Beyond Stereotypes: Writing Authentic Native American Characters

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, Choctaw author and founder of fictioncourses.com, speaks with Erica about writing characters from different backgrounds, specifically Native American characters. Sarah provides tips for authors on researching and developing diverse characters, and highlights the value of cultural resources and primary sources. Sarah also gives authors tips on how to avoid common mistakes when writing about Native American characters. 

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Say hello to Sarah! 

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is an author, speaker and Choctaw storyteller, who writes historical fiction that features authentic American Indian characters. Sarah’s signature course, ‘Fiction Writing: American Indians’, is equipping authors to write authentic stories that honour Native American history and culture.

Through FictionCourses.com, she takes authors who are struggling to master the tools and knowledge of their author journey and helps them become confident in writing their books. Sarah’s ‘Dictation Bootcamp for Authors’ takes authors through the process of mastering dictation through easy exercises that lead them to become the master of their fictional worlds. 

To learn more about Sarah’s courses visit www.fictioncourses.com. Or follow FictionCourses on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

Takeaways

• It is important for authors to write about characters from different backgrounds to create a more accurate and realistic representation of the world.
• Writing about Native American characters requires research and understanding of their specific tribe, region, and time period.
• Authors should be aware of stereotypes and pitfalls when writing about Native American characters and strive for accurate and respectful representation.
• Resources such as cultural centres, museums, and primary sources can provide valuable information for writing diverse characters.
• Authors can benefit from incorporating dictation into their writing process, and training programs like the dictation camp can help them develop this skill.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Quick Fire Questions

02:57 Background and Starting Fictioncourses.com

05:35 The Importance of Writing About Characters from Different Backgrounds

09:30 The Impact of Getting it Wrong

12:20 The Anxiety of Writing About Different Characters

15:33 Mistakes Authors Make When Writing About Native American Characters

23:52 Tips for Writing Diverse Characters

26:24 Pitfalls of Writing Native American Characters

29:42 Considerations for Developing Native American Characters

31:41 Positive Representations of Native American Characters

34:24 Resources for Writing Diverse Characters

38:06 Dictation Camp for Authors

41:24 Advice for Authors