How to Write Black Characters (when You are Not Black)

Black characters--or I should say, well-written, non-stereotypical black characters--can be hard to come by in sci-fi and fantasy. Chances are, if the book is written by a white person, almost all of the characters are white, and those that aren’t are minor and two-dimensional. Even the best authors are guilty of this. Does anyone recall seeing any black wizards in Hogwarts?

For those of us well-intentioned white SFF authors, we see this and want to help. But we don’t want to come across as racist by badly writing a black character, so the question is: how do you write black characters?
​
The good news: it’s pretty easy.

1. Write a character.
2. Make ‘em black.

Yes, this is very similar to how you write women characters. Remember: it’s not the person themselves who are different because of something as superficial as skin tone. It’s how other people react to that person’s appearance. That is what shapes the character.

Obviously if you’re writing a historical piece, do your research. Adhere to the rules of slavery, segregation, and whatever other horribly racist mandate we had going on at the time.

And no matter what genre you’re writing, even high fantasy or super futuristic sci-fi where you can create all of society’s rules, governing race, and ethnicity, there are some stereotypes you want to avoid.

The Slaves/Servants
(historical pieces [mostly] exempt)

Yes, historically speaking, black people were slaves. Most notably, in recent history, to white people. We don’t have to keep beating everyone over the head with that fact by having the PoCs of some fantasy world forced into servitude as well.

The HBO show Game of Thrones, awesome as it is, has trouble with this one. All the slaves of Essos are people of color who end up being freed by a white woman (a.k.a. The White Rescuer). Now, had Daenerys been black, or had they already freed themselves from the Masters some time ago and then decided to join our dragon queen through some economic or military alliance, that would’ve been a lot less tone deaf.

(P.S. I’m specifying the show and not the books, because the books actually handled people of color a lot better. Namely with Dorne. While the show portrays Dorne as even more bloodthirsty and crazy than the rest of Westeros, in the books, this country is in fact the most progressive and enlightened part of the world. Their women have equal rights, and they abhor the murder of children. The show really screwed that up.)

The Sassy Black Woman

We know her. A lot of us love her. But when a woman’s identity is entirely based on how sassy and angry she can be, then you have a case of extremely lazy writing. Usually, this woman appears as comic relief. It’s fine to have a character for that purpose (see: Ron Weasley). But maybe try avoiding the mind-numbing cliche and give black women a little credit. They are, in fact, the most educated demographic in America.

The Black Sidekick

We have Black Panther coming out next week. Do you know one of the big reasons so many people are excited for it? Not just because Marvel is awesome and the trailers look totally sick and we already fell in love with T’Challa in Civil War. It’s because, until now, every major superhero movie has relegated the black guy as the sidekick.

Let’s draw a very fine line here between major supporting character and sidekick. A major supporting character would be someone like Grover in Percy Jackson. He’s not the main character. But even though he spends a large portion of time helping Percy out, he has his own story, his own narrative arc, and his own problems to overcome. You could write an entire book dedicated to Grover if you were so inclined without having to consult the original author about his background. He is given just as much thought and consideration as Percy.

That is not the case of a sidekick, who exists solely to help the main character. Try to make a list of everything you know about Col. James Rhodes or Sam Wilson the Falcon based solely off of the recent Marvel movies, and you’ll see what I mean.

The Wellspring of Grief

Sometimes, even when a black character is done right, their background is not. They may be a medical doctor with complex issues and a heart of gold and spine of steel, but they grew up rough in the ‘hood and their dad walked out before they were born, or something.

Why does every black character have to come from a rough home? Why can’t they have two loving, supportive parents? Why do they all have to come from the slums of poverty?

Newsflash: they don’t.

The Barbarian/Thug

Alternatively: all black people--especially the men--are inherently violent by nature. Ever notice how many villains in action and superhero movies that aren’t British are people of color? All the Arabs are Muslim terrorists, all the Latinos are thugs, all the black people are gangsters, et cetera.

This is probably one of the most dangerous stereotypes out there. Because it teaches us (by us I mean the white audience the movie/book is originally geared toward) that all black people are dangerous criminals who would gladly kill you for the bills in your pocket.

Obviously, the problem of systemic racism in society is a lot more complex than the casting choice of the latest blockbuster. But this, the lessons we learn from popular media, is one of the reasons it’s as strong as it is.

For all those white authors out there who are wringing their hands because you're nervous about writing a character with a different skin tone, I have one final piece of advice. Writing is all about putting yourself in another person’s shoes. We slip into the minds of curious aliens, evil wizards, and confused superheroes all the time. A black high schooler should not be an issue.

Treat your black character the way you would any of your others--with careful thought, care, and complexity--and you’ll be fine.

Check out my list of questions to ask your major characters for inspiration.

Happy writing!

---

I am now on Patreon!

Patreon is similar to crowdfunding, in that multiple people support a cause they love and get free goodies as a result. You can donate as little as one dollar a month, or you can give more and gets loads of cool stuff like sneak peaks and free books. Every penny goes toward giving you more good content. 

So if you like what you're reading, click here and help me continue to write for you!