lesbian fiction

EndlessDestiny · Jul 30, 2006

I wasn't really sure where to put this, so feel free to move it.

Anyway, I mainly write stories about lesbians and sci-fi/fantasy stories. The main book I'm currently writing has both. I was wondering how difficult you all think it is to get a book containing subject matter like that published. There's nothing graphic in it, but I don't know how difficult it will be.

alleycat · Jul 30, 2006

You might want to repost that in the Erotica forum, Endless. The folks there should be able to answer your question.

And welcome to AW.

veinglory · Jul 30, 2006

Well, it's not necessarily erotic. may take on it is that you will probably to best to market as sci fi. There is a very strong tradition of sf protagionists with various sexualities. I know that Tor is totally open to this and have read lesbian heroines from various fantasy and sci fi presses... let's see that would include Sphere, Tor and Daw.

If that doesn't work out there are also a lot of queer and specifically lesbian presses that will consider spec fic.

mathprof1 · Jul 30, 2006

EndlessDestiny said:
I wasn't really sure where to put this, so feel free to move it.

Anyway, I mainly write stories about lesbians and sci-fi/fantasy stories. The main book I'm currently writing has both. I was wondering how difficult you all think it is to get a book containing subject matter like that published. There's nothing graphic in it, but I don't know how difficult it will be.

I'm writing a lesbian romance novel that does not qualify as erotica either. I have been engaged in extensive research via the internet.
Try http://www.artemispress.com. This company publishes lesbian short stories and novellas.

Good luck!

maestrowork · Jul 30, 2006

Either fantasy or GLBT fiction -- there are markets for it and you just need to find the right agent/publisher.

Xopher · Jul 30, 2006

Well, one does see these types of books in the mainstream. Just look at the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold; or the Kushiel Trilogy (now four books long) by Jacqueline Carey.

Two examples, although I can't vouch for the difficulty of the sale of either.

Alan Yee · Jul 30, 2006

That's similar to what I'm writing at the moment. Mine fits under dark fantasy/horror, and (most) of the characters are bisexual/gay males, with a few heterosexual females that are very important to the overall plot. I've read various SF/Fantasy stories and novels with characters of a variety of sexualities, so it's not completely unheard of.

James D. Macdonald · Jul 30, 2006

Go down to the bookstore. Buy a dozen recent books in your genre(s). Read them.

Your questions will be anwswered.

Marlys · Jul 31, 2006

Another place to look: go to the site for the Lambda Literary Foundation, which has given out gay/lesbian book awards since the late 1980s. SF has been included right from the start, and the site lists every book that's ever made the finals--with its press. Browsing the SF (and other fiction categories) for the last few years will give you a good idea of who might be interested.

Sassenach · Jul 31, 2006

mathprof1 said:
I'm writing a lesbian romance novel that does not qualify as erotica either. I have been engaged in extensive research via the internet.

How's that research going for you? :>

Forbidden Snowflake · Jul 31, 2006

alleycat said:
You might want to repost that in the Erotica forum, Endless. The folks there should be able to answer your question.

Please tell me. How come you come from Lesbian/Sci-Fi to Erotica? I'm speechless, what is on your mind? :ROFL:

But, I was wondering how that sells, is it a minus or not? If for example you write a romance with lesbians.. like, let's say you take a well selling romance story and change the couple from hetero to gay, would it still sell the same way? Or is it a problem?

veinglory · Jul 31, 2006

Well it isn't a great leap as many writers on this board who do write gay protagnists do hang out on the erotica forum.

My impression, reifnorced by hearing a Tor editor speak, is that non-heterosexual characters not not an problem for sales in sci fi/fant. I certainly know there is a long tradition and a number of titles out there right now.

In terms of romance it is a smaller market, smaller even than gay male romance as far as I can tell--but there are excellent small to medium lesbina presses that sell very respectably.

willietheshakes · Jul 31, 2006

And I'll present the opposing viewpoint to C.L. Richardson: in my mind, the greatest potential liability to your book's success is that "there's nothing graphic in it".

Maybe that's just me, though.

Marlys · Jul 31, 2006

veinglory said:
In terms of romance it is a smaller market, smaller even than gay male romance as far as I can tell.

That's interesting--I've heard the opposite. Both my agent and the owner of my city's local glbt bookstore say the lesbian romance market is much bigger and better established, with well-known "name" authors like Radclyffe and Karin Kallmaker who have been producing for years.

Check out, for instance, Bella Books' romance listings, which run to over a hundred titles. I can't think of a publisher offering anywhere near those kinds of numbers for m/m romance.

veinglory · Jul 31, 2006

I am probably biased in my perceptions by reading a lot of gay romance--but these books (although meeting the defintion of romance) are typically marketed erotic, literary or humorous/farce. (c.f. romentics and the whole slash thing).

As for dissapointment--I often buy a book that I am sure will have a gay character and find they end up with the girl. Life is full of little disappointments but the blurb copy is not always under the authors control. Let's keep discussions of what may or may not be a sin out of it. That isn't a flame, just saying that stating a preference to know in advanace is fine--stating an opinion that some of us are sinners *is* off topic and in MHO you might consider editing it out of this thread. The subject heading up there is pretty clear.

maestrowork · Jul 31, 2006

I agree with Veinglory. Unless the gay content is relevant to marketing, it's up to the publisher to decide if they need to say "Character X is a lesbian." And, you can say you don't like to read books with homosexual characters or themes, but try not to inflame the discussion by using words such as "sinners." This thread is about markets, not whether homosexuality is good or bad. Thanks.

MidnightMuse · Jul 31, 2006

I'd say, humble opinion here, that whether or not the characters are gay or lesbian isn't nearly as important as whether or not the story is good.

If the story I'm reading is fantastic, I'm not gonna care one way or the other what their preference is. Unless you are writing an erotica, then it might come in to play one way or the other. But it sounds to me like you're writing an SF and your characters happen to be lesbian.

Like any gathering of humans on the planet. I'd worry more about writing a great story and let your agent care if they're straight or gay. It shouldn't matter.

James D. Macdonald · Jul 31, 2006

The author has little-to-no control over the back-cover blurb on a book. If someone is disappointed by a book, though, the blurb writer didn't do his job: the purpose of the blurb, the cover art, the front sales line, and so on, is to tell potential readers "This is a book'll like, if you like this kind of book."

To use an analogy: if what you're selling in the supermarket is Tangy Hot Sauce, it's a good idea to say "tangy," "hot," and "sauce" right on the label. Maybe with a picture of a chili pepper on it, and a graphic of a fire alarm sounding.

That way the folks who want a hot sauce will find it and buy it, while the folks who want cake frosting won't make a dreadful discovery when they open the can.

veinglory · Jul 31, 2006

MidnightMuse said:
I'd say, humble opinion here, that whether or not the characters are gay or lesbian isn't nearly as important as whether or not the story is good.

This is what the Tor editor I spoke to said. SAhe also said that the level of actual sex was not really importnant--although my observations suggest that not too many books shelved sf/fant are all that explict (there are a few exceptions).

TeddyG · Jul 31, 2006

I have no clue if this helps:

In a recent short story of mine (and I do not write Erotica..VeinGlory and others are the Masters or Mistresses of that genre and you should ask them) I did have an intense erotic part within. On querying two editors that I know, one on the net and another in print mags, both said almost the exact same thing.

They don't want a story that is Erotica but they certainly don't mind any erotica that is part of a story. As an example one sent me a long section from a sci-fi story with erotica they published which made me blush!!!!!!!

Keep in mind as well that the Gor series (horribly written but has a devoted cult following and those who believe in Gorean sexual ways), began to be published in the 60's (I think) and certainly contains deep though veiled erotica throughout. And that is just one example. The marriage of erotic and/or lesbian, gay or whatever with sci-fi/fantasy has already been done numerous times and has worked for many.

So I think, keyword here is think, that Lesbian, Homosexual whatever, is just the way your character is. It would be like saying your protganist is "heterosexual". I don't really see any problem here.

As to the Publishing houses and/or agents. I think any agent dealing with sci-fi/fantasy will certainly consider such a book.

And yes, please leave the religious arguments out of the thread. They are so beginning to bore me.

And..most important....good luck with your writing!

Deleted member 42 · Jul 31, 2006

veinglory said:
My impression, reifnorced by hearing a Tor editor speak, is that non-heterosexual characters not not an problem for sales in sci fi/fant. I certainly know there is a long tradition and a number of titles out there right now.

It's been not-a-big-deal since sometime in the sixties, frankly.

When you're positioning a work in a query, keep in mind that all genres exist on a specturm, not as a series of binary choices. Ask yourself is your work predominantly a romance, SF, erotica? Who are the readers mostly likely to like it? What else is it like? What publishers have published similar works.

And, while I know most genres exist on a spectrum, please don't refer to more than two, and please don't do the list of genres and themes with slashes.

emeraldcite · Jul 31, 2006

Let's keep this on track. Remember the rules:

1. Respect your fellow writer.
2. Play nice.

Thanks!

writeperch · Jul 31, 2006

Bottom line: Write a dang good story. An editor will take it.

EndlessDestiny · Jul 31, 2006

thanks

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I've read quite a few sci-fi/fantasy novels that have lesbian characters in them (yay for used book stores) and young adult fiction and adult fiction with lesbian characters in them, so I know that there is a market for it. I have time till I need to start looking for a publisher though. I still need to finish my book. It doesn't sound as hard as I thought it would be do find someone willing to publish the book though.

C. L. Richardson · Jul 31, 2006

Was my post deleted?

All I said was that some people would be offended to find out halfway through a book that the main characters are gay. Not everyone thinks homosexuality is right or ok, so you need to let the readers know what kind of content your book has.

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