Opinion | How I got lost in publishing’s diversity game

"What does the public want? Diverse voices or human drama? The publishing industry seems to think the two must go hand in hand for a book to be successful. A story like mine, in which the prejudice and bigotry I underwent was more subtle and accumulated over a lifetime, apparently isn’t the sort of real-life experience that publishers want to invest in –– but does that mean it wouldn’t sell?

On my journey to becoming a book author and finding a publisher who’d see the potential in my work, which largely explores elements of my Indian, Puerto Rican and Italian heritage, I’ve been repeatedly turned away. It’s relatable material to the growing population of American citizens who identify as multiracial. Most of the editors who passed on my proposal said they enjoyed it but thought a marginalized tale like mine needed to display more conflict if it was to be marketable. One editor even referred to me as a voice whose platform was still emerging".