#130 Writing Something...Black

Being an African-American male, there are certain unfair expectations thrust upon me.  When you are a black male, you are expected to be a criminal, a dead-beat dad, a rapper, an athlete or something along those lines.  Some of these are good things, and some of them are not.


When you are an African-american writer...there is this strange expectation for you to write something black.  By black they mean something urban, something street, something hood, or something that the AfA community can identify with.

That isn't me.  I don't write stories that are based on my nationality or my color.  If asked to do so, I will decline, because that's simply not my style.  That isn't to say that I couldn't.  I'm not against such stories, but if I don't feel the urge to write something urban (meaning black) then I won't.  You see I know those kinds of stories. I've seen them, I've lived them, and I know people who have been through them.  My love of fiction comes from the escape of reality.  I still live on the south-side of Chicago. I see youth wearing their pants down to their knees, and talking like sailors with tourettes syndrome.  I watch as the young men and women try to be harder and tougher than the murderers and criminals they emulate.  I listen to the music with so many great pretenders, inspiring the youth to not inspire to be anything.

Not don't get me wrong.  I have no issue with writing something different and inspirational meant to inspire my people, as well as get others to see us in a completely different light.  If the industry were looking for that type of message, then I'd be fine with writing something black.

But they aren't.

These are fine examples of the types of movies that the industry love.  Then of course there are Tyler Perry movies, which while I am not a fan, I do respect his work.  It just isn't for me.  The truth is, the industry doesn't really want a black movie, they don't know what they want, and when you give them what you feel is a black movie, many are told that it isn't "black" enough.  You cannot go wrong if you try to do a urban street movie, or something with dancing, because everyone loves dancing, but AfA can't shake that stigma.  We don't often get the same types of movie opportunities whether in acting or in writing.

In closing, even though this is "the way it is." I won't let that stop me.  Nor should anyone else.  Tell the stories you want to tell.  Don't let your color determine what you are capable.  Your talent is what decides that.