Nisi Shawl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nisi Shawl
Born	1955 (age 69–70) Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater	Residential College, University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Genre	Speculative fiction
Notable awards	2008 Otherwise Award

Nisi Shawl (born in 1955) is an American writer, editor, and journalist. They are well-known for their science fiction and fantasy short stories. Shawl also writes and teaches about how amazing stories can show the real-world diversity of people. This includes different backgrounds, races, and abilities.

Early Life and Learning

Nisi Shawl was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They started college at the University of Michigan when they were 16 years old. Later, in 1992, Shawl completed the Clarion West Writers Workshop. This is a special program for writers of science fiction and fantasy. They are also a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association.

Amazing Short Stories

Shawl's short stories have appeared in many popular magazines. These include Asimov's Science Fiction and Strange Horizons. Their first collection of stories, called Filter House, came out in 2008. This book had 11 stories that were published before, plus three new ones.

A reviewer named Brian Charles Clark praised Filter House. He said that Shawl's strong sense of fairness is always present in their stories. He also noted that Shawl is a true storyteller. They let the characters and plot show their important messages.

Helping Others Write

Shawl is also the co-author of a helpful book called Writing the Other: Bridging Cultural Differences for Successful Fiction. They wrote this book with Cynthia Ward. It is a creative writing handbook. The book teaches writers how to create believable characters who come from different backgrounds than their own.

This guidebook helps authors write about diverse characters respectfully. It encourages writers to avoid stereotypes. It also helps them think carefully about the people and worlds they create.

The Novel Everfair

Shawl's first novel, Everfair, was released in 2016. It is a steampunk story set in an alternate history version of the Belgian Congo. The cover art for the book was created by artist Victo Ngai.

Everfair imagines a different past for Africa, Europe, and the United States. In this story, the people of the Congo learn about steam technology earlier. This changes history. The novel shows British groups and African American missionaries buying land in the Congo Basin. They create a new nation there. In this new nation, people can experience freedoms they didn't have before. They also benefit from steam engines, a key technology of the Industrial Revolution.

Promoting Diverse Voices in Fiction

Nisi Shawl has done a lot to support diverse voices in speculative fiction. This includes stories that explore different cultures and experiences. In 2009, Shawl gave their important writings and papers to Northern Illinois University. This helps future writers and researchers.

In 2011, Shawl was honored at Wiscon 35. This is a well-known science fiction convention. They were recognized for their work in promoting women's voices in speculative fiction. Shawl is also a respected teacher and mentor. They help other writers learn about diversity in storytelling. They have spoken at major universities like Princeton and the University of Hawai'i. There, they shared their work and led writing workshops.

Shawl's novel Everfair is part of a growing movement. This movement includes speculative fiction by writers of color from around the world. These writers use alternate history to explore important topics. They look at issues like colonialism and globalization.

Editing Anthologies

Shawl has edited several collections of speculative fiction stories. Many of these collections focus on Afrofuturism. This is a genre that combines African culture with technology and science fiction. They have also edited collections that highlight different voices in fiction.

For example, Shawl co-edited Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delany (2015). This book honored the pioneering Black science fiction writer Samuel R. Delany. They also co-edited Strange Matings (2015), which celebrated the work of Octavia E. Butler. Butler was another very important Black science fiction author. Shawl's work as an editor shows their dedication to supporting diverse writers.

Personal Life

Nisi Shawl lives in Seattle, Washington. They write book reviews for The Seattle Times. Shawl uses they/them pronouns. They have mentioned that writers like Colette and Raymond Chandler have influenced their work. Other science fiction authors who inspired them include Samuel R. Delany and Eileen Gunn.

Awards and Recognition

Nisi Shawl's stories have been nominated for many awards. These include the Theodore Sturgeon Award and the Carl Brandon Society Parallax Award. Their book Writing the Other received a special mention for the James Tiptree Jr. Award.

In 2008, Shawl won the James Tiptree Jr. Award for their story collection Filter House. This book was also nominated for a World Fantasy Award. In 2009, their novella Good Boy was also nominated for a World Fantasy Award. Their novel Everfair was nominated for a Nebula Award in 2016.

See also

In Spanish: Nisi Shawl para niños