Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
Far too narrow and stereotypical definition. I don't write to "Books intended for women" or "Books intended for men." Some writers may, but in general, we write for readers. Harry Potter books have all of the things you describe as for women or for men. Thousands of mystery books contain all those elements (Elizabeth Peters, Linda Fairstein, Carol O'Connell). Many fantasy novels have all of these elements as well.
Yes, men and women are different, but many books are not written with men or women in mind. Marketing machines may break them down into such and put covers on that are believed to attract certain readers. But those covers are often redone during reprints to appeal to a "different" audience than the primary cover.
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I don't disagree that it's stereotypical; but if the "professionalization" of marketing (and/or publishing) has had any consequences, it's that publishers have come up with very set ideas about what "sells", buttressed by (focus group) "research". Which is why, e.g., one could well argue that children's toys have become even more gender-segregated in the past 20 years, even as society is supposedly becoming more aware of the fact that this means fitting square pegs into round holes.
my $5c: it may well be that this is changing now, due to the readier access to PoD services + fewer editors breathing over shoulders. idk. I don't read much fiction any more these days. I've read HP, but I didn't find that all that interesting, char-dev-wise.
As for teen sf&f lit: yes, it's in some ways less stereotypizing. Having said that, I can't say that I'm all that impressed with the psychological depth given to most child/teen protagonists, whether male or female. Though that may have been because most of the authors I read when I was young were of the male persuasion.
Anyway, off for a few weeks, so I'll leave it here.