On Friday, May 5, author and actress Tonya Todd will be presenting a two-hour workshop on Crafting Diverse Characters for Inclusive Literature as part of the Atlanta Writer’s Conference.

In Tonya's words "We don’t live in a homogeneous society. Neither should our characters. Yet attempts at diversifying should avoid tokens and cardboard caricatures. Though underrepresented communities (persons of colour, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, the elderly, etcetera) have been written and talked about with the impetus focusing on getting those individuals published and/or represented on the page and screen, it can be of help to have all writers become more diverse in their storytelling abilities. For a Caucasian to write a person of colour, a straight cis author penning a believable, well-rounded, three-dimensional trans character, or an able-bodied person creating the physically impaired also boosts the visibility of underrepresented people. And underrepresented people must likewise write about those unlike themselves with the same credibility."

In Crafting Diverse Characters for Inclusive Literature Tonya will cover why diversity matters and how to better incorporate it when writing fiction. This class will assist authors interested in expanding their content by educating them on how to do so with empathy and compassion. Attendees will leave class inspired to be more inclusive in their writing and educated enough to get started. Register here.

Tonya is invested in Own Voices writing and diverse representation in both the literary and cinematic worlds she inhabits. During her four years on the board of Henderson Writers Group, Tonya spearheaded education for authors at all levels. Her involvement in the literary, theatre, and filmmaking communities provides a platform to champion marginalized artists and contributes toward an environment that embraces a variety of voices. To connect with Tonya, follow her social media, her newsletter, and her IMDb page.