Earlier this year, Guardian writer Damien G. Walter asked readers to select their favorite sci-fi novels. More than 500 titles were suggested. However, after a bit of number-crunching on the stats, Seattle-based author Nicola Griffith suggested the list revealed an overwhelming bias towards male authors.
This isn’t the first time sexism has been blamed for the disparity of recognized male-to-female sci-fi authors.
In The incredible shrinking presence of women SF writers, David Barnett writes, “…increasingly, science fiction and its close cousins, fantasy and horror, are being accused of an inherent downer on the female practitioners of the genre.” He concludes by asking,
Is it the industry itself that is sexist? High-profile women in major UK publishing houses working in the genre – including, but not limited, to Anna Gregson, Anne Clarke and Bella Pagan at Orbit, Julie Crisp at Pan Macmillan and Jane Johnson at Voyager – would suggest that the glass ceiling doesn’t exist at the business end.
Nor is there a shortage of women writers troubling the SF/Fantasy/Horror bestseller lists – Jaine Fenn, Sarah Pinborough, Marianne de Pierres, Justina Robson, Stephanie Swainston, Cherie Priest, Tricia Sullivan … it would take more space than is available here to list every woman writer active in the genre today.
Which means, if we’re looking for a culprit, that suspicion must fall on the genre’s very active fanbase: as this Guardian poll suggests, if there is sexism in the SF world, it may well be a matter of representation by the readership. (emphasis mine)
So…
- “The glass ceiling doesn’t exist on the business end.” Women fairly comprise editorial staffs.
- “Nor is there a shortage of women” writing SF/Fantasy/Horror.
- Therefore, the problem is “the genre’s very active (male) fanbase.”
Translation: Blame it on the boys.
Christian speculative fiction (Sci-fi, Horror, Fantasy) has a similar, but opposite problem: The Christian fiction industry reflects an overwhelming bias toward female fandom. So not only is Christian spec-fic under-represented in the market, the culprit may be an industry deference toward women.
Translation: Blame it on the girls.
At this point, the obligatory rebuttal is that many women read and write speculative fiction. Others may simply charge me with sour grapes. Still, it’s pretty obvious that hardcore Sci-fi and Spec-fic in general has always tilted toward male fandom. Trekkies are mostly boys. Either way, I have no hard stats. And with the rise of vamp lit, YA, and urban erotica, oops, I mean urban fantasy, the general market is definitely shifting, demographically speaking.
The Christian market is a whole other animal, one that, at the moment, does not accurately reflect the growing cross-demographic popularity of Speculative Fiction in culture.
I’m not here to rehash the debate about how or if gender plays a part in one’s fictional tastes. My sole point is to state what I think is is pretty obvious, but infinitely loaded:
Demographics influence the number (or lack of numbers) of Speculative titles published by Christian publishers.
Since it is assumed (wrongly?) that 80% of the Christian fiction market is comprised of women and that those conservative evangelical moms prefer to read something other than Sci-fi, Horror, or Fantasy, publishers comply. Which is why the Christian fiction aisles are stuffed with an inordinate amount of Historical Romance, Amish, and Woman’s Fiction. And minimal Sci-fi, Horror, and Fantasy.
No, I’m not charging sexism. But I am suggesting demographics and gender are very much in play.
So, regarding the Christian fiction industry and the meager amount of Christian Spec-fi, let’s be clear…
- “The glass ceiling doesn’t exist on the business end.” Men (and Spec lovers) fairly comprise Christian publishing editorial staffs.
- “Nor is there a shortage of men (or women!)” writing Christian SF/Fantasy/Horror.
- Therefore, the problem is “the Christian fiction genre’s very active (female) fanbase.”
Or, as the Guardian author concluded, “…it may well be a matter of representation by the readership.” Indeed.
I keep hoping that the changes in the publishing world mean that people will no longer feel the pressure to stay where they “belong” when it comes to literary genres. As more people use e-readers and phones, there will be less embarrassment for a 40-something woman like me to read science fiction/fantasy in public (no gaudy paperback covers). For the longest time I told people I hang out with trekkies and science fiction nerds. It took a while for me to own up to liking the genre myself, because I didn’t fit the teenage-boy “audience.”
I too have noticed that the Christian market is saturated with historicals, amish, etc… But there is a portion of the market specifically directed toward men. And they do sell. Ted Dekker, Jerry B. Jenkins and others are clearly geared more toward the male market but it clearly isn’t a large slice of the pie.
As far as speculative, it’s funny that the general market is more male oriented, and the Christian market is more female oriented. I think authors and publishers need to think a bit more outside the box. It was fine to slim things down and focus on women because of the downturn in the economy. But there are some options, like ebook specials that could be marketed more toward men as things pick back up. (I’m being optimistic.)
I really don’t get all these Amish books. Are people fascinated by these semi-closed communities? Or are they advertising for members?
I’m prepared to be tarred and feathered for this.
But I just do not enjoy the way women writers approach Spec fiction.
When I read spec fic (Fantasy, sci fi, alternative histories) I’m looking primarily for world building, anthropologic detail, and political structure/ramifications. I tend toward the George RR Martin/Harry Turtledove/Phillip K. Dick/John Scalzi works.
The female-authored spec fic I’ve read (Naomi Novik, Robin Hobb, Lois McMaster Bujold, Patricia McKillip) tends toward the emotive/introspective/feeling side of things. How does it feel to be a dragon rider? A bastard assassin?
It just isn’t what I come to that genre for, and I don’t enjoy it. I’m sorry if that makes me sexist; in fairness, I seldom love what men do with romance and romantic suspense.
As I mentioned a week or so ago, Christian Spec Fic lately tends toward the female because it is very involved with Urban Fantasy tropes. The Twilight audience is spilling over into Christian Spec Fic for that continued emotive experience. There just isn’t room on a publisher’s slate for taking a chance on a Christian Spec Fic a la Martin because they are going with the more sure-thing Fairy/Vampire stuff.
If you’re looking for world building, etc and not introspectiveness, then you might want to try out Ursula LeGuin. She’s actually somewhat famous for her speculative fiction, and has won both the Hugo and Nebula awards more than once, with a few of her books winning both. One of her better-known books, “The Left Hand of Darkness” (which is incredibly rich with world building while still being a fascinating story) fits your list of qualifications, as does “The Dispossessed”. Since I’m rather bad at making synopses:
The Left Hand of Darkness: http://www.amazon.com/Left-Hand-Darkness-Ursula-Guin/dp/0441007317/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324323299&sr=1-1
The Dispossessed: http://www.amazon.com/Dispossessed-Ursula-K-Guin/dp/0061054887/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324323433&sr=1-1
If you don’t end up liking her books, that’s okay, I just noticed that you hadn’t mentioned her, and it seems like you’d like her books. 🙂
I don’t think the secular market is male-oriented. Romance makes up the biggest portion of secular fiction as well. Mostly read by women, of course. And the other genres are read by both men and women. I tend to read more “guy” books, even though I’m a girl. I’d rather hunker down with Ender’s Game than a romance novel ANY day.
I believe one of the reasons speculative is underrepresented in the Christian market is that Christians who read speculative don’t go looking for specifically “Christian” spec-fic. Romance readers do, though, in order to get away from the explicit novels that pervade secular romance. But what do spec-fic readers need to “get away” from? Violence? Bad language? The same people who tend to fight “for” Christian spec-fic also fight for the right to include those things. It seems to me that Christian spec-fic exists as a genre only to have a place where authors can publish spec-fic with a Christian message that wouldn’t go over in the secular market. And if readers are not looking for a message specifically, we just go to the secular section and read what’s there.
Mike, the demographics tell more than we realize. According to a Pew Survey, 78% of all Americans profess to be Christians with about 51% Protestant and 23.9% being Catholic (2007). That should translate into how many Christians look for Christian material to read, but sadly, it does not.
I happen to like Ted Dekker’s novels and Bob Lipuralo’s novels; and I intensely dislike most of the sentimental drivel published supposedly for Christian women’s consumption. The problem goes back to quality of content, not especially the content itself. Any very well-written novel holds my attention if the plot is probably and the characters believable. Which leads of a quandary…
I’ve written 2 Sci Fi and 1 “paranormal” but not to the point where I’m searching for a publisher because I’m having a bit of trouble reconciling my own beliefs with “other worlds” and inter-stellar travel. Here’s my quandary: If Jesus died and rose on earth, would he have to do the same for peoples on other worlds? My first inclination is no, but then…
So my problem with Christian Sci-Fi is how to reconcile all the evil for the conflict occurring “otherwhere” when Satan is chained to the earth. Which raises a C. S. Lewis question of what kind of force does Satan exert IF there are other people and other worlds?
Gina, that’s exactly what makes me hesitate to pursue sci-fi, as a writer.
IMO, Gina has nailed it by saying “If Jesus died and rose on earth, would he have to do the same for peoples on other worlds?” Yes, he would, and that is why Christian Sci-fi doesn’t usually work for me (with exceptions – Kathy Tyers has a trilogy set in the distant future where Earth has colonised other planets, and there is the classic CS Lewis Space trilogy).
But if Christian fiction is supposed to reflect a Christian world-view and we don’t believe in aliens… then how does world-building etc fit in? It is difficult. This, to me, is why Christian sci-fi is a difficult sell. I quite like the speculative-type fiction, when done well. I’ve read a few of Dekker, and he is good. I also read Terri Blackstock’s Last Light, and couldn’t stand it although I like her romantic suspense books. Fantasy has never really interested me. I read Ursula le Guin and a few others, but it just never grabbed me (I like Terry Pratchett, but that is more for the satire than anything). I have never read either Christian or secular horror, and don’t really see any need to start!
As a teen, I devoured sci-fi including Frank Herbert, John Christopher, Wyndham, even The Running Man (before I knew it was by the master of horror, Stephen King), as well as a host of authors I don’t remember the names of. I love Star Trek (esp TNG), Stargate, Star Wars and the sci-fi type tv shows, I just tend not to read them so much any more.
One thing that a lot of ‘other-world’ sci-fi has in common is an invented religion as the basis for their cultural values. Isn’t it interesting that so many people don’t consider that religion does/should play a part in their daily life, yet when writing a novel set in another world… they invent a religion for it?
Many Christians don’t object to the idea of aliens (though I think, based on science, that they don’t exist). Ultimately it is fiction, so authors may speculate as far as aliens go. In other words, did Lewis or Tolkein believe that the creatures they wrote about existed? No. If authors wrote about normal, regular things, no one would read them.
Sci-fi is almost non-existent in Chrisitian Fiction. One exception is Chris Walley’s trilogy (which starts with “The Shadow and Night”). It’s an incredible series that in many ways transcends the “Christian” label.
Problem with modern horror is that it often relies on graphic violence. The “fathers” of horror like Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft appealed more to the mind, which I think is far more effective.
That is a really good point, Iola! Why do people invent religion in those types of books if not that they truly do see the need of man to worship something?
I’m simply not sharp enough to parse the whole “demographic” mindset. All I know is when I tried to sell my spec-fic novel The Radiance to the CBA, there was no interest.
After a year of that, I took out most of the overt Christian elements, reworked it, and began pitching it to the general market. It sold in a month, and will be out in February.
The irony of Nicola’s complaint is that, in my opinion anyway, she is a terrible writer. And, for me, all that matters is how well the book is written. Just because you’re a woman I’m not giving you a free pass to support female authors. One of my favorite horror authors is a woman: Jennifer Hillier. She’s a huge inspiration for me. Another great female spec-fic author — this one writes scifi — is Tanya Huff. I love Kristen Britain’s fantasy stuff. Then there’s Rowling, and Meyers, and so on.
I realize this isn’t the point you were making. . .but I had to point it out: Authors earn readership, but they don’t get many chances to do so. Once you lose a publisher money, it’s likely they’re going to be unwilling to ever take a chance on you again.
Am I making sense? Probably not. OH well.
Wow, John! I’ll be looking for that 🙂 It also encourages me a bit.
Tony, that makes perfect sense to me. It’s something that Rachael Gardner preaches all the time 😀
Thanks, Gina!
Mike-
Interesting thoughts. I think its fairly clear that the CBA market is designed for Christian women- hence the large volume of romance novels. I think Christian men understand that this ‘business model’ does not meet their need for heroic fantasy, dysotopian settings and interstellar worlds. We turn to the secular mainstream for these novels and rarely find our beliefs represented on the written page. With the rise of e-books and tablet based technologies we are seeing a change, but I doubt the CBA will ever adjust their current model. Its making them the money they need to continue to exist and those romance novels cater to an important demographic for them.
I think beyond this fact- you have consciously realized this and have moved to other avenues to reach the appropriate audience. I think CSF is a largely untapped genre of writing and reading for Christians. We excuse the genre by saying, ‘How can we write science fiction? Or Where does the devil fit into all this? or does Jesus dies for the aliens sins?’
These are logical excuses, but are also very old and tired. Creativity is the key to writing Christian Spec fic. Christians must be more creative and innovative if they choose to write in this genre. We must endeavor to explore the possibilites and well. . .speculate. I think your novel Winterland does this.
I think there are a dozen great ideas for Christian Sci-Fi. How about an epic interstellar space opera? You can set it in allegorical galaxy or humans are the fallen beings (even the villians perhaps). You can apply sci-fi sensibility to the end times. You can approach the condition of a robot/droid in comparison to the fallen/redemptive plight of man. What about moon colonized by a pesecuted colony of say earth pilgrims. – this is a start. We need to hurdle the obstacles and get inventive. If we foster creativity rooted in sound theology this genre will flourish.
I’ve worked many years in the comic Book industry and there’s a fairly common saying amongst creators, ‘Don’t worry about your audience. Write the story you want to tell and the audience will find it. ‘
I encourage all Christians to challenge are creativity and hurdle the nay sayers and demographic stats.
What you say, Jonathan, makes a great deal of sense. I have been praying lately that God will help me to transform the SF books I’ve written into something that will glorify Him.
I agree that we don’t have to worry with the question of Jesus dying for aliens, that’s a God thing, not a human thing. However, there is an underlying understanding that must be present in order for a premise or scope of work to make sense to the author so it therefore makes sense to the reader.
Star Wars had the Force and the Dark Side.
Star Trek had the underlying assumption that God is, and God created all, and there is evil. Only the later versions dealt with evil and deleted God Himself from mention. BTW, Will Wheaton is an avowed atheist (how that makes a difference, I’m not sure.)
Firefly had the expansion of humans to the outer regions of space with mutant humans being the alien Reapers.
Battlestar Galactica (the original with Loren Green) had God as the creator and the aliens and some robots were just villains for the storyline.
Even Arthur C. Clarke wrestled with mankind’s place in the universe.
I don’t think wrestling with the understanding of man’s place in the universe, and how Jesus’ sacrifice fits into the network of souls whether here or in another galaxy is old and tired, I think if it’s a logical question, it makes moral sense to ask it.
Gina-
My apologies to you. Perhaps I should explain that I may have mistaken your point. I thought you were wrestling with the fact of rectifying Christ’s sacrifice for humankind with lifeforms else where. I think you understand my ponit on ‘being creative’ and I completely understand your desire to place God in the center of the tale- as he should rightfully be.
While Science Fiction uses references for a God-like being/power/force these explainations are largely inadequate from a Judaic Christian perspective which forces the christian author to work harder to correlate biblical truths into their work without being either superficial or compromising the truth.
The above listing of mainstream examples are good- but pull their spiritual philosophies greatly from the world. So as Christian Spec-Fic writers we must ascend to originality and push our ideas further. This is difficult because the Truth of Christ is often rigid and uninclusive. I have wrestled myself with where my faith can correlate into science fiction.
I think broadening the definition of science fiction is also a good start for the Christian author of this genre. Starships, aliens and space cowboys are one way to go via Star Trek, Star wars, Firefly, Battle star Galactica etc. -but perhaps you could consider the works of Asimov and his Robot novels. Asimov was an atheist and evolutionist, but he examined the concept of humans and machines and their relationship with one another. It might be refreshing to see a Christian author tackle a novel in this vein that explores a christian protagonist and his/her relationship with an artificial life form. What might a machine ask regarding a flawed human’s spiritual condition? What questions would arise in terms of a creator or a spiritual savior?
I present these ideas to you Gina- because I think you have a great Sci-Fi story in you and I’d love to read it. Your faith does present a certain set of obstacles- but don’t allow those to discourage you. Use your creativity to hurdle your way through it. If say ‘aliens or interstellar travel’ are a problem, then perhaps try earthbound Science fiction. Explore cloning, AI, robotics, futurustic conflicts etc. Approach the End Times or Millenial reign with a SF sensibility.
Of course we must pray about our writing too. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what story lines you can pursue and those that don’t correlate with your beliefs. I find God is generous with his answers on artistic creativity. We just have to be keep our imagination on the path of truth.
Good luck to you in your creative endeavors.
No apology necessary, J. But I do thank you :). What an extraordinary and very thoughtful reply. I appreciate it so much.
Broadening the definition of science fiction makes great sense. The scenarios you mention have been explored both in film and in novel forms, and deserve greater study by creative minds because I think the surface has been barely scratched. After all, look how many Westerns hit the silver screen over the decades!
Engraved in His palm,
Gina
apologies on my typos, folks. Caught in a moment.