Writing Advice from Alexander Weinstein, Author of Children of the New World
Alexander Weinstein is one of my favorite writers and people. As fortune had it, I gave birth to my first child in the middle of my Fiction MFA years at Indiana University. It put me a semester behind the students I'd come in with, which meant I got to work with the batch of students admitted in 2005. It was a phenomenal bunch. I still follow all their work, as well as that of the group who graduated the year before and the same year as me.
Alexander was in the group following mine. He organized a meal train for my family when Kid 1 arrived. He always offered smiles and hugs when I was clearly overtired. He encouraged me the best ways one writer can to another, and he was a friend. He also inspired me. He had a little one of his own, understood where I was in my life, and, honestly, was writing the stories I wished I was writing.
He even supported my blog in its earliest days (back when it was called The Spire), by publishing my favorite story in his award-winning collection on my site.
He took chances. This is not to say the other MFAers in our years didn't take chances, but MFA programs are known for churning out writers who write to the white eye, to a standard that is now overtired and outdated because we live in a diverse world and writing should reflect that variety of experience. ALexander's writing reflects his ability to step outside the box and exercise empathy and intelligence as part of his creative process.
This summer, Alexander was back at IU and I went to hear him read and sit in on his Fiction lecture. You've heard the term "woke?" That best describes this man who wears his heart in the open. He spoke on vulnerability in our writing, secrets and loving ourselves as we write. I have a dream of teaching side-by-side with him someday. Since I specifically teach Writing through Trauma, combining his self-love and craft approach would make for an amazing healing workshop.
Okay, the point of this piece is that I want to share some of the nuggets of wisdom I picked up during Alexander's lecture. Here are some quotes I hope inspire you:
On dealing with the inner critic:
"The inner critic is just the part of us that's not been loved."
On making time to write:
"I know I've been writing when my kitchen is a mess."
On protecting your creative process:
"Have secrets around your writing. Keep it close."
"I'm not allowed to talk about my writing until I've finished a complete draft of it."
On writing truth in fiction:
"Fuck the reader."
"My writing came alive when I started risking something."
"Remember that you're allowed to burn stuff."
"The vulnerability that you show on the page is allowing yourself to give love to that [wound]. You're protecting yourself by being vulnerable. Vulnerability may also be your fun spot."
If you ever get the chance to work with Alexander, take it. He's an amazing teacher. Also pick up a copy of his book for someone on your holiday list. Maybe yourself? It's absolutely worth reading.
media packet images via Google and Amazon
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good story 5th 😍😍
Thank you!
How neat to have a friend you admire so much and who has obviously returned the favor. I was taken aback by the idea of writers writing to a white eye. I had honestly, naively, never thought about that. I now wonder how that can be avoided. How does a white author avoid that? Is the goal to write to a diverse eye and if so, what does that look like in comparison. I just am guilty of never really thinking that the things I read or have read are geared possibly/typically, whether intended or not, toward an ethnicity. I know that when we have read certain period pieces to our African and African American children, I cringed at some of the references and character traits that were likely true to the times, but ugly and wrong as they dealt with minorities in the stories. I've also read articles where certain claims were made about racism in movies based not on content or dialogue, but on things such as choice of actors, etc... I do not ever want to be insensitive, and appreciate being educated on how certain ideas or behaviors that seem so innocent can actually be hurtful or oppressive. I have so much to learn. Thanks!
There are quite a few pieces to writing for the white eye. The first is all the characters are white. The second is that, often, when there is a person of color, they are not a main character, they are there to make the white character look better, they are killed off or their culture is inaccurately portrayed. There is also a standard storytelling pattern established by popular white male writers. A formula where the story marches along to the end and then poses and unanswerable question designed for certain classes. In other words, you have to have a certain level of education to even penetrate the language, and it's not because ten dollar words make the story better.
I can't unpack it all here, but I am now thinking about this and how to write about it in a meaningful way. I'm glad you're interested in learning more!
I am, because while I would claim that I am not racist, it is obvious that there are many things that while I might not see the inequity, it exists none-the-less. I have been more troubled, however, during the recent decade as claims of cultural appropriation have surfaced. So I think authors and artists and even just individuals expressing themselves face a complex situation that if they stick with what they know best (white author writing about white characters because it fit's their experience) then that is not good for anyone, yet if a white author wrote about characters outside of their personal experience would they be viewed negatively? And if a white person wears their hair in a cultural style that is most prevalent in non-whites, or wears fabric with Native American or African or Vietnamese patterns, are they guilty of belittling or exploiting those groups? These are not meant to be provocative questions, I really am unclear on what is correct so that offense is not offered. As a father of 6 Caucasian children, 4 from equatorial West Africa, and two African American children, I know I'm probably screwing things up daily. I love and care for them all dearly... but I'm doomed to live out my life mayonnaise white, and don't ever want even the hint of inequity in my life or the lives of my children. This dilemma is one of the reasons I have tried hard to socialize and genuinely learn more about other cultures so that I can appreciate them more and benefit from the amazing knowledge, wisdom, and art that my family would otherwise miss.
You certainly have a more complicated cultural situation to negotiate than many. My family is half white, half Lebanese. I was raised between the cultures, and never fit 100% in either. I can answer a few of your questions:
It is considered cultural appropriation when we wear patterns from other cultural groups that are part of their religious custom. For example, dressing up as a shaman or most Native patterns through Target are taken without regard for meaning and no Natives were compensated for the use of their traditional designs. However, buying directly from a Native designer and understanding the meaning of the design you are wearing is not appropriation. That becomes educated appreciation because you are compensating them for the use of their culture rather than contributing to the exploitation of aspects of it.
If a white person wants to write outside their white experience, they need readers and research to make sure they aren't exploiting or stereotyping. It can be done. And, in fact, it is better to learn about and depict diversity than to whitewash.
There will be inequality in the lives of your children. Whether they were all white or not, we all live different experiences. I think it sounds like you are loving them equally, and sometimes we have to look for the places we can give equality through safety. I think having books that incorporate the cultures of your family members' origins is a safe way to also explore equality. We have books on Lebanon, Christianity, Islam, and also many, many other cultures. We make sure our dolls are 50/50 in their white and of color ratio, if not 20/75. And when we walk into spaces without diverse resources, we provide them, such as toys of color and books on other cultures/life experiences to our kids' classrooms. For my homeschooled son, he always has a stack of fiction and nonfiction exploring diversity, and we work to choose science texts that show diverse images.
This is getting a bit long. Likely not much of what I'm saying here is new to you. But in case anyone else is working hard to make this world better for our children like you are, those are some thoughts.
Thank you for this excellent wisdom. Sometimes it is easy to feel so lost with these issues, and I know that they're not things that I can make decisions on because they affect others who have the right to their opinions and feelings in their regard.
I would agree that anything sacred to another group should not be toyed with or used to try and garnish attention and I like the idea defining cultural patterns as correct or not by who you got them from. I have tapestries I brought back from Africa as well as Detroit, woven by people whose culture was represented in the art. Their hands made them and they chose to sell them to me. This does seem to be much healthier than going to Walmart and buying something trendy to try and draw attention to ones supposed openness.
I've always been one, for example, who avoids wearing green on St. Patrick's day... because I'm not Irish. I have nothing against the Irish, but felt like my participation seemed fraudulent. Likewise, I've never owned a "dream catcher" which always seemed like taking something special from the Native Americans.
You have given me reassurance that my goals are in the right direction as well as some concrete ideas on how to keep my mind respectful on the diversity of others. I long for a world where we coexist much more closely so that we can truthfully share our cultures with others without just using them for our own entertainment.
As always you are much appreciated.
I'm so grateful you found me here. <3
He sounds like a treasure!
I am currently going thru the motions to begin my MFA adventure later this winter :)
Thanks for this, I treat myself to a book a month, and this is Decembers snack <3
He is, and you won't regret reading that book. It's amazing.