How to Write About Native Americans with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer {ep. 143}
November 13, 2024
Fiction authors who want to write about Native Americans face a challenging minefield riddled with dos and don’ts, and no clear answers. Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer shares valuable insights into terminology, the need for accurate research, and strategies for respectfully engaging with Native American communities. She covers ways to avoid stereotypes, build genuine cultural connections, and address common pitfalls in representing Native American characters.
In this podcast episode, we discuss:
- the importance of knowing how to refer to and write about Native Americans; terminology matters - differences between “American Indian,” “Native American,” and “First American.”
- Is it okay for authors who aren’t Native American to write about them?
- How to start researching a tribe's history and culture and whether or not you should approach a tribal community for researching their story
- How to build relationships so that you avoid common stereotypes in your writing
- Cultural sensitivity - for example, is it okay to say Happy Thanksgiving?
- Sarah's course designed to help writers authentically represent Native American characters.
(Special discount code for podcast listeners.)
Resources Mentioned:
- Five Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing About Native Americans – Free eBook by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer.
- Fiction Writing American Indians course: Available at fictioncourses.com/americanindians with the code “WIPFWA” for a $50 discount.
- Sarah’s book on Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I.
Important Links:
https://www.fictioncourses.com/americanindians
https://www.fictioncourses.com/stereotypes
https://www.choctawspirit.com
About Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
As a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, she has written and published 17 historical fiction books with Native main characters, and over 275 non-fiction articles on Native artists and organizations with representatives from dozens of North American tribes. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian honored her as a literary artist through their Artist Leadership Program for her work in preserving Choctaw Trail of Tears stories, and she is a First Peoples Fund Artist in Business Leadership alumni.
Discover more at www.fictioncourses.com/americanindians. (And don't forget your coupon code WIPFWA to save $50.)