How to Write Culturally Diverse Characters (the Right Way!)

We. Want. Great. Cultural. Representation. In. Fiction.

Plain and simple.

But, as a writer, it can be intimidating to write culturally diverse characters organically. We may know very little about the culture we want to represent in our fiction. So this means we may make the characters feel cardboard-ish, cartoonish or unrealistic. And the absolute LAST thing we ever want to be is unintentionally offensive, inaccurate or just plain ignorant.

So how do we do it? How do we create culturally diverse characters in our novels that are well-represented?

We focus on three areas where cultural diversity influences human life and how it influences each culture:

1. Interaction and behavior
2. Speech and relationships
3. Beliefs and arts

In Oman, Bedouin men greet each other by gently pressing or rubbing their noses together.

Tibetan monks stick their tongue out to greet people. They also press the hands together and place them in front of their chest to show that they “come in peace”. They started doing this to prove that they’re not the reincarnation of a cruel king from the 9th century that had a black tongue.

There are twelve different Shona ethnic groups spread across Southern Africa, many of which perform rhythmic clapping as a greeting.

In fact, shaking hands has a unique history of its own. Hundreds of years ago, it was common to go into a meeting with a pretty little weapon hiding up your sleeve. So, shaking someone’s hand was the quick way to find out if your new friend had an ulterior motive.

What’s the point? Across the world, interactions are a fascinating representation of culture. Each interaction is a unique glimpse into the country’s history and beliefs. The Tibetan greeting is based on a superstition around a king that grew into a tradition!

Unique interactions don’t stop at greetings alone. For native Australian aboriginals, it’s considered extremely rude to look someone in the eye while they speak to you. In some Arab countries, men will hold hands while they walk down the street merely as a sign of friendship.

The complex personalities of people worldwide are also strongly influenced by what is viewed as culturally acceptable. For instance, in Puerto Rico, vibrant energy, close interaction and physical contact amongst friends is normal and welcome (in my family, it’s a non-stop onslaught of hugs, kisses and spontaneous dancing!) However, in countries like Japan or South Korea, contact (even minimal contact such as touching hands) between members of the opposite sex is frowned upon– even taboo!

Tradition and respect are the key takeaways here. Tradition is born from habit and belief. Respect dictates which behaviors are acceptable and which are viewed as offensive. It also determines how interactions play out.  So as a writer, focus on why the tradition of your select culture was started, why this influences certain interactions and who maintains this decorum. 

Specifically, ask yourself:

• Why is this unique interaction important to this ethnic group?
• Who or what started that tradition?
• What belief is behind this unique interaction?

Great Example:

In Black Panther, Wakandans often greet one another with crossed arms across their chest and a “Wakanda Forever” salute. This was one great way that director Ryan Coogler took advantage of world-building technique, thus giving us a great glimpse into Wakandan culture.

Avoid:

DON’T make a mockery of the culture you want to represent. AVOID clichés. Don’t break the smooth flow of your story by “staging” an interaction like it’s some kind of improv performance. Make unique interactions unencumbered, dignified and natural. Organically present these interactions in your work of fiction with an air of humility and reservation. Let the focus remain on the relationships. People are people first- not just mascots of their culture.

Language is a unique facet of culture. Although a foreign language may sound like jibberish to us, it’s actually a beautiful display of living art and history. If you listen carefully enough, each culture has a particular sound– like a different genre of music. Language is melodic and adds such complexity to the culture it comes from.

Language, therefore, has a massive role in our lives and so it should in your diverse character’s life.

How we speak and express ourselves is not reserved to speech alone. Speech is a part of our personality, so it defines a large part of how we act and how we express ourselves.

How so?

Well, let’s get literal for a second: Italian, Spanish, and French for one, are known for being physically expressive languages. They use the body, the face, the emotions to fully express themselves. This passionate form of expression enlivens the language and captures the beauty of the culture.

How we speak to one another depends on our relationships and our upbringing. Were you raised to respect your elders? How do you act when you’re with your bestie versus when you’re with your gran?

So think about your character for a moment: how old is he or she? How does age influence how he/she speaks to people? Does he/she use more slang or informal speech around their friends? Is he/she relaxed around their friends but formal and polite around family members or elders? How does he/she talk to their parents? Strangers? Men? Women? Your diverse character’s personality and upbringing greatly influence how he talks to people. 

The key takeaways here are common practice and upbringing. So how does your character’s speech reflect his view of certain relationships?

Specifically, ask yourself:

• In what setting or environment was my character raised?
• How did this setting influence my character’s speech or language?
• How does my character’s upbringing influence his speech toward certain genders or age groups?

Great Example

T’Challa shows deep respect toward his mother, his father, and all elders. He more often speaks to his father and mother in his mother tongue as a sign of love and respect. But when he’s with his sister Shuri, he speaks English, and is a victim of Shuri’s pranks 😉

Avoid:

Don’t turn your character into a caricature. If your story is written in first person, your character will be unaware of his accent or his linguistic expressions. So turning his accent on him will only make readers groan at YOU. Even when writing accents, don’t exaggerate. Simplicity and dignity (again) are key. Allow the character to organically throw colloquialisms, jokes, expressions or phrases into conversation during appropriate occasions. Don’t force it, bro.

**Also, keep in mind: those blessed enough to know two languages don’t suffer from some sort of “buffering” syndrome. Switching back and forth between languages can be tricky but not robotic. Bilinguals can speak perfectly fine in their second language yet suddenly brain-fart on what the word for “table” is in their second language. Also, some phrases or expressions in their mother tongue do not have an equal in their second language and finding a way to express that terminology can be difficult. Look, just don’t let me ever catch your character saying something like “Hola– oh sorry I mean hello. Forgot how to say ‘hello’ for a second there!” because my eyes will roll so hard I will see my brain stem.

Beliefs- religious or otherwise- are a strong foundation of every culture. Common cultural beliefs, Holy Books, religions, holidays, legends, myths, or superstitions give each culture its own unique shape and identity. No matter how old a belief may be, it still affects how a country or nation may be run.

So how should beliefs influence your character’s identity and choices in your story?

Superstitious beliefs can bar characters from participating in certain trials or making particular choices. Religious beliefs can also influence your diverse character’s decision-making skills.

Religious beliefs may go deep for your character or they may not affect your character at all. Instead, your character may be focused on the arts and activities popular in his culture.

Music, sports, art, food, traditions, architecture all shape the culture your diverse character comes from. 

Jamaica taught us how to chill with its invention of Reggae music, Native Americans invented the strategic game of Lacrosse, Japan gave us food art in the form of sushi, North America birthed a renown past time with Baseball, and Scotland awakened the highlands with Bagpipes.

These few examples give us a taste of how people are brought together in their country and how these unique arts shape their culture. Every culture is proud of the special gifts they bring to the table. It is a piece of their past and a part of their future.

The key take away from this is pride and reverence.

So ask yourself:

• How does your character revere his culture through religious or wide-held beliefs and/or popular arts?
• How do the arts and beliefs of his country shape his identity? 
• What arts or beliefs does he NOT like from his culture?

Great Example:

Wakanda gave the world Vibranium. It is a fast-paced first-world country that mixes the future with the past. There is a unique tradition (a battle between the new king and a challenger) that installs a new king to the Wakandan throne. The Black Panther is held in high regard by all people and represents this country’s pride and glory. Legend surrounds how the Black Panther came into power and this myth is still passed on.

Avoid:

Again, CLICHÉS!! Can’t emphasize this enough. Not all Brazilians lOvE soccer! Not all Chinese people are chess nuts! Not all Scottish people go around wearing kilts! Not all Americans eat at McDonald’s! Got me? Your diverse character is an individual! His beliefs and aspirations must be weighed against his own personal identity and experiences. Making a truly beloved diverse character means creating a unique individual who breaks free of clichés.  

It’s DEF possible to create culturally diverse characters that readers celebrate! When you love the character you’re creating you’ll want to love his culture too. So do your research. Get to know how your character actually would act, talk and dream. Make your goal to be organic, realistic representation and not self-glorification. Our main goal isn’t to recieve a pat on the back because we went diverse. Our goal is to represent and represent right.

So focus on your character’s interaction and behavior, speech and relationships, beliefs and hobbies and you’ll give readers a diverse character that is worthy of their adoration.

What culturally diverse characters do you think are great representations in fiction? Let me know in the comments section! I’d love to hear about more writers doing their jobs right and creating culturally diverse characters we adore!