Diversity in YA

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This post is going to be controversial, I think, and so before I really get into the topic, I want to say that I by no means want to offend anyone. Nor do I have a solution really for what I'm about to write, or a full hatched out explanation for why things are the way they are. If I have offended you, I'm sorry.

So. Diversity in YA. Could it be that the seeming lack of diversity in YA is because there is not much diversity in YA authors?  Lately I've been thinking a lot about this topic because right now I'm getting trained to be a residential adviser at my college, and a lot of that has involved lectures on race, socio-economic status, queer theory, representation of self and others, etc. etc. And so when I thought of diversity in YA, the first thing I thought of was how most of the authors I could think of were white. There wasn't much diversity in the authors themselves, even though America, at least, claims to be a melting pot. Let's look at an example.

**Note: I know that the NYT Bestsellers List is in and of itself exclusive and not a great measure of the scope YA covers, but I needed some sort of measure, some way of looking at this, and so I chose this because it would be somewhat easy.


White and probably somewhat richer than other writers if they've made the list, right?  The list doesn't necessarily mean they're HUGELY successful, but the authors whose books have been there a while, you know they make more money than other authors. And the authors whose book was only there for a week -- well, still. They have that New York Bestselling --- logo that they can add to any book they write afterwards, and that in itself is exclusive.

BUT like I said before, the list is exclusive so this doesn't represent everyone. What I don't understand is why there's not diversity regarding socioeconomic class in books, or at least why that only seems to play out as the "stereotypes" where there's the rich cheerleader or jock or the giant house parties hosted by kids with clear affluence. Where's everyone else?  Why are their voices silenced?  Why does that not seem to factor in as much in the characters' decisions?

***Note: I also didn't make a little image of the paperback or series or illustrated books sections for the NYT bestsellers but mostly because I'm too lazy.

How can you have diversity in the books when there's not much diversity in the people who are penning them? I mean, let's face it, folks. We tend to write about the things we know about. Yeah, we do research, and read about other cultures and things we're not familiar with, but sometimes the most authentic thing you'll read about is something that the author his/herself has experienced. (Note: I said sometimes. Definitely not all the time). Isn't one of the most widely told pieces of writing advice that you should visit the place you're writing about?  I mean, isn't THAT exclusive too?  A lot of people can't afford to do that.

Now that I've said my piece, I'd like to hear from you guys. What do you think?

3 Comments

  1. I think a lot of it is "write what you know" syndrome. It's great advice, but it's widely misapplied. "Write what you know" doesn't have to mean "write YOU." But I think that's what a lot of authors do. Most people who can afford to write are middle class or above. So they write about middle class characters. They either don't feel capable or just don't think about writing characters who are poor, another race, another creed, etc. It's sad. There are also some great authors who aren't white and middle class out there, but for some reason they don't get as much press. I'm not sure why. But I, for one, get excited when I find a book with a different kind of character. Like Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves. Super clever YA fantasy / horror with black main characters. Liar too. I hope that as self-publishing becomes cheaper, more and more types of voices will have an opportunity to be heard.

    C.J.
    Sarcasm&Lemons

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  2. I understand what you're saying. I tend to fall into the white middle class, so when I think about writing, it really is the "write what you know for me." But then I often catch myself because it seems that everything I read in YA is about a white character and there is hardly any diversity within the genre. When there is, sometimes I don't even pick it up because I'm so used to the same 'ole same 'ole. However, I find myself scared to attempt trying to get inside the head of a different character, mainly because that isn't me. It's a conundrum really... and perhaps something lacking in my imagination?

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  3. This is not something I've ever thought about to be honest. As a YA author myself, perhaps I am just like the rest of them. White, middle class, comfortably off (I'm fortunate to have a very supportive husband so I can write full time), in my mid 30s. You've certainly given me food for thought though... perhaps in the future I should try and widen my horizons and write about something completely different from the norm, in the YA genre. I shall have to really give that some thought!

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