I see this argument all the time against DEI and consultancy, and it just highlights the total misunderstanding of what being a good writer is. You don’t somehow max out your stats and learn how to write every conceivable character, plot, or prose style.
Knowing you can’t, aren’t ready, or aren’t the right person to write something is one of the chief skills for a pro writer. Ideally you have a team that can cover all your bases, but if you have a gap you hire an outside expert… just like in literally any fucking other industry.
@ThatSamWinkler Can you explain why a good writer wouldnt be able to write someone who looks different than them for a story? How does a writer know when "they are ready" to write a character who looks differently than they do?
@ThatSamWinkler The problem is you don’t have to be a skilled or experienced writer to recognize when a story is poorly written—or as we’ve seen recently—written by evil people
@ThatSamWinkler Live experiences aren't universal; nobody can just suddenly understand an experience that somebody had in a completely different environment, culture, and language. We can interview and talk to people, but ultimately, having diverse life experiences is what makes good art.
@ThatSamWinkler You wrote BL3, the game with IMO the single worst writing in the series. You really don't have a lot of room to speak here.
@ThatSamWinkler The point, Sam, is that you can convey an interesting and good narrative through a character which speaks to fundamental human truths we all understand, without needing to have someone consult you on specific race-based minutia. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby did it for decades.
@ThatSamWinkler Nobody tell Joss Whedon his writing of female characters is bad now
@ThatSamWinkler I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this post. After BG3 I decided the turbo-corny-inclusivity nonsense overtook the story so badly I couldn't ignore it anymore and decided that would be my very last Gearbox game. This post verifies everything I felt at the time