I received this question a while back and, I have to be honest, I avoided answering it, not because I didn’t want to, but because I worried that doing so could open me up to intense criticism. The freight train of frustrations with 2017 emblazoned on its side is smashing through a lot of preconceived notions about who we are and what we value as a society. Racial issues are a big part of that and it’s a heck of a lot easier to just steer clear than to engage them at all. I avoided this because it was easy.

So, my first piece of advice is:

Don’t do the easy thing.

Make the effort. Do the research. You have a responsibility to spend extra time trying to get it right because people are going to draw broad inferences from what you portray, especially if you include people who don’t get much representation in media at the moment.

This does not mean characters of other races/genders should be _flawless_. Remember what I just said about not doing the easy thing? Adding diversity into your story and having those characters separate themselves from the rest by being perfect or bland is not the way to engage readers or create drama. Make your characters well-rounded, interesting, and give them flaws while doing your best to steer clear of obvious and reductive stereotypes.

“Do your best” actually covers quite a bit of the process. Dig as deep as you can with the time you’ve got, be diligent about researching the culture, and, wherever possible, get direct sources of information so you’re not filtering it through other people’s expectations or biases while unconsciously adding your own.

Know that you will not be telling _the_ story about a particular race or gender, just _a_ story that includes aspects of their lives.

Wayward is my supernatural comic series about teenagers battling Japanese mythological monsters. It’s a story in Japan with Japanese mythology, but it’s also about myth as a whole and generational divide. It includes a lot of Japanese (and, later on, Irish) cultural elements, but the overall theme and its own internal fantasy-mythology makes it quite different from a historical record or broad message about Japan. I’m not a Japanese person telling any kind of definitive story about what it is to _be_ Japanese. I wouldn’t presume to do so.

Glitterbomb: The Fame Game is a horror-tragedy with a main character who is an African-American teenager. It includes aspects of her life as a black teen, but the broader themes are fame, failure, and the grotesque way Hollywood treats its talent. I’m not an African-American telling the definitive story about what it is to _be_ black in America. That’s not my place or something I’d feel comfortable with.

“Do your best” and “don’t do the easy thing” also means you may screw up. You have to accept that. Seriously. Any criticism you receive, however hurtful it may be in the moment, can also lead to learning more and doing better in the future. I believe it’s better to try and fail than not try at all. Stepping outside your comfort zone is always difficult and stressful, but out there is where exciting discoveries take place.

If you have the chance to engage your research directly, do it! Visit museums, attend cultural events, ask questions, learn. If you can travel to another country, go! Connect with people and discover their similarities and differences. Don’t treat it like a science experiment or grudging responsibility for “diversity check marks.” The rewards are numerous. Engage and enjoy the process. Open yourself up to new experiences and people who aren’t like yourself. Be kind. Make friends.

One of the most important traits in storytelling is “empathy.” Building empathy in your stories and creating emotional bonds between your characters and the audience is key to your success as a storyteller. Broaden your horizons because it’ll make you a better person and a better storyteller.