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AGH AGH AGH AGH AGH.
May. 21st, 2009 10:44 am"Be the change you wish to see in the world" is dandy, kids, but it doesn't erase privilege. IS THIS REALLY THAT FUCKING DIFFICULT FOR YOU PEOPLE?
"More gay people/people of color/etc. should be writing those books!"
...I don't even know what to say. Are you stupid? Do you live under a rock? The people you're talking about have been. They are. And for the most part they do in tiny independent presses, or their work doesn't get translated, or they end up finally breaking through and get pointed at as some kind of example of how writers of color can get published in Sci-Fi so why can't the rest of you doing it you're clearly not trying hard enough or some bullshit and SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP.
It's not that easy. You should know it's not that easy if you ever submitted anything for publication or know anyone who did. It's not just about being good. It never has been. It never will be! I'd just like to live in a world where perfectly acceptable books get rejected because the list has too many books about wild mammoths and wizards, instead of living where I do now, where perfectly acceptable books get rejected because "Chinese fantasy doesn't sell," or "we're not sure a black protagonist will be successful."
IT'S REALLY NOT THAT HARD.
"More gay people/people of color/etc. should be writing those books!"
...I don't even know what to say. Are you stupid? Do you live under a rock? The people you're talking about have been. They are. And for the most part they do in tiny independent presses, or their work doesn't get translated, or they end up finally breaking through and get pointed at as some kind of example of how writers of color can get published in Sci-Fi so why can't the rest of you doing it you're clearly not trying hard enough or some bullshit and SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP.
It's not that easy. You should know it's not that easy if you ever submitted anything for publication or know anyone who did. It's not just about being good. It never has been. It never will be! I'd just like to live in a world where perfectly acceptable books get rejected because the list has too many books about wild mammoths and wizards, instead of living where I do now, where perfectly acceptable books get rejected because "Chinese fantasy doesn't sell," or "we're not sure a black protagonist will be successful."
IT'S REALLY NOT THAT HARD.
