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Why I'm me, and not someone else...
Jan. 3rd, 2015 10:22 amFascinating, and rather depressing conversation happening on Twitter right now about the Great Mostly White Male "most anticipated fantasy books of 2015" lists dropping now. (the females seen on these lists? Robin Hobb and Kameron Hurley. Both potentially gender-neutral names, and Kameron says she specifically requested that they not put an author photo on the book cover).
I admit - I considered going with a male pseudonym for SILVER ON THE ROAD. I'm pretty damn sure that if I had, the book would be getting more attention, pre-pub, because the brutal truth is that male-name writers get more ink, especially but not exclusively from male reviewers. Especially if the books in question are epic (non-romantic) fantasies. In terms of sales alone, choosing to publish under a female name is established idiocy.
And yet... this is my book. The thought of having to hide behind another name, of not being able to talk publicly about the book except through the scrim of that name, or a stand-in... to buy into the "only men write epic fantasy worth talking about" game...
Fuck that.
Hi, my name is Laura Anne Gilman, and I write some damn good epic fantasy. And yeah, I'm female. If that makes you shy away from a book, then you're the idiot, not me.
/vent
I admit - I considered going with a male pseudonym for SILVER ON THE ROAD. I'm pretty damn sure that if I had, the book would be getting more attention, pre-pub, because the brutal truth is that male-name writers get more ink, especially but not exclusively from male reviewers. Especially if the books in question are epic (non-romantic) fantasies. In terms of sales alone, choosing to publish under a female name is established idiocy.
And yet... this is my book. The thought of having to hide behind another name, of not being able to talk publicly about the book except through the scrim of that name, or a stand-in... to buy into the "only men write epic fantasy worth talking about" game...
Fuck that.
Hi, my name is Laura Anne Gilman, and I write some damn good epic fantasy. And yeah, I'm female. If that makes you shy away from a book, then you're the idiot, not me.
/vent
