#PennedPossibilities 296 — What is the best piece of advice that you as an author have ever received?

"If you want to be a writer, you have to read."

This was best for me personally b/c it was my wake-up call. W/o it, I would've gotten down to writing and not known that what I was doing had been done already. W/o reading, it would've taken much longer to see how to make my writing uniquely mine.

#WordWeavers Apr 25: Do your MCs have any luck in love?

If love means they date and are in relationships often, yes.

If love means long monogamous relationships rooted in lasting, mutual affection, no.

A further note on the #WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24 Q of whether outdated and/or racist language should be edited for the modern world or left alone.

Before deciding, I think publishers try to assess whether the work has merit left alone or would have merit if its outdated language were updated or its racism toned down or edited out - a complicated decision any way you look at it. We only hear about the older works that get republished. The majority aren't left intact; they're unavailable to read.

@sfwrtr That's the question. It's the same question we ask about leaving in racist language.

@sfwrtr Yes, I do take the word censorship seriously as a writer and editor. Censorship is based on opinion, but racism leaves itself open to the opinion it should be censored.

@RegGuy I can see including racist language if the point is to expose it as wrong/unacceptable, but it's a fine line and readers may miss that important point.

@sfwrtr Simply not using works with racist language is a valid option as I said in earlier replies.

We clearly have different opinions about editing and leaving in racist language. I think if you remove it, you aren't accepting it in any way; you are censoring it b/c it is unacceptable.

@mileposter In later replies, I also said racist works should be left in their more ignorant times and the more time passes, the more difficult it is to contextualize, explain, and excuse racist language. I think efforts to edit such older books show some ppl believe they have enough merit to overcome their racism. If no one thought so, no effort would be made, and the books would die. I'm sure the great majority have died.

Editing is not hand-waving racism. On the contrary it is addressing racism. Leaving intact racist language is giving racism a pass. Forewords and footnotes and explanations while leaving intact racist language give it a pass. It's nobler to say we will no longer esteem these books B/C they were written by racists and we will in no way perpetuate racism.

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24

Other answers to today's question say it's wrong to cover over racism in aging books as if it didn't exist. However, some aging books contained no racist language even though racism existed. Why were those authors able to make their point w/o racist language and other authors *had to* use it?

Answer: They didn't have to use it; they used it b/c they were racist. That never deserved a pass, yet it got one for ages - until the racist language was edited out.

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24

#WritersCoffeeClub April 24 - When older novels use outdated or racist language, should they be edited for the modern world or left alone and viewed in context?

At the same time, we should be teaching people to read critically. My kids are in accelerated reading programs that do this, but not every kid is so lucky.

Read between the lines. Remember that what is left out is as important as what's left in.
And authors make choices. Assume everything was done on purpose.

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#WritersCoffeeClub April 24 - When older novels use outdated or racist language, should they be edited for the modern world or left alone and viewed in context?

If more people were trained to think critically about what they read, I think we could leave the books as they are. But most people aren't critical readers. So editing and/or an intro from the publisher to give context is needed.

I have a revised copy of Dr. Doolittle that does this very well. I'm glad b/c my kids love the book

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@MargaretSefton Do you have the option to schedule publishing the story later, when you've steered the journal in the direction you want?

Last year, #IanFleming's estate - publisher of his books - announced they were publishing new editions of the #JamesBond books w/ the racism toned down. This is an example of a publisher wanting an author's works to be appreciated for their merits instead of being dragged into the abyss by their racism. At the movies, Daniel Craig's Bond grew into a sensitive, monogamous man. Movie Bond wouldn't have lasted if he remained the sexist racist of the 1950s.

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24

There is writing (journalism, fiction, poetry, etc.) that features racists and racist language to show that both should be shunned. Context is most important in this case and should by all means be highlighted.

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24

Many answered in favor of setting the right context as we leave aging works intact. While I'd agree, I think the more time passes, the more difficult it is to set the right context for current readers and excuse the language. This is why reading lists really should be updated more often and more tolerant books ahead of their time are altogether better to hold up as standards.

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24

Today's question's phrases "edited for the modern world" and "left alone and viewed in context" had a lot of influence on my answer. In the clearest cases, if books aren't edited for current readers, they are left alone, as in left behind, passed by. Racist and outdated books should be passed by, left in their more ignorant times, and tolerant books should become standards instead. It's not obliterating our past; it's moving courageously forward.

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 24

#PennedPossibilities 294: What, to you, are the most important elements of good writing?

Command of language is the most important. It puts you in control of all the elements so your writing can reflect whatever you wish, whatever you need for any audience in the language.

@elysegrasso There are toned-down editions of Twain. I agree we lose something, but I think it's good that some version of the classic is readable where the original may turn ppl off to the point they don't read it at all.

@elysegrasso I don't think it's a matter of stopping. There are multiple editions b/c we want books to reach all kinds of readers. The readers can decide whether they're interested enough later to seek out other versions.