The Idea of Culture and Writing

 To many, we don't think about how our culture affects how we write.  How you are raised, where you are raised, even your cultural background, is going to affect how you explore your writing universe.

I know it is a sensitive issue, but sometimes you note that you like another culture's approach to something and want to borrow the idea.  Personally, I think this is a wonderful idea as long as you are respectful of what you are borrowing.  Look at America, we are a melting pot of ideas and peoples, so why not bring in the whole country's lifestyles, backgrounds, and ideas when you write.  Here are a few things I try to stick to when I borrow ideas or cultures not my own, (or even my own).

1) The first thing I worry about is if I am using the cultural/ethnic/history item in a respectful way.  For me, for example, I use words from various native cultures as well as some European cultures.  Sometimes they are just more awesome than plain old English.  My most glaring example of this is the mountains in Taina, my northern continent.  I named the mountains the Tsalagi Mountains.  To those who are in the know this means Cherokee in Cherokee.  It is pronounced Jah-La-Gee.  And before I get hate mail, my father's side of the family is Cherokee, so I'm using my culture in this case.  My point being, though, I chose that name to honor my family and my history.  And the mountain range is a very important part of my geography.

2)If you are going to use the culture of another people then your own in a bad light, do so carefully.  I mean, how many times have you seen German World War II type bad guys?  And how about slavers here in America?  Just because it may not be your culture, bad things happened in history and such can be used to help shape your bad guys.  My example is the Roman Empire and their history of slavery, (and government).  I used it for the basis of my southern Empire my main characters interact with, but I made sure to make them feel "human" where you could hate them, but you still understood that not everyone from this Empire was bad.

I guess my biggest point would be, be respectful, but don't be afraid to use real life history to help you in your writing structure.

Happy Writing!