A MUCH NEEDED LESSON
They say there are no coincidences.
In this case, I say they’re right.
Currently I’m reading JERK, CALIFORNIA by Jonathan Friesen. The main character, among issues, has Tourette Syndrome. (And no, it’s not Tourette’s, possessive. It’s singular. I learned this the hard way. See story, below.)
JERK is cool, but I didn’t think too much of it until I saw a Tweet from writer/blogger Joelle Anthony:
I’m begging you all, STOP USING TOURETTE JOKES IN YOUR BOOKS. http://tinyurl.com/l8uuv5 You look like an idiot and it puts me off your book.
The Tweet stopped me cold. I mean, cold.
I had used a Tourette joke in my book. And here I was reading a YA book about how challenging Tourette Syndrome is for teens especially, and I’d never even thought about my own work.
A one point in DONUT DAYS, Emma’s best friend, Nat, tells her people at church who can’t stop talking smack about others have “Biblical Tourette’s.” And, yep, I used it incorrectly, which I found out by clicking on the link Joelle shared.
Well, did I ever feel like a jackass. I mean, I consider myself educated, relatively sensitive, and here I was making fun of someone’s disability in my book.
I’d never thought about it. Not once. Not until Joelle’s Tweet.
I’m so glad I saw it and, moving forward, I’ll run my words through a better sensitivity filter. Not just about Tourette Syndrome, but about everything. Here I am, thinking my writing is enjoyable for teens and helping them on some level, when really, I could be hurting or offending them.
Not my goal. And it’s time to change.
I can’t speak for my peers, but this YA author will never make that mistake again.
4 Responses to “A MUCH NEEDED LESSON”
August 11th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Lara, Your post made me kind of teary…It takes a big person to write something like this.
Of course, I wasn’t aiming my tweet at you, although I do remember reading that in your book. I see it ALL THE TIME in YA and it just makes me mad. I love your post. Thanks for sharing!
August 11th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I think it’s very commendable that you are willing to see your mistake for what it is and make the goal to never do that again. Your books sounds wonderfully interesting, and I look forward to reading it!
August 11th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
I also want to add that the post on my site that Lara links to in this post was NOT written about her book, but about others, quite a while ago.
August 19th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
YES! Great post! {{{you}}}