Refreshing Fantasy
Let’s talk about diversity in Epic Fantasy and how to do it right. Narraty is a Dutch social enterprise that promotes inclusive innovation, sometimes with authors like me. They’ve invited me to team up with them on their Inclusive Skills project, to teach people how to promote diversity in storytelling, specifically in my genre, which could use a little of it.
Introduction
We all know that traditional epic fantasy is full of white (most often) males, who are amazing, but they miss a little diversity added to the party. This is my kickoff to five lessons on how to promote diversity in epic fantasy, but also fantasy in general.
How to write a heroine
There are many ways to write a badass female protagonist in fantasy. Some are great, and some are a little…awkward. I’m giving you some pointers on how to do it right.
Skin colour
When promoting diversity in your storytelling, the next challenge is to describe skin colour. I’m sharing some ideas, which I had to research myself as well.
Disability in Fantasy
In a fantasy setting with danger and epic battles, you cannot expect nobody to suffer from physical or mental wounds. Including a character with disability makes your story more credible, and it doesn’t make your character any less powerful.
Avoiding token characters
Sometimes—unfortunately—inclusion may feel forced. Including a diverse character with no purpose may tokenize the whole idea. Here is a video highlighting these points.
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Valena D’Angelis
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© 2021 Valena D’Angelis
