In the publishing industry, BIPOC artists, especially emerging talents new to the field with emerging talent to share, may find it difficult to escape the box that they have been unknowingly placed in. Whether it be implicit bias, stereotyping, or tokenism, it can feel overwhelming when your work is undervalued, taken advantage of, for an agenda different from your own, or used differently than its intended purpose. completely misread it at face value. Many of these factors can lead to an overall scarcity of our presence in the field.
Here at Last Gen Publishing, we understand these concerns and acknowledge that an important first step toward accepting an author’s creative work is simply accepting and understanding the author on a personal real level. Accessing the artist’s needs, genuinely knowing their target audience, and promoting the work in an uplifting and authentic manner is crucial. We know you have lofty goals in mindwhat your mission is and we’re here to help you achieve them.
Unraveling the Impact of Implicit Bias
Back in 2020, The New York Times wrote a piece featuring eight publishing professionals stemming from all different ends of the industry. They shared their shared collectively sharing what they’d their experiences and how being Black had affected their careers. Tracy Sherrod, an editorial director for Amistad at the time, shared her point of view on the publishing process and how stories get chosen. “Sometimes there are proposals that come along, and you know in your heart that this is an important subject, but because the editorial room is all white, you may not be able to acquire it,” Sherrod begins, “When I was interviewing for those seven years for an editorial assistant position, I was told multiple times that Black people didn’t read. That’s an unfortunate belief. Because it’s just not true.”
One preconceived notion of notion stereotype on behalf of an entire demographic could, and has, cost talent the opportunity to have their stories seen and shared. It’s important to acknowledge the fact that 2020 was a major turning point for increased diversity efforts on behalf of book publishing employers. This moment of moral urgency, albeit late, arrived very late but was fitting for the time and fueled the growing demand for diverse stories, told by those with the same identity as opposed to false advocacy through the method of outdated structures and systemic biases that lead to disparity in the promotion of the art itself.
Waiting for tragedy to strike to gain visibility is something that creatives of color should not have to deal with succumbing to.
Breaking the Mold – Additional Effects of Racial Stereotyping
When creatives of color are given the opportunities to shine, they often do despite diminished expectations and narrow points of view. Sometimes our stories are even told for us. our capabilities are often diminish diminished to what is already expected of us or what stories we “should” tell because of what our racial identities “allow.” This is often seen in fiction books. e best example of this phenomenon can be seen in the realm of fiction. According to PEN America, a 1950 to 2018 timeline reported that 95% of American fiction books were published by white authors. The publishing market was a major reflection of this time.
Up until recently, BIPOC fictional characters were rarely seen as the leads in fantasy or romance novels, due in part to the scarcity of. An even more scarce reality was the occasion that these BIPOC-led stories were told by diverse authors. themselves. For decades and beyond, people of color have been relegated to diminished to existing as side characters or supporting roles in a story and were only allowed created to uplift the main character, rarely focusing without having any focus on their journeys and identities. This exhausted trope mirrors the actuality of our society outside of the publishing world all too well.
Thanks to methods such as social media, a place where creatives of color can easily come together and uplift each other’s original stories, more and more groundbreaking tales are being told. A leading part of the Last Gen Publishing mission is to acknowledge and uplift the unique stories of creatives of color and provide them with the resources they need to be successful, a major differentiator that traditional brands do not offer. We accomplish this goal by using a coordinated network approach — accomplish that same effect and deliver success to our clients that traditional brands can not offer. Something we take pride in is our effort to connect fellow artists and industry professionals and encourage them to build a genuine bond and hopefully support each other’s work. those essential bonds.
The Perils of Racial Tokenism
Creatives of color run the risk of being exploited — used to promote diversity in falsely inclusive spaces. When creatives of color are given the chance to shine, we risk the chance of our talents being used to promote an appearance of diversity and its celebration that does not exist in those falsely inclusive spaces. Increased representation alone Similar to the usage of token characters in a story, hand-selecting specific talents from a marginalized group does not ensure that the character’s person will be understood or well-received beyond their surface-level appearance and predispositions.
When character consumers witness people that look like them, but are not relatable or do not accurately represent a group of people, generalizations are made, and a generally but don’t relate to them, this creates a detrimental disconnect between the creatives and consumers arises. two sides that can alienate the readers and the author’s intended audience.
Last Gen Publishing emphasizes authenticity in storytelling, ensuring that there is no cultural dilution to cater to non-BIPOC populations. works in collaboration with the artist at the forefront of the marking and distribution plan, helping you get your books into the hands that need it most. There’s no underlying agenda or front —and we simply want to help you build your brand as organically as possible so that we can best connect with your target audience. A balanced level of input and knowledge is what makes our curated environment so effective.
Eliminating Scarcity – Opening The Doors To Greater Opportunities
With Last Gen Publishing, we assure you that your skills and creativity will thrive. We look forward to uplifting and amplifying diverse talents no matter how far along you are on your journey as an artist. Ultimately, our goal is to eliminate as many of these entry-level deterrents as we possibly can. Creatives of color and BIPOC stories have withstood the test of time and flourished despite insurmountable obstacles, but the time for change is now always existed and we’re here to revolutionize the publishing industry one book at a time. make that fact known.
