Will Political Correctness Restrict Authors from Writing?

Authors are being deterred from publishing books that represent black, Asian and minority ethnic audiences (BAME) due to concerns over cultural appropriation, according to the Westminster Media Forum.

Nicola Soloman, CEO of the Society of Authors, called on publishers to stop trolling writers on this matter. Author and illustrator Shoo Raynor, a member of the group, said that the issue was raised in every meeting. Lionel Shiver, another writer, also complained about the term “cultural appropriation” and suggested that it was a passing fad.

The topic of diversity was also widely discussed at the Forum meeting, which sought commonly-agreed measurable targets to tackle a lack of diversity in publishing.

With the aim of promoting diversity in fiction, the Westminster Media Forum has highlighted the issue of cultural appropriation for authors who wish to publish books that reflect black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) audiences.

The Society of Authors’ chief executive, Nicola Soloman, urged publishers not to “troll” people for cultural appropriation if they include a black face in their book if they are not black. The challenge stems from the idea that authors are guilty of cultural appropriation if they write from the point of view of characters from other cultural backgrounds.

The debate around cultural appropriation is soon becoming an important topic of discussion within literary settings, with author and illustrator Shoo Raynor emphasising that it “comes up in every meeting”. Lionel Shiver, author of the Independent, reflects this in her struggle with the concept of cultural appropriation, which is “taking from another culture without permission.” Furthering the notion of cultural appropriation as a passing fad, Shriver suggests that exploring different points of view is “part of fiction writers’ job.”

Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a Sudanese-born Australian social activist, responded to Shriver’s speech at the Brisbane writers festival last year arguing that Shriver was “celebrating the unfettered exploitation of the experiences of others, under the guise of fiction.” Current statistics show that out of the thousands of books published last year, fewer than 100 were authored by British authors of a non-white background.

The aim of increasing diversity has become a key agenda for many publishing companies, with the PA’s chief executive, Stephen Lotinga, aiming to arrive at a series of measurable “commonly agreed targets”.

This follows initiatives from large publishers, including Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, to engage with and address representation of BAME people on their staffs. While encouraging change and progress, The Bookseller’s online editor, Sarah Shaffi, makes an eminent plea for more diversity, so readers can “see themselves in the books being published and publicised”.

Crystal Mahey-Morgan, founder of OWN IT!, proposes that one of the silencing factors on diverse voices is exploitative contact. This is why OWN IT! splits its net profits fifty-fifty with its authors. Soloman pressed the importance of free movement for creators post-Brexit, as it is necessary for understanding of “other viewpoints.”

Sam Missingham, head of events at HarperCollins, spoke in favour of publishers, noting how all the big publishing houses are taking the issue of diversity “very seriously”. HarperCollins has engaged in a variety of initiatives, including a BAME-only graduate scheme, a writing scheme from the Fourth Estate imprint and the “All In” diversity forum, to promote inclusivity.

Ultimately, cultural appropriation was an issue discussed in order to increase diversity in literature, so readers can “see themselves” in the books published and “hear themselves” in the language used. Whether these changes will filter down the publishing echelons, only time will decide.