Writing Inclusive Stories Without Falling Into Cultural Appropriation

Diverse stories matter. Our world is richly varied in culture, identity, language, and lived experience—and the stories we tell should reflect that. But as more writers strive to include diverse characters, there’s a growing tension between inclusion and cultural appropriation. Where is the line? How can writers reflect the world’s richness without misrepresenting the communities within it?

As a white woman, should I even be writing about characters of other ethnicities and cultures? But if I don’t, then I’m left to write only about white people, which isn’t inclusive at all. This is a tough topic, and there isn’t necessarily any one right answer. The most important thing is to be open to discussion on the topic with the people who are most affected by it, and learn from them, and how they want to be represented in literature and other media.

Inclusion vs. Cultural Appropriation: What’s the Difference?

Inclusion means deliberately representing people from a wide range of backgrounds, identities, and cultures. It’s a choice to push back against the default (often white, cis, straight, able-bodied) and tell stories that reflect real-world diversity.

Cultural appropriation, on the other hand, is when a writer uses elements of a culture they don’t belong to in a superficial, stereotypical, or exploitative way—often without understanding the context or respecting the people from that culture.

The difference comes down to intention, execution, and power. Inclusion centers on representation and respect. Appropriation centers on the author and their desire to use culture as a tool or aesthetic without doing the work.

Can I Write Characters Who Aren’t Like Me?

This is one of the most common and complex questions writers ask. And the answer is: yes, but with care. You can—and should—include characters who differ from you in race, gender, culture, sexuality, religion, ability, and more. The world is diverse, and your story should be too. But there’s a difference between including diverse characters and centering stories around identities you don’t personally live.

When writing outside your experience, ask:

• Am I the right person to tell this story?

• Why do I want to write this character?

• Have I done meaningful, respectful research?

• Am I relying on stereotypes or surface-level traits?

• Have I sought feedback from people within the culture/identity I’m writing about?

Including diverse characters in a well-rounded cast is different from writing a book that centers entirely on an experience you haven’t lived—especially if it deals with trauma, systemic injustice, or cultural practices.

For example, I have an idea for a book series that I’d like to write that’s about Japan and Japanese mythology. I’m not Japanese myself, so I don’t want to frame it that way. Instead, I’m focusing on an experience that I do have: a foreign English teacher living in Tokyo. Most of the characters will have to be Japanese because of the setting, but the main focus is based on a story I have personally lived. I know exactly what it’s like to be a white woman living in Tokyo as a TESOL teacher because that was my job right out of college. I can tell that particular story.

Inclusion Is a Skill—Not a Checkbox

Good intentions are a start, but not enough. Writers need to treat inclusion like any other aspect of craft: it takes time, study, listening, and humility. Here are a few best practices:

• Start with character, not identity. Think about who your character is as a person first. Let their identity inform—not define—them.

• Read widely and diversely. Seek out stories by people who live the experiences you want to write about.

• Hire sensitivity readers. These professionals can help you avoid missteps and offer authentic insight.

• Be open to critique. If someone points out that your portrayal caused harm, listen and learn from it.

• Look at the source of critique. Consider who is giving the critique and whether it’s grounded in lived experience. Sometimes well-meaning but uninformed readers—especially those outside the culture in question—may overstep or misinterpret cultural practices. Misguided criticism can cause harm, too. That doesn’t mean criticism from someone outside of the culture in question is always wrong, but context and source can matter.

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Common Pitfalls To Avoid in Writing Inclusive Stories

❌ Tokenism

Adding a single diverse character to "check a box" without giving them depth, goals, or personality is tokenism—not inclusion.

✅ Do this instead: Include multiple characters from varied backgrounds, and make sure they are fully developed, with their own arcs, desires, and flaws.

❌ Stereotyping

Relying on outdated, harmful, or flat portrayals of a group reduces people to caricatures.

✅ Do this instead: Seek out first-person accounts, #OwnVoices stories, and cultural consultants or sensitivity readers. Treat each character as a complex individual.

❌ Exoticism and Culture-as-Aesthetic

Using cultural markers (like clothing, language, or rituals) only for "flavor" without meaning or context is harmful.

✅ Do this instead: Show the character’s full experience—including joy, complexity, community, and inner life. Treat cultural elements as part of a lived reality, not just window dressing.

Support #OwnVoices

If you’re writing diverse characters as a white or otherwise privileged writer, make room for authors from marginalized communities to tell their own stories, too. Recommend their work. Buy their books. Share their voices.

Inclusion isn’t about taking every story—it’s about expanding the table.

You Don’t Have To Be Perfect

You don’t have to be perfect—but you should be responsible. This is a big discussion, and a lot of people have differing opinions on the right way to do it. I think that if we try to be respectful and have good intentions, that’s at minimum a step in the right direction. But we also have to be willing to learn, especially from people who are most affected by cultural appropriation.