Niko’s answer to “What inspired you to write a story based on Sherlock Holmes?” > Likes and Comments
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Is this the first time that you've made a story series like this?
Most of my unpublished works are comprised of series from three to five parts and my work for the past two years has centered on writing Sherlock Holmes derivatives. I very much enjoy working clues into earlier books that become important details further down the line.
Has Sherlock Holmes always been your first choice to create stories from?
Not exactly. I have a vast collection of original characters and their stories collected from decades of writing. At different times of my life I have been drawn to different things but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works have always been a part of my life.
So, I'm guessing that you've seen the various movies and TV shows based on his works, yes?
Oh, yes. I don't watch Elementary because I dislike what they did to Watson (no military background, lost medical license, etc.) but Granada, BBC's modernization, the Ritchie's films, even the Mel Brooks take on the tropes in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.
Since you dabble in belly dance, have you ever thought of writing stories that involve the dance itself or around a character who is a belly dancer?
Or do you prefer to keep that out of any books that you write?
For the most part I prefer not to involve belly dance in my writing. Some people view my being a white American belly dancer as cultural appropriation so while I love the dance and respect its history, part of that respect is shown in not attempting to take away from its middle eastern roots. If I were to write about a Romani woman, I would likely include the dance in her characterization in reference to physical power, body positivity and feminism. As far as science fiction goes, though, I can find more culturally appropriate ways of expressing those things.
You can create any belly dance-related story that you want.
If you want to create a character who happens to be of a different race, but still has a love for the art of belly dance, then do it.
And no, the character in your story does not always have to be of Middle-Eastern / Romani descent (nor female) in order for it to work.
There are tons of people (of all genders, creeds, races and orientations, by the way) that take up belly dance.
Write the story that you want to write.
Don't worry about whether or not if someone thinks of that story as cultural appropriation.
Not everyone will like you or what you write. It shouldn't stop you from writing, nor should you let it.
If someone wishes to think of a belly dance-related story that you write as "cultural appropriation", then that's a problem for that person to sort out with themselves.
What am I trying to say in all of this?
Simple. Be yourself.
If I may offer you some advice (assuming that you want it), I say this:
If you have something to say in your writing, then say it.
Censoring yourself on the off-chance that whatever you'll say can hurt someone else's feelings is not being completely honest with yourself or those who have already liked you from the beginning.
You can and should express whatever you want to, for your own sake. Not to appease someone else just to make them feel better about themselves.
It is futile to please those who may not always be pleased with everything that you do.
In short, Be the artist that you want to be and create the best possible story that you can regardless of what it is.
Do not let anyone try and dictate how to what you should write in your stories.
If you have to change who you are (along with your thought process, your writing and how you speak) just to suit the needs of the easily offended, then those people are not worth wasting the energy to do so.
Sometimes it's better to not care about what other folks think of you.
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Kevin
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Aug 10, 2015 07:32AM
Is this the first time that you've made a story series like this?
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Most of my unpublished works are comprised of series from three to five parts and my work for the past two years has centered on writing Sherlock Holmes derivatives. I very much enjoy working clues into earlier books that become important details further down the line.
Has Sherlock Holmes always been your first choice to create stories from?
Not exactly. I have a vast collection of original characters and their stories collected from decades of writing. At different times of my life I have been drawn to different things but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works have always been a part of my life.
So, I'm guessing that you've seen the various movies and TV shows based on his works, yes?
Oh, yes. I don't watch Elementary because I dislike what they did to Watson (no military background, lost medical license, etc.) but Granada, BBC's modernization, the Ritchie's films, even the Mel Brooks take on the tropes in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.
Since you dabble in belly dance, have you ever thought of writing stories that involve the dance itself or around a character who is a belly dancer?Or do you prefer to keep that out of any books that you write?
For the most part I prefer not to involve belly dance in my writing. Some people view my being a white American belly dancer as cultural appropriation so while I love the dance and respect its history, part of that respect is shown in not attempting to take away from its middle eastern roots. If I were to write about a Romani woman, I would likely include the dance in her characterization in reference to physical power, body positivity and feminism. As far as science fiction goes, though, I can find more culturally appropriate ways of expressing those things.
You can create any belly dance-related story that you want. If you want to create a character who happens to be of a different race, but still has a love for the art of belly dance, then do it.
And no, the character in your story does not always have to be of Middle-Eastern / Romani descent (nor female) in order for it to work.
There are tons of people (of all genders, creeds, races and orientations, by the way) that take up belly dance.
Write the story that you want to write.
Don't worry about whether or not if someone thinks of that story as cultural appropriation.
Not everyone will like you or what you write. It shouldn't stop you from writing, nor should you let it.
If someone wishes to think of a belly dance-related story that you write as "cultural appropriation", then that's a problem for that person to sort out with themselves.
What am I trying to say in all of this?
Simple. Be yourself.
If I may offer you some advice (assuming that you want it), I say this:
If you have something to say in your writing, then say it.
Censoring yourself on the off-chance that whatever you'll say can hurt someone else's feelings is not being completely honest with yourself or those who have already liked you from the beginning.
You can and should express whatever you want to, for your own sake. Not to appease someone else just to make them feel better about themselves.
It is futile to please those who may not always be pleased with everything that you do.
In short, Be the artist that you want to be and create the best possible story that you can regardless of what it is.
Do not let anyone try and dictate how to what you should write in your stories.
If you have to change who you are (along with your thought process, your writing and how you speak) just to suit the needs of the easily offended, then those people are not worth wasting the energy to do so.
Sometimes it's better to not care about what other folks think of you.
