Comments on: How To Promote Diversity in Fiction Markets http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/ Race, Politics, Gender, Sexuality, Anger Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:46:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Still Swamped - Links! « Words From The Center, Words From The Edge http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2469 Still Swamped - Links! « Words From The Center, Words From The Edge Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:28:26 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2469 [...] for a little perspective a post theangryblackwoman wrote over a year ago: How To Promote Diversity in Fiction Markets Many of you will recall my post about Marriage Equality and that one of things that bothered me the [...] [...] for a little perspective a post theangryblackwoman wrote over a year ago: How To Promote Diversity in Fiction Markets Many of you will recall my post about Marriage Equality and that one of things that bothered me the [...]

]]> By: Those Who Forget The Lessons Of History… at K. Tempest Bradford http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2470 Those Who Forget The Lessons Of History… at K. Tempest Bradford Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:17:55 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2470 [...] I know I wrote this over a year ago, but have certain people forgotten about it already?  Refresher course: “I [...] [...] I know I wrote this over a year ago, but have certain people forgotten about it already?  Refresher course: “I [...]

]]> By: In which I have an opinion about fantasy fiction at K. Tempest Bradford http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2468 In which I have an opinion about fantasy fiction at K. Tempest Bradford Wed, 07 May 2008 20:47:12 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2468 [...] this commentary is not specifically about that story.  I am speaking to the trend.  Also, this is not the first time I’ve said something along these lines: An editor can shout from the rooftops all he or she [...] [...] this commentary is not specifically about that story.  I am speaking to the trend.  Also, this is not the first time I’ve said something along these lines: An editor can shout from the rooftops all he or she [...]

]]> By: Links that made me think « Bookavore http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2467 Links that made me think « Bookavore Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:30:49 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2467 [...] speaking of diversity in fiction, here’s an older post from The Angry Black Woman that I found recently about how to promote it.  If the publishing [...] [...] speaking of diversity in fiction, here’s an older post from The Angry Black Woman that I found recently about how to promote it.  If the publishing [...]

]]> By: NancyP http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2392 NancyP Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:24:07 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2392 I am a white SFF READER and I want diversity. I don't see nearly enough of it in most anthologies and novels. The market for non-stereotyped SFF extends beyond the non-white SFF reading population. For sword and sorcery, Charles Saunder's Dahomey stories are well done. How many more castles do we need to deal with? More anthologies like "So Long Been Dreaming", please. I also appreciate gender-bending fiction of the sort that gets nominated for the Tiptree award. If I don't have to think new thoughts or feel unexpected empathy, I haven't had the pleasure I sought by picking up a given book. Of course it hardly needs saying that the race, gender, etc issues can be transposed onto alien proxies. Just stretch the readers, please. I am a white SFF READER and I want diversity. I don’t see nearly enough of it in most anthologies and novels. The market for non-stereotyped SFF extends beyond the non-white SFF reading population. For sword and sorcery, Charles Saunder’s Dahomey stories are well done. How many more castles do we need to deal with? More anthologies like “So Long Been Dreaming”, please. I also appreciate gender-bending fiction of the sort that gets nominated for the Tiptree award. If I don’t have to think new thoughts or feel unexpected empathy, I haven’t had the pleasure I sought by picking up a given book. Of course it hardly needs saying that the race, gender, etc issues can be transposed onto alien proxies. Just stretch the readers, please.

]]> By: Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Amanda Marcotte and Seal Press Both Issue Public Apologies for Racist Images in Marcotte’s book, It’s a Jungle Out There http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2466 Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Amanda Marcotte and Seal Press Both Issue Public Apologies for Racist Images in Marcotte’s book, It’s a Jungle Out There Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:53:09 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2466 [...] and drop everything and go read this post from Angry Black Woman on how to promote diversity in fiction markets. It’s not 100% salient to non-fiction publishing, but it’s close [...] [...] and drop everything and go read this post from Angry Black Woman on how to promote diversity in fiction markets. It’s not 100% salient to non-fiction publishing, but it’s close [...]

]]> By: Lisa http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2390 Lisa Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:50:43 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2390 Hm, teach me to troll the archives and not look at dates. Sorry 'bout the blast from the past =) Hm, teach me to troll the archives and not look at dates. Sorry ’bout the blast from the past =)

]]> By: Lisa http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2389 Lisa Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:45:59 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2389 "I have to wonder if it’s really true that white males won’t read stuff that has black people or women in it. Does everyone just assume that?" Well, Ursula K. LeGuin's books have a fairly wide audience in my experience, and they are hardly ever about the reader. There's the Earthsea novels, of course, which feature dark-skinned island people, and there are books like Left Hand of Darkness which does some great things "writing the other" as far as gender is concerned. However, it is very easy even in the Earthsea novels to make the protagonist start looking like you, as they don't really belabor the issue of race and appearance. For the most part, this is a good thing; it makes the imagery more powerful for me when it's a sudden realization I've been picturing the character wrong, rather than an awareness that the author's making a Point. And the default in all of our heads (growing in America &c) is the white male, so it's great IMO to have stories taking "default" style protagonists and making them different. I think it's made a difference to how I frame my mental defaults, and I hope that it has that effect on others too. As an aside, thanks to this discussion now I'm stuck wondering if all the SciFi I read growing up is part of why I see myself through such a masculine lens. “I have to wonder if it’s really true that white males won’t read stuff that has black people or women in it. Does everyone just assume that?”

Well, Ursula K. LeGuin’s books have a fairly wide audience in my experience, and they are hardly ever about the reader. There’s the Earthsea novels, of course, which feature dark-skinned island people, and there are books like Left Hand of Darkness which does some great things “writing the other” as far as gender is concerned.

However, it is very easy even in the Earthsea novels to make the protagonist start looking like you, as they don’t really belabor the issue of race and appearance. For the most part, this is a good thing; it makes the imagery more powerful for me when it’s a sudden realization I’ve been picturing the character wrong, rather than an awareness that the author’s making a Point. And the default in all of our heads (growing in America &c) is the white male, so it’s great IMO to have stories taking “default” style protagonists and making them different.

I think it’s made a difference to how I frame my mental defaults, and I hope that it has that effect on others too.

As an aside, thanks to this discussion now I’m stuck wondering if all the SciFi I read growing up is part of why I see myself through such a masculine lens.

]]> By: “If you don’t see it in the work in front of you… your job is to write it yourself.” « Irreverently http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2383 “If you don’t see it in the work in front of you… your job is to write it yourself.” « Irreverently Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:24:42 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2383 [...] I remember reading a message board discussion about the potential of Fantasy and Science Fiction to champion possible worlds in which race is dealt with deftly, interestingly, unusually - the very context of race and race relations is altered. Power dynamics can be shifted (Martha Jones from Doctor Who and Torchwood, anyone?*), sometimes even made void and null (Ursula LeGuin). The point was that Speculative Fiction (Science Ficton, Fantasy, Horror, Magical Realism, etc.) can offer a more flexible context to present and consider race. Unfortunately, a majority of Speculative Fiction offers little more than dulling doses of “Blandy McWhitey White in Blandy McNeighborhood in America or Blandy McMedieval Europe or Blan....”** [...] [...] I remember reading a message board discussion about the potential of Fantasy and Science Fiction to champion possible worlds in which race is dealt with deftly, interestingly, unusually – the very context of race and race relations is altered. Power dynamics can be shifted (Martha Jones from Doctor Who and Torchwood, anyone?*), sometimes even made void and null (Ursula LeGuin). The point was that Speculative Fiction (Science Ficton, Fantasy, Horror, Magical Realism, etc.) can offer a more flexible context to present and consider race. Unfortunately, a majority of Speculative Fiction offers little more than dulling doses of “Blandy McWhitey White in Blandy McNeighborhood in America or Blandy McMedieval Europe or Blan….”** [...]

]]> By: the angry black woman http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/comment-page-1/#comment-2453 the angry black woman Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:54:03 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/how-to-promote-diversity-in-fiction-markets/#comment-2453 Book recs are always welcome, but we could do without the condescension. Book recs are always welcome, but we could do without the condescension.

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