Whoa, I spent way too long reading most of the links I could find on this topic. Not that it isn't fascinating, not that I don't care, but I have other things I need to be doing today. But I am going to do my part.
Jim Crow Publishing by JA Konrath. First entry I read on the issue, which is African-American writers being shelved in the African-American section even though their book does not have anything to do with African-American issues, and the author protests.
On the Wrong Side of the Alligator. Reading her entire blog is a wake up call to this issue. From there I ended up at the following links in no particular order.
A Stop at Willoughby: Racism and Publishing... and Comments by Patrick
Taking Care of Business: Publishing Suppression ~ Suffer in Silence? by Millenia Black
Taking Care of Business: Storm Brewing - The Motive for Racism in Publishing
The Way There: Controversy by Monica Jackson
My Irrationaltities: Publishing and Race by Shesawriter
Race and Publishing by Tess Gerritsen
Blogger to Blogger by Tess Gerritsen
Romancing Paradise: Segregating Literature by Lynn Raye Harris
I really had no idea this topic had been brewing for a few months (I don't read enough author blogs but I can't keep up), so I'll add my late, unpublished, white female voice to the chorus. Placing books in a certain section because of the color of the skin on the author is WRONG. I think it is an issue stemming from the marketing takeover of the publishing industry, but it really doesn't matter who started it or why it started. It must END.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
6 comments:
Racism is an issue everywhere in the US, not just publishing.
As to compared to where, Anonymous? Rwanda, Sudan, Bosnia; it's a global problem for humanity.
I didn't bring this up to address blanket racism (which I know is still an issue in my country), but to address a small portion of it in a field I want to enter in. I don't want my science fiction or mysteries shoved under "Woman's Literature" because of my sex. And if an author has issues with where their book is marketed because of their race or sexual orientation and not based on the story of the book, the publishers and the stores should respect that.
Attempt #2 at posting this.
Marketing is a large part of this problem, but it's important to look at it from the other side, too. Keep in mind that marketing only works when people buy things. Books would not be separated like that if they weren't bought like that.
I don't have any stastics - only my own experiences. I've noticed, though, that groups tend to support things produced by people in their own group. Demographically speaking. Women like to buy books written by women. African Americans like to buy books written by African Americans. Star Trek fans like to buy books written by Star Trek fans and actors. Perhaps they feel that people from their group can relate to them more. Perhaps they have a strong sense of pride in the group they're in. Regardless of the reason, it seems to me to be generally true.
In an ideal world, all works would be judged and supported based on the merits of the work, regardless of any characteristics of the creator. To achieve that goal, both producer and consumer have to strive for it. People will be sold what they want to buy. If people are to be offered more diversity, they must support more diversity. Likewise, people who do support this diversity should be given it.
Who's more to blame, the sheperd or the sheep?
Yeah, there's validity to that. And nobody is saying getting rid of "African-American Literature" as a genre in bookstores.
The problem is: the writer is black, and has wrote a science fiction novel with purple alien protagonists. The book goes into science fiction, where all the science fiction fans gravitate to if they set foot in a bookstore. But the publisher/marketing whoisit/retail store decide that "Oh it goes into African-American because the writer is black." Author protests because he will miss out on the largest group that will be interested in his book. "Black people only buy from black people, so suck it up" is the response.
This is the decision in protest; that is only being judge on skin color. A book on purple aliens doesn't go under "African-American Literature."
I blame it all on marketing. Genres are useful to know what type of book you're getting, but it's found in the story not skin color. But because African-American readers have shown a solidarity with African-American writers/subjects speaking to their experience, that's where the marketing geniuses (be sure to add the sneer there) have decided all the money is. Tess Gerritsen discusses it from an Asian-American standpoint. You have to reach out to a global audience to get the highest number of sales. Taking something out of it's subject genre automatically limits it's sales power. And people don't shun a new author based on skin color. Most of what the readers have said in the various comment trails is that they only look to see if the story catches their interest, author's picture means nothing. But the other admission is "I only read mysteries so that's the only section I go to." If the book isn't cross-shelved or in the mystery section, the reader doesn't see it.
I'm hardly claiming it's universal, but enough writers have experienced it to warrant concern. It's all marketing's fault, but the sheep don't know they're being fenced in. So it's all about exposure to educate the sheep.
Course I'm still snarly about the advances Paris Hilton and her ilk earn because they are pre-sold celebrities. Now that would be useful use of statistics, did Monica Lowenski's tell-all earn enough to cover the advance? And that's all marketing's fault. Mid-list is shrinking and that's marketing's fault.
So let's shoot them along with all the lawyers!
*Snort* I think I'm a little too ready for "V is for Vendetta."
Agreed!
What's mid-list?
Personally, I think marketing's gotten out of hand in this country. It's all just repeated attempts at trying to lure you into giving people money, even if you don't know why. Spinning and twisting lies into barely truth. Sleight of hand and misdirection. Smoke and mirrors. Frankly, it insults me. Tell me what it's about. I'll either A) decide that product is for me, and I'll purchase it or B) decide it is not for me - you can then try again with something else. Don't try to trick me into buying something.
OH! Look a black author! Buy this! You'll like it!
Disgusting.
Mid-list: The portion of a publisher's list of new or current titles made up of books expected to have less popular appeal than the frontlist.
http://today.answers.com/topic/midlist
Now, it's not to say that the frontlist people can't write. Most of them have earned their sales. The celebrities haven't and hell they get advances that make you want to scream. So that means even less midlist books get published because the money isn't there for them.
Hopefully, I can some day make Stephen King's gesture and turn down an advance.
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