By Narelle Atkins
In April ICFW member LeAnne Hardy wrote an excellent post on Writing about Culture. LeAnne is an American who writes stories set in other countries, including Africa.
In the blog post comments, we chatted about how cultural differences can be very stark or more subtle. I'm an Aussie and I write contemporary romance for a primarily North American audience with the Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line. My books are set in Australia and my characters are Australian. I've just finished the copy edits on my fourth book, and I've learned there are many subtle cultural differences between Australia and the USA.
The obvious difference is grammar and spelling. I have a bad habit of mixing Australian and American grammar and spelling now I'm using both all the time. The placement of commas, in particular, can trip me up. Spell checkers are useful, but they don't pick up everything. Google is my friend when I need to double check spelling and word usage.
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| Snowy Mountains in Australia |
In Australia we have a lot of exposure to American language through television, movies, and online sources. The other day my son asked me if I had my cell phone with me. My daughter and I did a double take, because we call cell phones 'mobiles' in Australia. I'm now convinced he watches too much American content on You Tube, but I digress...
I refer to 'jumpers' as sweaters in my books, a 'footpath' is a sidewalk, '4WDs' are SUVs, 'insurance excess' is a deductible, 'morning tea' is refreshments, and 'mum' is spelled mom. I was able to keep a reference to 'brumbies' in The Doctor's Return by adding an extra sentence that defined the brumbies as wild horses.
It's perfectly reasonable for an Aussie to say "I'm wearing my thongs to the beach and I'll take them off when I walk on the sand" because thongs are flip flops. But that sentence won't translate the right way in North America where thongs are intimate apparel.
One of my Aussie friends is currently living in the US. She mentioned that the American spelling in my books means she can hear the dialogue in an American accent. It's interesting how we can translate the dialogue into our own dialect. When I read American books, I usually hear the Aussie pronounciation in my mind.
It's perfectly reasonable for an Aussie to say "I'm wearing my thongs to the beach and I'll take them off when I walk on the sand" because thongs are flip flops. But that sentence won't translate the right way in North America where thongs are intimate apparel.
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| North Curl Curl Beach in Sydney, Australia |
Our seasons are different in Australia, being in the southern hemisphere. I try to avoid references to specific months. We have Christmas in summer, and we drive on the opposite side of the road. I'm careful to be non-specific regarding left and right when it comes to driving and talking about cars.
I also think, in general, that Australians are less concerned with political correctness than our American friends. My editors have picked up a couple of things in my books that have surprised my group of Aussie beta readers. Our church culture is slightly different, too, and that needs to be taken into account.
I also think, in general, that Australians are less concerned with political correctness than our American friends. My editors have picked up a couple of things in my books that have surprised my group of Aussie beta readers. Our church culture is slightly different, too, and that needs to be taken into account.
There are subtle nuances to consider when writing dialogue. I've discovered during my trips to the US that 'you're welcome' is the usual response when someone says thank you. In Australia we have a variety of responses, including no problem, no worries and okay. I learned to ask for two percent milk in hot black tea, after ordering tea with milk from a well known cafe franchise and ending up with what we call thickened cream in my tea.
My conclusion is that I would need to do a lot of research if I wanted to write a contemporary romance set in North America. The authenticity of the characters and setting doesn't always translate easily in a different society and cultural setting. It's the little things that can distract a reader and pull them out of the story.
What challenges have you faced when writing for an American or international audience? As a reader, do you notice the small cultural differences? Have you read a book set in your part of the world that didn't translate fully to your cultural setting? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract.
Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014.My conclusion is that I would need to do a lot of research if I wanted to write a contemporary romance set in North America. The authenticity of the characters and setting doesn't always translate easily in a different society and cultural setting. It's the little things that can distract a reader and pull them out of the story.
What challenges have you faced when writing for an American or international audience? As a reader, do you notice the small cultural differences? Have you read a book set in your part of the world that didn't translate fully to your cultural setting? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/
http://www.inspyromance.com/
She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA).
http://acrba.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins
