Diversity is a hot topic lately, but it's an important one. Here at the Fearless Type we are proud to be third culture kids, but this background has always allowed us to be aware of an unfortunate lack of diversity in Christian fiction.  Fiction in general needs more diversity, but Christian fiction is especially empty of well-written diversity. This isn't to say that there aren't any-- but that there should definitely be more, and it should be something on the mind of all Christian writers. Why? Keep reading to find out why we need it and how you can be a part of changing the Christian book world.

Why we need diversity in Christian fiction: 

1. Books show who we are. Your writing tells a lot about you. Every book carries a picture of it's author within it. So, what image do you want to share? Diversity not only opens up your book's world and the eyes of your reader, but it can also shape you as an author and show who you are.
2. Books help us learn about and get into the shoes of others. Not only can books help you connect to characters like you, but they can also help you realize how similar you are to characters unlike you. You can learn more about other people, and get the chance to step into their world. This not only broadens the mind, but it can also help us understand others and have more compassion for the world around us.
3. Books portray messages about what is important and a priority in our lives. Whether you realize it or not, every story conveys a message about what you prioritize and find important. We need more diversity in books, because if it's important to us in our regular lives, we ought to see it in our fiction too. Not only that, but many people live in a world where diversity is the norm-- so why should our books not represent that?
4. Books help us share thoughts, truths, and realities that need to be shared. Thoughts, truths, and realities are present in every book. Like we said above, books convey messages. Stop and think about what messages the books you write portray. Not only do we need to include diversity for diversity's sake alone, but sometimes, there are lessons to be learned from other people that we couldn't learn on our own. Having a diverse cast of characters allows for more truth to be told.
5. Books are designed to be relatable, with characters we understand. At it's core, books open up worlds to us where we can connect to and relate with the characters. Imagine never reading about someone who was similar to you? When your narrative is erased from stories, it can feel like you are also erased. If books show who we are, we need more books showcasing everybody. 

What it would look like: 
So we can agree that there needs to be more diversity in Christian fiction, but what would that look like? How would that be presented in a book?

1. A cast of characters that are each unique and carry different qualities. The simplest answer is to have a cast of characters that celebrates their own uniqueness and allows the reader to celebrate that as well. This is just good writing, if we're going to be honest-- nobody wants a cliched cast or a group of characters that all are carbon copies of each other.
2. More main characters that allow for other narratives to be told. Diverse side characters are becoming more popular, perhaps, but how about more diverse main characters? This gives the chance to tell new narratives, stories from various view points that aren't represented as much, and more. Besides all that, we just need to see more books with main characters that are different, unique, and diverse.
3. More ethnicities portrayed. Most people probably think about ethnicity first when they hear the word diverse, and it's true-- it's an important piece to consider. We live in an amazing world, and many places are already somewhat diverse in Western areas. To see that in a novel would truly be refreshing. Let's appreciate people for who they are.
4. More cultures brought to life. Along with ethnicity is culture. Even within one country, culture can vary wildly. Books that showcase various cultures allow for different viewpoints, different struggles, different mindsets and more.
5. Third culture, multi-cultural/multi-racial, and cross-culture individuals. Especially in this day and age, more and more people are actually a mix of cultures. Cross culture is a wide term to describe someone who grew up in a culture that was a minority in the culture of their society. Multi-cultural/multi-racial indicates a person born into a family with parents of different culture or ethnicity, while third culture individuals are those who spend a large part of their formative years in a country (or countries) that differ in culture from their parent's and their original or "passport" country. Cross-culture individuals can also include immigrants, refugees, international adoptees, minorities, and even what is called "domestic" third culture-- when you've moved between very different cultures in one country.
6. Characters with disabilities, chronic illness, or accurately depicted mental health struggles. Having characters with disabilities, chronic illnesses, mental health struggles, or developmental disorders is important because we need to hear their stories too, especially told accurately and realistically.
7. An authentic view of diverse societies. Most of the western world lives in societies made up of all kinds of people, so why don't we portray that in our books? Having a novel with an authentic view of diverse societies is so important, not only because it shows how life really can be, but also because then you can incorporate diversity as just a part of life, like it should be.
8. Celebrating stories from all parts of the world and all walks of life. Diversity means that other parts of the world need their stories told as well as people from all walks of life. Thinking outside your box can help you write better stories that can reach and make an impact on more people.
9. Digging deeper into history from various viewpoints. This is especially for historical fiction authors, but really anybody should keep this in mind. If you haven't taken the time to research history and dig a little deeper from other viewpoints, you need to do that now. Having the big picture is crucial to writing historical fiction, and even just knowing history from a different pair of eyes can really help you keep your mind open as you write. It may even give you inspiration.
10. Telling the stories that haven't been told yet. At the end of the day, just start by looking for those stories that need to be told but haven't yet. Whether it's legends from other countries, history of other cultures, or even a story from the news, look for the stories that need to be out there but aren't. 

​How you can incorporate diversity in your own writing:

1. Be more conscious of how you represent people, and if you do at all. You may not have really given much thought to diversity in your books up to this point, and if you haven't, now is the time to start. Perhaps, though, you have made a commitment to diversity in your books. Either way, take the time to really stop and think about how you are representing people, and if/what you could do better.
2. Don't use stereotypes, derogatory terms, or portray people with a narrow mind. It's not positive diversity if you only bring in stereotypes or are rude in how you write people. Diversity is not about writing caricatures. It's about writing people, and that's it. Even if you think you are portraying history or society correctly, stop and reflect if your view is uplifting or just going to cause harm. Before you begin putting characters in stereotypical roles, consider the whole story. This is especially important for those of you writing historical fiction or books based on realistic current events. History is messy, and we're often taught a black-and-white bad guy/good guy version of things. Show true discernment by being willing to understand all angles and write your characters as humans, and with respect.
3. Be willing to learn and listen to other people's stories. Part of incorporating diversity in your own writing is being teachable. Just because someone is different doesn't mean they are wrong or weird. Be willing to honestly learn and listen. You can't represent diversity properly if you don't first seek to understand.
4. Create multi-dimensional characters and don't rely on clichés or flat characterization. When you include people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, disabilities and more, be absolutely certain you're not relying on clichés, stereotypes or cardboard cutouts. It's especially important when creating characters that are quite different from you to make sure you aren't subconsciously reverting to stereotypes. While culture etc. can definitely impact a character, they are still a unique individual. Want to know how to craft amazing characters? Check out this post.
5. Celebrate everyone's uniqueness with equality. No one is better than anyone else. Equality isn't always present in our world, unfortunately, but you have the power in your writing to treat every character with equality as you write them. Don't go putting down people in your books-- instead, promote your character's differences as part of their unique makeup.
6. Search for new stories that need to be told. Sometimes you just need to look outside your own comfort zone to find new stories that need to be told. If you put in the effort, you will not only be able to write a story about something entirely new, but you will also be sharing stories that have been hidden under the radar for too long.
7. Do your research thoroughly, and if possible, speak to people who are similar to your characters. Research is always important, but if you're writing about something you're not as familiar with, it's even more critical. Just like you wouldn't attempt to write a historical novel without doing your study first, or you wouldn't just make up scientific knowledge as you go, you need to make sure you are representing people properly. If you can, try talking to or reading up on people who are similar to your characters! Whether you're writing about someone with Autism or someone from Bangladesh, research is vital to your novel's success.
8. Support writers of all kinds. Part of encouraging diversity in books is to encourage diversity in writers, as well. While at first you might not know where to look to find diverse authors, keep an eye out and try to connect with others. Not only does this support help them, but it is also a good way for you to grow as an author and person.
9. Read books that include diverse casts of characters. Often what you read influences what you write, so make a point of finding and reading books that include diverse casts of characters. Not only does this allow you to expand your horizon a bit, but it also helps you see how other authors write diversity-- what to do, and maybe even what not to do.
10. Write about people. Ultimately, just write about people. No matter how many differences there may be from one person to the next, on the inside we all have beating hearts and living souls. Write your characters in the same way-- as humans. All perfectly unique, and important, and with a story to tell.

So there you have it! We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and if you have a favorite Christian/fiction book that has a diverse cast of characters, let us know!

Stay Fearless

We love characters around here, and we love building them. So today we wanted to share one of our favorite tools for developing insanely dynamic, rich and relatable characters-- by using MBTI.

(While this post is strictly about MBTI, we recommend learning both MBTI and the Enneagram typing system for an all around view of your characters. The MBTI is how the world sees you/your character, and Enneagram is how you/your character see the world, so together they form a complete picture).

WHAT IS MBTI:
MBTI -- or Myers Brigg Type Indicator -- is a personality typing system that uses elements called cognitive functions to figure out sixteen different personality types. It's purposely crafted to make the theory of psychological types easy to understand and accessible to the everyday person. Not only does this help people towards a path of self development, but it can also help us understand others. That's where MBTI for book characters come in.

WHY:

• Helps you develop the character as a lifelike person.
• Assists in an all-around understanding of your character-- good and bad.
• Gives you insight instantly to facets you may not have been able to pinpoint without understanding their type.
• Quick way to get a solid grasp on how your book's world and your reader will view your character.

QUICK TYPING:

In our workbook we've talked about the simplest approach to typing, and that's to take the whole system at a surface level to make quick assumptions. This can be an easy way to get started for several reasons. It can give you a jumping off point that helps you focus on one or two of the closest matches quickly, and it can help you bypass a lot of the psychology if that's not your thing. We still recommend trying out MBTI by using the functions (we call it in depth typing and it's the second half of this post), but if you want a refresher on quick-typing, read on.

Each MBTI personality type is a combination of four letters, and those letters essentially become the name of the type. At it's most basic form, it boils down to: Are you extroverted or introverted, are you a sensor or an intuitive, are you a thinker or a feeler, and lastly: are you a judger or a perceiver?

It's important to get a good understanding of what these words actually mean and stand for, because if you don't it is extremely easy not only to mistype but to fall prey to many stereotypes. Let's take a closer look at each part of the equation. 

To do a quick type, simply go through each section and pick which side you feel correlates to your character more. Once you have your final combination, begin your research on that type and decide if it fits your character.

For reference:
Extrovert vs Introvert = E or I
Sensor vs Intuitive = S or N
Thinker vs Feeler = T or F
Judger vs Perceiver = J or P

The total combinations of these letters create the 16 types: INTJ, INTP, ENTJ, ENTP, INFJ, ENFJ, INFP, ENFP, ISTJ, ESTJ, ISFJ, ESFJ, ISTP, ESTP, ISFP, ESFP.


IN DEPTH TYPING:
As we mentioned before, using the quick typing method is really more like educated guesswork at best, and at its worst it could result in mistyping. The reason for this is because it's difficult to break down each type into merely eight distinct differences without losing a lot of the depth to the psychology of it.

This is where the cognitive functions come in. The truth of the matter is, everyone has elements of introversion and extroversion, sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and perceiving and judging. We just use them all in different ways, and are stronger or weaker in some areas than others. There are eight functions, and they get to the nitty-gritty of the personality type. Because everyone is able to think, feel, use their intuition and use their senses, it comes down to how do you use each specific part? Are you using it in an introverted manner or an extroverted way? Everyone has a combination of some functions being used in an introverted way and some being extroverted--it's always in a pattern, E-I-E-I or I-E-I-E. It's simply a matter of figuring out what the combination is, and in what order the thinking, feeling, sensing and intuitive factors fall. 

​Every possible combination of these functions becomes the sixteen MBTI personality types. Here's a quick cheat sheet to help you out!

Another place with lots of great references and charts is at Personality Hacker. They have a page full of guides, as well as a podcast and blog articles. If you want a great website to get a quick grasp on all the types individually, head to 16 Personalities. It's a great go-to place to check into the types.

So there you have it! You are now equipped to use the Myers-Brigg Type indicator to craft rich, amazing, realistic characters. Oh, and if you figure out your own type in the process, be sure to head over to our posts on our top tips for introverted and extroverted writers!

Stay Fearless!

With the seedling of any new idea, one of the first questions is usually who are my characters? In many circumstances, though, characters get a bit of developing and then all the focus goes to the plot. This isn't to say the plot isn't important -- it is-- but a key component to making sure you have a solid plot is really getting to know your characters. Perhaps we should even say it is time to make friends with your characters. After all, it is their story.

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR CHARACTERS:

• It will help you write your character as a person, not a cardboard cutout. Whether we realize it or not, it is far too easy to fall into the traps of flat characters. This can show up in the form of cliched characters, or even in the fact that you tend to write your characters alike unintentionally between books.
• It can reveal parts of their story you may not have known. By truly getting to know your characters, you allow them the chance to tell you their story. This can allow insight and developments that weren't even thought of before.
• It can help you get invested in the book. If you invest in your characters, it will in turn help you get more invested in your book. You'll be excited to tell your character's story!

HOW YOU CAN MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR CHARACTERS:

• Talk to them. This sounds absurd, but it's a trick used by many imaginative writers. Let your character speak to you, and just be patient. They often reveal bits and pieces as you let them. Trying to force a character out sometimes can blur the true story and identity. So let it come naturally.
• Figure out their personality type. By using personality typing systems like MBTI and Enneagram, you can truly get into your characters head. Once you know your character's type, you can research based on their personality to understand them better. Just beware not to fall for stereotypes.
• Fill out a questionnaire about them. In our Fearless Type Character Workbook we have multiple different questionnaires to utilize, and filling out the answers to such can really help you pinpoint specifics and even the tiniest details.
• Have THEM answer questions. Questionnaires are pretty common, but flipping the script is almost better. Start a conversation with your character and have them tell you the answers to some questions-- this way you can be much more sensitive to telling the story the way it needs to be told for your character.
• Journal from their perspective. We love freewriting, and it's a great exercise for getting to know your character too. Take a few moments to step into their shoes and then journal as if you are them. You might be surprised what comes up.
• Find songs that tell their story. Creating novel music playlists is something we often recommend, but sometimes songs can be just the tool you need to get specific with a character, too. Listen to songs and let the inspiration flow.
• Figure out their backstory. Even side characters can benefit from this exercise. Spend some time to figure out the backstories of your characters -- even supposedly insignificant ones. You may discover there is a subplot to be woven in, or perhaps you just receive an in-depth knowledge of your characters.
• Continually ask them "why". Don't be afraid to question your character's actions as you outline and even as you draft your novel. Why are they doing this? Why do they think that? By continually asking, you will begin to receive answers.
• Research. Almost any character can benefit from you taking the initiative to research for them. You can delve into their careers, personality, how they would live in their settings, historical accuracy, culture, and more.
• Dig deep into their motives behind everything, conscious and subconscious. This goes along with the above where we mentioned to continually ask why, but let's take it even farther. As you complete questionnaires, research, or just talk to them, always be ready to look deeper into everything. Don't give one word answers to questions, and brainstorm very specific things to get their thoughts on. Truly invest in getting to be friends with them. Simply being curious about your characters can reap a lot of information. 

SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK THEM:
We encouraged you to ask your character some questions, so we have below ten to get you started. That's not all though! We have a free workbook with 100 questions all for your character to answer. They range from relationship oriented ones to deep and personal, but regardless, you will walk away knowing your character more intimately than ever before. So be sure to snag a copy before you leave!

Without further ado, here are ten questions to ask your character!

1. What makes you most excited in a day?
2. Why is your best friend your best friend?
3. How do you feel about your education?
4. Do you talk to strangers?
5. Are you a detail-oriented person or a big picture person?
6. How did you and your antagonist/nemesis come to be at odds?
7.  What are you likely very wrong about?
8. What is the biggest "what if" to you?
9. Who has the biggest impact on your life?
10. What things have you never learned but wish you had?

Again, don't forget to get all 100 questions right now! 

So there you have it. Making friends with fictional characters has never been easier! Why don't you share a bit about your characters by leaving a comment giving your character's answers to one or two of the questions above?

​
Stay Fearless!