Column by Jacqueline Friedland
USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of He Gets That From Me, That’s Not a Thing, and Trouble the Water. Her latest novel, Counting Backwards, is set to release in March 2025.
Jacqueline Friedland graduated Magna Cum Laude from both the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School. She practiced as a commercial litigator at the New York law firms of Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP and Boies, Schiller & Flexner, LLP. After determining that office life did not suit her, Jacqueline began teaching Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan and working on her first book in her limited spare time. Finally deciding to embrace her passion and pursue writing full time, Jacqueline returned to school to earn her Masters of Fine Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, graduating from the program in 2016.
As writers, we want our work to be meaningful—so we often gravitate toward big issues. Like the topics that seem to dominate headlines again and again. These same subjects keep showing up in our social feeds, on podcasts and radio, and of course, in books too. From basic freedoms and civil rights to mental health, inequality, judicial reform, the climate, free speech, and reproductive rights, we, as authors, continue to explore these repeating issues, hoping to make some progress toward finally figuring them out.
Tackling these urgent but timeless topics through the plot of a novel can feel intimidating, but with the right approach, you can make your writing both respectful and compelling. Here’s how to bring some heart and humanity to these heavy-hitting topics.
1. Dig Into the Research: Every Issue Has Its Origin Story
Any pressing issue has a history, a backstory that explains why we’re talking about it. So put on your researcher cap, head to your computer, the library, the historical sites, and dig deep. Think of it as learning the lore of your topic—like reading the prequels so you understand the latest installment in a series. When you have a deeper understanding of context, you’re able to add richness and depth to a subject, making the present-day version of the story so much more meaningful.
For example, if you’re writing about climate change, it helps to know what’s been done in the past. Look at early environmental movements, the initial calls for action, and the moments when people thought they’d cracked the code. If you learn about the science, the politics, the social and economic effects of different strategies, you’ll get a better sense of why things are the way they are, and you’ll be able to make your readers feel part of a much bigger picture.
2. Find the Core Story: What Makes This Universal?
Behind every big story, there’s usually a core theme—something universally relatable that everyone can understand. Whether it’s fundamental fairness, personal compassion, unwavering courage, or surprising resilience, an underlying theme can act as a hook while also making your work timeless. The better you understand your core themes, the closer you can get to the heart of an issue. And it helps your readers relate to the story.
Example: If you’re writing a story about a recently-divorced couple whose relationship was impacted by the pandemic, the story might also include any number of overarching themes, ranging from public health and social justice to fundamental fairness and courage. These are timeless motifs that are universally relatable. You can tell your story, even about an issue that’s sometimes still divisive, and avoid alienating portions of your audience, if you focus on the larger themes. So whether your readers thought everyone overreacted to COVID-19, or conversely, thought we were all seconds away from imminent death, you can draw in readers on both sides of the spectrum by centering your story on the core values of fairness and courage.
3. Don’t Fake It: Nuance Is Everything
People are complex, and so are the issues. The more you can lean into that complexity, the more authentic and respectful your writing will feel. Don’t oversimplify, even when it’s tempting. Exploring complexity is what adds the heft that you want in your stories.
Another important tactic is acknowledging diversity of experience. One woman’s reproductive health journey might be another’s mental health challenge. We all bring different assumptions, abilities, and obstacles to the table, and it’s best to try to remember that when writing. By showing respect to your own characters as you write about them, you can encourage empathy in your readers and help them to understand that people come at difficult questions from so many different angles.
4. Let People Speak for Themselves
One of the best things you can do is let your characters speak for themselves. As the facts of your story unfold, don’t tell readers how to feel. Simply convey the circumstances, and let readers draw their own conclusions about the propriety, truth, or unjustness of the scenario.
5. Recognize Progress—And Challenges
If you recognize progress that’s been made within a difficult area you’re tackling, the acknowledgement won’t negate the fact that there is still work to be done. So much of history is cyclical, and the feeling that we take two steps forward and one step back is more universal than we sometimes realize. Try to keep a balanced perspective—celebrating wins while also acknowledging the work ahead.
6. Language Matters
Language is constantly evolving, and though it may formerly have been acceptable to use one term or another to refer to a class of people, or a type of disability, many of those words are now considered hurtful. Research your terms, and then check, double check, and triple check. Don’t underestimate the value of sensitivity reads. The last thing you want to do is exacerbate pressing issues by causing unnecessary pain.
The tricky part is that even within certain communities, people don’t always agree on which language is respectful and which is hurtful. However, the more research you do, the more you’ll be able to show that you’ve approached the topic with genuine curiosity, respect, and good intentions. This bleeds into my next point…
7. Be Honest About Your Perspective
We all come at issues from our own unique outlook and attitude. Being upfront about where you’re coming from helps readers trust you, and it keeps you from accidentally presenting your viewpoint as the only truth out there. Self-awareness goes a long way. When writing fiction, it’s not easy to explain your own perspective within the narrative, but what you can do is find or create a character whose background is similar to your own and try to tell the story from their point of view. Even if they are interacting with characters who are wildly different from you.
Another tip is to immerse yourself in the communities you want to write about, through research, meeting with people, and developing understanding.
Finally, don’t underestimate the value of an author’s note at the end of the book, explaining what brought you to the story, where you are coming from, and what you were trying to achieve.
8. Get Readers Thinking
Perhaps most importantly, invite your readers to think for themselves. Pose questions, raise ideas, and let readers find their own connections. By engaging their minds, you create a space for reflection and conversation, which is exactly what makes your writing feel timeless.
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With these tips in mind, you can craft stories about nearly any topic that will lead readers to think deeply about the ageless questions you’re examining while also encouraging people to consider the gravity and pressing importance of the more current subjects. Even though so many of these themes have been around forever, they are as urgent as ever, and there’s no time to waste. So go get to work!
Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland
Told in alternating timelines, Counting Backwards tells the modern day story of Jessa, a high-powered lawyer trying to keep her life in order who takes on pro bono ICE cases. In 1927, a legal case involving American eugenics puts a young girl at the center of a trial that ties directly to Jessa. As the two tales interweave, a story of reproductive rights, incarceration and women’s issues emerges in this transformative story.
Preorder the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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