Should I be political in my writing?

In today’s climate, it seems like everything is infused with politics and strong views. It’s hard to have a conversation without some crazy news story coming up. So, when you’re writing fiction, should you follow this trend? Especially if you’re claiming to write modern or contemporary fiction, it can seem hard to leave out any current events since it seems to seep into every aspect of our lives, even if we didn’t always pay attention before. This can also be true if you’re writing a period piece set during another highly political climate, like the Vietnam War protests. So what’s a fiction writer to do?

Here’s my advice: Avoid politics, but don’t avoid the issues.

What do I mean by this? Naming specific politicians or groups will quickly root your piece in a certain time period. If you’re trying to paint the scene for a historical novel, this may be exactly what you want. If, however, you’re trying to write a book that can be considered contemporary for a longer period of time, keep in mind that an outdated reference can easily jar a reader out of a story. Additionally, someone may be in the news all the time now, but it’s hard to tell if anyone will remember them in ten years.

Instead, consider the issues that are underlying your views on certain people or organizations. Write about those. If you’re passionate about it, you should definitely include it in your writing! Taking a side on a heated topic may alienate some readers who disagree with you, and you should be okay with this up front if you decide to take this approach. But including issues that you care about and are being widely talked about is less likely to date your book, as many of these issues have been around for a while and will continue to be discussed. Using this approach will likely be more interesting to readers than you putting a certain politician on blast.

If you have strong opinions on immigration, gun rights, or some other subject, it’s okay to work that into  your writing. Just make sure you’re not being “preachy.” Whether or not readers agree with you, they’re probably not coming to a fictional work to get a lecture. One good way to avoid this is to have a character who has the opposite view and has good reasons for believing this way. Rather than having one character monologue, either internally or while talking to another character, create a true dialogue and conversation that could actually happen. This interaction is much more interesting to read, and gives you an opportunity to create stronger characterization.

Have you included politics in your writing? Maybe you’ve read a piece of fiction that was political and you hated or loved it? Comment below!

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Featured image by Christin Hume