Zoje Stage: Choosing Political Clarity in Genre Fiction

The useful part

Will a clearly defined position turn off readers who don't share that point of view? Article continues after advertisement For a long time, I maintained that I didn't want to incorporate overtly political ideas into my work—and I didn't. For the observant reader, certain elements of my personal belief systems probably poked through, but in general it was a pretty broad line that was easy to traverse.

How it works

• Practically every author I know, regardless of genre, has been accused by a reader of politicizing their work—even if our only intention was character development.
• This might not be how all authors are choosing to respond, but at this point, I'm opting to embrace it:
• Here's an example regarding my novel Wonderland: a reader was outraged because while my main female character went upstairs to install the curtains, her husband stayed in the kitchen to wash the dishes.
• The reader saw the rest of the book through the lens of my being a libtard, and gave it a rock-bottom rating.
• If unintentionally political things are now interpreted as political, why should I withhold my beliefs anymore?

What to take from it

So, in this precarious moment in history, I'm using my genre fiction not to try and sway anyone, but to feel more engaged in my own passion. If I put it all out there, at least I can make a robust point rather than a murky one. In my mind, a novel like Something of a Calling isn't overtly political—but it has a clear POV.

Example or evidence

• Something of a Calling probably won't change your mind about anything, and that's fine.
• This wasn't just an exercise in writing a compelling or entertaining novel, but a very intentional desire to write about something I deeply care about.
• As a creator, I feel like my priorities have changed—at least for the moment.
• This past winter I was depressed for several months and I didn't write during that period.

Details worth keeping

Is it necessary for the story, or the character? This was deemed feminist and "woke"—and wrong. What is a genre writer to do in this climate of hypersensitivity?

Related coverage

• Foreignpolicy: Emily St. John Mandel explores what follows U.S. collapse, plus more fiction in September.
• 49thshelf: It's easy to feel helpless and hopeless in these increasingly complex and uncertain times.
• Newyorker: One of the country's most popular novelists writes what she calls socially engaged fiction. In her new book, she considers the role of art—and who it's for.