years? forgive me for my objections.I know this might take a long time to do since a lot of my work takes about months on end with planning, some research (mostly online because I'm a lonely person and stuck with conservatives) , outline, critiques, etc. but, as I said before for quite while, but on a different forum, I have to go live on a reservation, talk to the people, learn their ways for years until actually understand what I'm dealing with. and this was from someone who suggested this to me, although I'm a 16-year-old black girl with very limited resources on how to actually get there.
now, I understand where you're coming from. it is hard to actually do an idea or represent people (although some are easier to represent than others and not talking about white people) in a meaningful and inoffensive way, but to actually have spend years, doing research, whether online or in real life, seems daunting at best. it can be done mind you but not within 10-30 years, I might potentially be a relatively decent writer by then but I'll still suck at it.

note: sorry for the really long and unorganized mess of a rant. I just can't deal with the fact that have spend years perfecting an idea like that. I sincerely feel sorry for that. just had to blow some steam that's all.

hate to double post but let me reword that last question. just give me three, three, at least somewhat specific examples of native American nations who at least have this "spirit guide" concept. I'm just asking because so far, I can barely find any books on the matter.

Forgive me for intruding here, because I know nothing about the specific cultures in question, but I do closely follow discussions of cultural appropriation and how to portray "the other" appropriately.

You can't expect to post a broad cultural question to a single forum and expect to get all your answers in one place. You won't be able to write an authentic and sensitive piece on the basis of a single forum topic. Maybe a reddit thread with ten individually upvoted mammoth informative posts, but even then, it's only a starting point.

A more reasonable expectation is to gather directions on where and how to research. You'll still have to do a *lot* of legwork. I would suggest looking at the multitude of links that have already been provided, as well as googling on the basis of what our local YWS experts have suggested. Also, you may want to separate out your questions regarding characterization, plot, and worldbuilding, because in this sort of setup, you'll need to do a looooooot of worldbuilding work separate to everything else. It's a lot like historical fiction in the sense that you have to do 10x more research and accuracy (or lack thereof) will hugely impact your story's reception.

this is going to take place in modern times actually.

I didn't say you were writing historical fiction?

Hmm if I may, why did you choose to go with Native American culture?
Don't get me wrong, I think it's an exceptionally interesting field to dive into, and I'm definitely all in for representing "the other" and creating diverse characters and basing stories on non-Eurocentric beliefs or philosophies— I'd just like to know what made you choose Native American over any other.

It sounds to me like you're the most set on the concept of spirit animals/guides, and have some of your own ideas on how to put some sort of twist on it, which is cool. What's making you want to connect it to the Native American beliefs so much, rather than just creating your own philosophy for the story or looking into other cultures that may have a similar concept?

Ways of approaching the question you're asking might depend on your answers here, too. But I'm mostly just asking out of curiosity.

it has something to with representation i guess and a lack of decent portrayals as of late.

To add to that one, I just thought, on paper that it sounded cool and nice I guess. Not a original idea since I have corporate business man as the villain. Would you suggest changing it to something made up or just pick a nation and see it from there.

it has something to with representation i guess and a lack of decent portrayals as of late.

This. This right here. The very same reason I'm currently hip deep into my epic novel concerning the meercats. They're vastly underappriciated in fiction.

Thanks man. I appreciate that.

Okay. I'm going to explain something here, and I mean no disrespect with it. I'm just explaining how representation generally works.

If you want to do diversity right. If you want to really honestly represent Natives. You have got to put aside your own desires for what you want the plot to be, and build something that comes from the group you are representing.

You can't impose your own desires on real cultures and represent Natives properly. If you run into tons of cultures that aren't open about their spirit guides and, therefore, there aren't really any cultures you can pull from? You have to shelve that portion of your plot to be respectful. You have to take something Native and write about it.

Creating something that doesn't exist isn't respect. Creating something based on your own beliefs about Natives isn't good representation. That's perpetuating stereotypes, and is harmful.

So if you're running into this wall, accept it's a wall. Find something else. If you're attached to the magic system, make something else as ChildofNowhere said. If you're attached to Native representation, then find another magic tool to use based on the nation you are representing.

In order to be respectful, the plot points have to come from the real life culture. It's that simple.

that's why I'm taking the " just happened to be x" idea. Heck, I might as well as well screw off and not make a big deal about it. Nevertheless, I'll still do the research either way.

If it makes you happy, I made new synopsis on it." After years of dormancy, the portal between the realm of at her and earth are blurred, reawakening the one dead art of bonding."

There. Done. I know you mean no Disrespect but your making me reconsider my chance. I really feel like it not worth my time anymore. You made me officially quit on the idea because "it's harmful" you made me feel discouraged and distraught, because I thought it was cool. How about you look at it this way. Maybe just maybe, it was a mistake. I'm not the kind person here to debate so someone please back me up.

If you want to show representation, you have to show them as they are, it's that simple. Otherwise it's not representation. If you're unwilling to do the research and work, don't use Native Americans. That's not representation.

I admire your wanting to represent people who aren't often featured in stories. That's great. But you need to have a really good understanding before you do that. For instance, I'm queer. If you wanted to represent queerness, but didn't put in the research on various sexualities and gender identities and history and interactions, chances are it would be so superficial that a) I'd probably be offended and b) it wouldn't be believable. It wouldn't be representing me or the queer community.

I'm not sure why you're asking for help and then being adamant about arguing against someone who actually knows what she's talking about. We're trying to make you a better writer.

You said you wanted representation, we told you how to do it. Arguing just hurts your claim.

For queer people personally, I've been be able find so many resources on them while I couldn't find on any relatively accurate resources on native Americans.

They are certain representations that I can do a decent job on but to do 10 years wandering around the country to get info is a task not worth taking. I'll rather get as much books as I can, find e books, get accurate resources, then seeking them out (actually, I can do that through, if that's possible. Like a internet forum).
After thinking About it, I might as well as do it, I don't care if it's cool or not anymore, if someone's happy about it , that's the least I can do. Because without desire or a goal, there's no passion. I won't do stereotypes because just like you, it's bullshrimp. I've seen them all and I wish to avoid it.

I hope this clarifies my post and I'm sorry.