Not Chinese Enough?

-
In week 2 of this course, we had the opportunity to learn from Sanaz Fotouhi, the general manager of Asia Pacific Writers & Translators. The lecture was heavily based on discussion and in one of them, she asked about fears (forgive me if I got this wrong, my memory is not the best). I mentioned that I was afraid of not being 'Chinese' enough to write about Chinese inspired stories. I was scared that as someone who grew up in an English speaking household surrounded by American content, I would not be qualified to write about Asian stories. I would be told that I wasn't enough.

Recently, I've noticed a surge of books published by people of colour, especially in the YA section. And as usual, we can't have nice things. While many of us are celebrating these marginalised authors, there are those that lurks in the shadow with their slimy tongues and nasty fingernails waiting to pounce. Here are some tweets I found where these authors speak of their experiences.




I think the reason why I have that fear is because that things like these do happen in real life. People do go up to marginalised authors and say that their story is not enough or that it's not going to sell because it's about a certain race. I'm not sure when I will get pass this fear, but hearing Sanaz talk about how my stories are my own unique footprint has definitely helped me ease some doubts.

Mentioned Authors:

Hanna Alkaf
Hanna is a Malaysian author. Her first YA novel, The Weight of Our Sky, is set ot publish in 2019
https://hannaalkaf.com

Sangu Mandanna
Sangu grew up in Bangalore, a city in India, and is currently living in the UK. Her novel, A Spark of White Fire, is a space opera inspired by Indian mythology.
https://sangumandanna.com

Gail D. Villanueva
Filipina author Gail has a middle grade novel, My Fate According to the Butterfly coming out in 2019.
https://gaildvillanueva.com

Comments

  1. Sreedhevi IyerJuly 30, 2018 at 11:28 PM

    GREAT post. Yes, I agree, these are very real concerns. There's the story you want to tell, and then there's the anxiety about how the audience would receive it. What is 'enough' these days? Are white Australians worried about being 'Australian enough' for a global audience? What does 'Australian' mean? Similarly - what does 'Malaysian' mean, and what does 'Chinese-Malaysian' mean? Who decides? You? Your publisher? Your reader?

    These are very pertinent questions. Having said that, I'd like to also mention (having gone through that pathway myself) that in the end, it's really the story that matters. The 'enough'ness of the author's identity is a small factor compared to developing and honing the talent. Sounds easy on paper compared to dealing with the reality, I understand, but it's something to consider. Also - 'Chinese' or 'Malaysian' isn't a singular thing (consider 'habitus' again). It is usually a combination of multiple things. So if you're a combination, then you're a combination. Including the combination of 'Western'/'American' influences - which also makes you, you. Write accepting and acknowledging that combination, would be my take.

    But thank you for this - a great thinking point.:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJuly 31, 2018 at 2:43 AM

      Thank you for reading this and giving me your thoughts. I've been thinking about this topic for quite a while so, I'm glad to have finally gotten it out of my chest and have some closure on it. :)

      Delete
  2. Melissa TaylorAugust 26, 2018 at 11:04 PM

    Don't mind me commenting on a month old post I'm just trying to get up to date with reading everyone's. But I feel this in the sense of my sexuality, so while I can't comment on the racial basis behind this (because honestly, no white writer doesn't think "Am I not white enough?" Which is an interesting thought), but I can speak about sexuality and gender, because I never faced the agression others have had, because I haven't dated people on the same gender/sex as me, I worry if I'm not queer enough to write about characters who are queer.

    I don't think this thought and/or feeling is unique to one single person, I think we all feel this. Am I "womanly" enough, even though I don't identify as a female but I connect with the female cause of feminism and abortion rights, etc. Am I "Australian" enough even though a majority of my stories take place not in Australia. It's a thought many writers and everyday people have alike. It might have an effect on others more but it's still a thought.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Renga Experience

-
PROMPT #1 I stare at the line of people increasing in front of the small counter. There was a family right at the front, a baby in the father’s arm, and the mother struggling with the backpack as a young boy tugs at her arm. I hope I would not have to sit with them, else this would be a much longer flight than it already was. It was true that it can’t be helped, they can’t do much to control their children, but I’ve flown enough to eventually stop caring. Especially on this flight to this place – again. All these years and I’ve never once flown peacefully there. I waited until the line dwindles and head off myself. Double checking my pockets as I inched across the aisle to my seat. As always, I stashed my bag under my seat and watched as the compartment below closed silently then the moment my back hit the seat, the seatbelts emerged from both sides and met in the centre. There was a pressure before they loosened and adjusted across my stomach. Adjusting my posture, I scan th...
Read more

Typing...

-
Image
Whether we like it or not, technology, especially social media and messaging applications have become a big part of our lives It was tremendously helpful to be able to text my HKBU partner without cost because I could speak to her whenever I wanted. The instant reply made it feel as if I was talking to her in real life. By using messaging apps, we were able to send pictures to each other whenever we want. As both of us are into arts, we bonded even more by sending photos of our artwork. I found myself using those pictures as prompts to continue the conversation, it was easy to start talking by sending her a picture of something I thought she might like. It could be a picture of my graphic novel collection (she really likes graphic novels) or it could be a picture of a vegan burger I was trying. I don't have to be too selective because it's free. We both live in different countries yet we are able to hold conversations and actually be able to see what the other party's lif...
Read more

Garlic Cloves

-
With the flat of her knife, she crushes a few garlic cloves and peels the stubborn skins. She chops them with a steady beat, a rhythm, and scrapes them onto the side of a plate with the chopped broccoli, diced onions and all the other ingredients for the feast. It has been a while since she was back in her parent's kitchen cooking proper meals. but cooking to her, is like riding a bicycle. Once you learn, you never really forget. Her hands have not forgotten to slice, to chop, to fry, to stir. And her tongue has not forgotten the salty, the sour, the sweet, and the bitter. She starts out awkwardly, pulling open cabinets and drawers to look for the right utensils. There is only a small space for her to work with and she regrets not using her other kitchens from her temporary houses to its full potential. She couldn't remember turning on the oven in her house at Italy. Despite the space and her rusty skills, she is determined to cook the best meal. The fridge overflows with t...
Read more