Discussion : Inclusion or Exclusion in our creative industries? That is the question.

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It seems strange to me that in 2018 we still have to ask that question, but it is clear from the make up of authors and employees in the London dominated publishing houses that it is a question that needs addressing. If there was true equity in this world then we wouldn't need inclusion policies - but until there is and we're all starting from the same point in the race, then we do need them. Exclusion is a very real thing in the UK's creative industires and it's high time it was challenged head on. So, hats off to Penguin Random House (PRH) for leading the way on this one and taking a step towards representing a broader, more representative body of fiction taking into account the modern society in which we live.

For years the creative industries have been woefully neglectful of their duty to respond to, not only, the increasing diversity in society but to the inequitable way they have represented it. We've had Jennifer Lawrence in 2015 questioning the pay gap between male and female actors (here) and the #METOO campaign against sexual harrassment in the workplace in 2017. Clearly, a major overhaul is needed in attitudes within the ivory towers of the creative industries' institutions.

In 2016, Idris Elba addressed the UK Government about Diversity.  
'I’m not here to talk about black people; I’m here to talk about diversity. Diversity in the modern world is more than just skin colour – it’s gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, social background, and – most important of all, as far as I’m concerned – diversity of thought.' (for full speech click here).

And it is those arguments that PRH have picked up the mantle for:
Penguin Random House Pledge #6 says:
'Our new hires and the books we acquire will reflect UK society by 2025.'  
It goes on to specify what it means by this,  'We want our new authors and colleagues to reflect the UK population taking into account ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social mobility and disability.'

Clearly, The Crime Warp is looking at this primarily in the area of crime fiction and it is with joy that we have seen in recent years a number of talented authors, representative of the diverse make up of our society coming through in British publishing. From Abir Mukherjee's series set in Colonial Cacutta to Vaseem Khan's delightful Ganesha series set in Mumbai and from AA Dhand's gritty northern Harry Virdee series to Alex Caan's cyber based Manchester books. But the genre is no stranger to representing diversity. For example, Cath Staincliffe's Girl in The Green Dress takes on transphobia, whilst Mel Sherrat is renowned for exploring her working class roots and Ann Cleeves in her Vera series shows that age is no barrier when it comes to detecting.

Crime fiction has always been the genre to take on the difficult issues, those issues that highlight the wrongs that occur in society, to spotlight the plight of the disenfranchised, to keep talking about those things that need talking about; poverty, homelessness, race crimes, FGM, Honour Killings, hatred, prejudice and more. So, it's no surprise that the genre is at the forefront of redressing the representation of our diverse society.



As Abir Mukherjee says 'The playing field isn’t level. What PRH are doing is making it easier for hugely talented individuals from marginalised parts of our society to have their voices and their stories heard - not only those from minority groups, but white working class voices too. As such this is about better reflecting the country we live in and publishing books that appeal to a wider cross section of society, rather than tokenism or box-ticking.'

Mukherjee is one of the judges on Bloody Scotland's new BAME prize for debut crime fiction writers.

Vaseem Khan continues this theme:
“As the world changes around us, the need of the hour is for a generation of diverse

literary voices to come to the fore, reflecting our modern societies. But such voices need to be encouraged, nurtured, and given the same opportunities as those traditionally favoured by the industry. The London Writers Awards are leading the way in this brave new world, by providing meaningful career support for emerging writers from diverse backgrounds, allowing them to achieve that breakthrough moment. For me such a breakthrough came after 23 years of waiting. I only wish something like the London Writers Awards programme had been around when I was first trying to make my mark ... I am truly excited to be a part of this initiative!”

So, well done Scotland and well done London - Lets see if other UK regions follow suit.

However, the initiative hasn't gone down so well in everyone's eyes. Lionel Shriver, author of We Need To Talk About Kevin and often controversial speaker has made clear her displeasure at the initiative, positing that, 'Drunk on Virtue, Penguin Random House no longer regards the company's raison d'etre as the aquisition and dissemination of good books. Rather, the organistation aims to mirror the percentages of minorities in the UK with statistical precision" (The Spectator 2018)

Shriver appears to make a correlation between a more equitable representation in the creative industries and a fall in the standards of output from these industries. Frankly, I find that both offensive and naive. I have no doubt that PRH's driving force will remain providing and disseminating great fiction - they are a business after all. The fact that it now looks for that great fiction in a broader pool excites me.

The richness of our society is dependent on the diversity within it. To offer support and to nurture the expression of our diverse society through our creative industries is imperative to making society more equitable and, by extension, our experiences as readers, viewers, cinema and theater goers. If obstacles weren't in place in the first instance, there would be no need for inclusion policies, but, until there is true parity, let us embrace the vehicles that bring us a step closer to proper representation, a step closer to opening doors for everyone.

However, does it go far enough? Probably not. There are many talented authors out there from diverse backgrounds struggling to make their mark in the very Londoncentric publishing industry. The reality is that no matter your ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality, class etc, the industry is a/ immensely competitive, b/ dominated by 5 main publishing houses whose authors are c/ mainly represented at national level. This means that many of the smaller publishing houses who also have a wealth of talent in their ranks, are often swimming against the tide and often are under-represented in the wider literary circles.

Some of the national crime fiction festivals (Bloody Scotland for one) have made positive decisions to nurture new talent through their extensive and very generous Spotlighting programme. A programme I was both honoured and delighted to be part of in 2016.

More initiatives like this will keep the talent fresh and, more importantly, offer readers new stories to explore. So come on. Penguin Random House, Bloody Scotland and the London Writers' Awards are doing it. Let's see some investment in our mid list authors and as yet untapped talent throughout the country.