Thread by @themoosef

So. Because it seems the agent world has forgotten about the "Educate Yourself" piece of representing BIPOC, I am back again, to explain the role of coded language in publishing.

Like I said, sometimes I have no problems educating. I am an educator.

For the full scope of my earlier work on what AGENTS still need to do (as opposed to what publishers still need to do, which I also have a thread on lol), I outline the other major parts in this thread:

https://twitter.com/themoosef/status/1275476573228015616

So, agents.

Y'all are doin' great. LUV what you've done with Black clients...but I HATE what you're NOT not doing. You've ENTIRELY missed the point of my earlier thread. YES, get Black clients--YES do better in that respect.

BUT IT MEANS NOTHING IF YOU DON'T EDUCATE YOURSELF.

Coded language has become a real issue with publishing now that you understand you are racist, want to do something about it, but don't ACTUALLY do the work to address your racism.

We often talk about language like "I didn't connect to the characters" and "like but not love," which both have their own place in hell (you could apply those nothing-statements to slavery and it still works). But there's much more insidious language that reflects the problem.

Because of "I'm not racist!" fears taking over your rational brain, and you're REFUSAL to educate yourself, this language has seeped into the querying zeitgeist, and I'm here to inform you that, yes, these phrases are also racist.

These phrases are:

- Diversion tactics ("I love the rep but did not like how XX was so prominent")
- Worldbuilding issues ("I couldn't buy in")
- Fake #OwnVoices support ("The world needs more stories like yours! However...")

(An aside - be wary of agents that rep a lot of BIPOC. They really think they've done something (most haven't and are chasing trends). They are EXTREMELY likely to use this kind of language.).

For this thread, I will use THUG as context since Angie got her foot on the collective yt neck and y'all at least know the story. Hopefully it will show exactly why these are:

Actually Racist.

1) Diversion Tactics.

"Thanks for sending me THUG! I love the rep - the insight into Black life - but ultimately wished there was less characters and a less prominent romantic subplot."

This is a racist, and here is why: this language looks great! There's nothing to argue with-

But the truth is you're saying you want this story of Black life on your own terms. You don't want to talk about these other characters that don't have to do with the Black Pain thread. You don't want Starr's boyfriend detracting from the Headlines Plot. You just want Black Pain.

So many white agents want #ownvoices stories on their terms because they can't connect to it any other way. They don't outright say that because now they KNOW that "couldn't connect" is coded, bigoted language.

But you're just putting a wig on coded, bigoted language!

Request more books from #ownvoices authors and read their books. Request WAY more than you do white voices until you can fully understand the cultural difference in storytelling.

Read the published books too, but those are the voices that White power chose. Go beyond that.

https://twitter.com/themoosef/status/1273985753475883009

2) "Worldbuilding Issues".

This one is more nebulous, but it deserves to be added. It doesn't have to specifically be worldbuilding - just this THING that an agent rejected because they didn't "buy" it.

The relationship was too ambiguous. How can a culture [nuance of culture]?

"Though I can't offer rep because of that, you're clearly a talented writer. Someone else will want you I'm sure of it."

Guess what's so funny about being a BIPOC writer. WE HEAR THIS STATEMENT EVEN MORE OFTEN THEN NON-BIPOC. Once again, you want US. But not on our terms.

Before you discount me, agent, I'm VERY sure that often times it is because they aren't SURE what they have a problem with...they just don't know how to verbalize it.

But if this is happening at a higher rate to BIPOC authors, then that should tell you that race is involved.

When you find yourself rejecting based on a factor as such, REALLY think about it ("I already did!" you argue. "Do it MORE," I respond, drinking your tears out of a recycled pickle jar.)

Ask yourself this: "I do not want this book because XX. If it turns out I feel this way because of my inherent racist beliefs, will I be able to - professionally - forgive myself?"

If the answer is yes, you're either in denial or you TRULY are not the person for the book.

Think about all the agents that passed on THUG. I am sure many of them passed because of what they felt were valid critiques, but were LEGITIMATELY because their inherent racism did not see the vision nor the market for Dame Angie Thomas's book. It is THEIR fault.

And the last one. Oh, the last one that really overcooks my grits, coach.

Fake #OwnVoices support.

This one makes me so upset because it's that fake courtesy that stems from White fear of cancel culture (what THEY think it is, at least).

Let me get this one out the way first of all:

🗣I DO NOT NEED YOU TO TELL ME THE WORLD NEEDS MY STORY. FUCK WHAT THE WORLD WANTS FROM ME.

BIPOC do not write with the world in mind. I would say, on quite the opposite side of the spectrum, we are writing DIRECTLY to OUR OWN people. We hope that White people see the humanity in it (we hope it often, but y'all let us down every time, friend), but that's a side prize.

I do not want to see your #OwnVoices MSWL, your agency page say you are open to submissions from people of all backgrounds, or whatever other bs you yell into the streets because you don't have many BIPOC clients and you're scared we'll catch wind.

It's not about your White comfort. Putting in your REJECTION that the world needs a story is nothing but saying "I recognize that your story isn't told. I will be another person who will not tell your story."

Unless there's a referral attached, I don't wanna hear it.

For every BIPOC that you respond to with that nothing-statement, do 10 push-ups and refer them to 5 other agents.

This is the diversity points version of wanting your cake and eating it too, and as long as you all try to make yourselves feel better with this nothingness, you'll be less inclined to do. ACTUAL. WORK.

You continue to fail us. You continue to think you're doing all you can. It's not enough. I will say it again:

I PUT MY CAREER ON THE LINE BY WRITING ABOUT BLACK JOY. I WILL NOT LET YOU DO THE MINIMUM AND CONGRATULATE YOURSELF.

We need to do better by our BIPOC authors, and until we do these long ass threads will keep coming. I light the candles at my Angie Thomas alter every night praying for a better future, and it's too bad that's not enough.

So I guess I should summarize, because this thread is really long lol. TLDR: The point is not to AVOID coded language. It is to interrogate WHY you are using said language. If you fail to educate yourself, you're just going to be saying the same racist things in a different way.

And when you do that, you can pretend you aren't holding up the racist practices of publishing even though you ARE. it's as simple as that. When you reject BIPOC authors, you should ALWAYS consider the ways that your racism is influencing your decision.

But if you DON'T read BIPOC books, if you DON'T read anti-racist nonfiction, you'll NEVER reach the point where this level of interrogation is second nature