/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.20687955]

When looking through lists of journals to submit my short stories to, I find there are large portions of the market I am unable to access simply because of my identity.

For example, in "109-calls-for-submissions-in-may-2022-paying-markets-f8358a9fa0c8":

>"Those submitting work should identify as Black."
>"Extended submission window exclusively for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC."
>"Open to women writers only."
>"under the age of 25."
>"Combined Work from underprivileged individuals."
>"Personal essays by women"
>"welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms"
>"Open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors"
>"hope to celebrate the queer, trans, non-binary, and intersex community"
>"Gay fantasy"
>"you will hear the lived experience of people of color"
>"Mental Health identified creators"
>"Open to authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups"

How do you see this affecting literature moving forward? Do you personally care about the identity of the author whose work you're reading?

[Anonymous No.20687968]

>A frog post
I’m not reading it.

[Anonymous No.20687975]

>>20687955
>>"under the age of 25."
Just lie

[Anonymous No.20688141]

>>20687955
It's a problem all over the Western World my amphibian friend.
When i was trying to get my first book (pic related) published i submitted it to various publishers. One publisher told me "nobody's interested in country bogans doing country bogan things, move to Melbourne if you want to be taken seriously as a writer"
Another one told me "we aren't interested in straight white male perspectives"
Eventually i found a small indie publisher who took me on and the book was shortlisted for an award but that shit was demoralising for an author starting out.

[Anonymous No.20688166]

>>20687955
I tried shopping around my second book (pic related) to some of those publishers again thinking that because it had some different, wider themes they might take me on.
They read the stories about my misspent youth and recovery from addiction and they told me "these stories have potential but would be more compelling from a BIPOC perspective"
They read the stories about my short and miserable stint in the Australian Army and said "these need to critique imperialism more rather than being about the experience of an unhappy white guy"
At that point i realised they were never going to take me on, never, i could write something as brilliant as Tolstoy and all they would want to know is how many blacks/women/transpeople were in it.
Waste of time trying.
So i've stuck with my small indie publisher and that seems to be working out okay for me.

[Anonymous No.20688287]

>>20687955
what is a "mental health identified creator"?

[Anonymous No.20688405]

>>20688287
Some fat chick with purple hair who is on medication but still manages to produce a poor excuse for a novel which will be praised by all the right people because "muh marginalised voices"

[Anonymous No.20688453]

>>20688141
I read your book. I liked it. Especially the first story about Jimmy Healey. Had just ended a relationship with someone and was starting to question if i had made the right call or not and that story (especially part when the woman shows up at gas station and doesnt recognize him) made me feel so secure and justified that i made the right call. Thanks

[Anonymous No.20688466]

>>20688453
Well thank you for reading my book and i'm very happy that you liked it.
I'm a little unsure about people taking life advice from my fiction. I don't want to be responsible for someone fucking up their life.
But i am deeply satisfied that someone not only read my book but that it actually made some sort of impact on them. Best compliment an author can ever receive.
Thank you kind anon.

[Anonymous No.20688810]

>>20687975
I'm pretty sure they would check these things

[Anonymous No.20688812]

>"We especially encourage contributions by marginalized groups, like white men"

[Anonymous No.20689787]

>>20688812
If we're being actively discriminated against then yes, we are marginalized