A Question For The Readers

[mmerriam]

So the lovely wife and I were having dinner and conversation with porphyrin and he husband (WINOLJ), and porphyrin asked if me writing urban fantasy/paranormal romance under my real name might be costing me readers. UF/PR is a field dominated by female authors, and porphyrin pointed out that some of the male writer she knew writing UF/PN were using their first two initials and their last name in order to hide their gender, a trick that female SF authors have used, especially back in ye supposed golden days of SF. She wondered if a female reader might see the male name on the cover and give it a pass, since there is a misconception that males can't write romance (sort of like the misconception that women can't write hard SF).

I thought it was a good question, and one I don't have the answer to. I know that no one at Carina Press has ever suggested I write under a female pseudonym, or go with M.S. Merriam instead of Michael Merriam. Mostly what I'm hearing is that readers are seeing the cover to Should We Drown Feathered Sleep and deciding it is so striking they have to read the story. The art department at Carina Press/Harlequin told me it was one of the more striking and daring covers they have produced for the Carina Press line of books, and I think that gamble has paid off. Granted, I don't have any sales numbers, but everyone at Carina seems happy, and the readers seem happy, and really, what more could you want?

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Would you be less likely to buy an urban fantasy/paranormal romance novel from a male writer?

Comments

[songwind.livejournal.com]

I would not.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[fiddledragon]

Mostly, if it's an author I know, I really don't *care* what genre and whether the author is male or female or somewhere in between. I'll read it.

Specifically for UF/PR - I don't specifically look for female authors - though if looking at an unknown author, I will admit to choosing a book or not based on the sole merits of its cover art. (which is why I'm glad cover art is published online with eBook information *chuckle* - yes, I am that kind of geek :P )

As far as the myth that male authors can't write romance. HAH - yeah, ok...but, then, I don't typically read romance as a genre (well, other than UF/PR nowadays), and I find tremendously romantic excerpts in a lot of unexpected places. So at this point? I have found things I like to read written by both sexes. :D

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input!

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Actually, I would probably be *more* inclined to pick it up.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

That's what my wife said.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Smart woman! *g*

[careswen.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I felt like a woman would be intrigued or pleased by the fact that a man could write great romance.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I did too, and I thought it might be less saccharine or idealized, like much of what I have read in the past (and disliked).

[pameladean]

I don't like paranormal romance much and would not buy it at all unless I knew the author. Having straightened out with the rest of the household whether to get the PDF or the ebook format, I will be doing that in the next day or so.

P.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

So did you pick .pdf or an ebook format?

[pameladean]

Ebook.

P.

[kitgordon.livejournal.com]

I'm not a great reader of paranormal romance either, but this one intrigues me--and not just because I've been at 4th Street with you, Michael! I didn't realize that UF/PR was "gendered" female. I look for writers I've read and enjoyed and others whose work sounds interesting--gender is mostly irrelevant.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I had never really thought about UF/PR being gendered female either, but I was in Half-Price Books yesterday and I walked by their paranormal romance section and yeah, dominated by female authors. with urban fantasy, I think there is more balance.

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Personally, I don't care about the author's name (unless I know the person) or whether they're a man or woman.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

And I agree with you, but I wonder if that would be the case for the more casual reader.

[wordswoman.livejournal.com]

The gender of the author makes no difference to me, in any genre. I care about the originality of the story, the three-dimensionality of the characters, and the quality of the writing. And you shine in all those areas. :)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Stop it! You're making me blush!

[a-r-williams.livejournal.com]

The only time I worry about the author's name is if I'm searching for a particular work of theirs.

Other than that, if I'm looking for work just for pleasure: the cover, back cover blurb, title, and the opening are all going to play a bigger role in my decision to buy.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input!

[greykev.livejournal.com]

I normally choose PR by jacket copy/blurb, occasionally by title. If it looked like one with a lot of steamy scenes I might consider the author's gender, but it wouldn't be a deciding factor.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Why would you consider the author's gender if you think it is going to have a lot a steamy scenes?

[greykev.livejournal.com]

the cliche: men focus on appearance (or actions), women focus on emotions. I know a good writer incorporates both, but sex scenes are hard to write, so if the narrative is lacking anywhere it's likely to be there, and then the cliche might be proved out.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Ah! That makes sense to me,

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

I don't really pay attention to author gender when buying books.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks for answering!

[midnightfae.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be, but I'm also willing to admit that I might be atypical.

I would note it, however, and probably give a "Hum." of surprise. And it gives me pause, I really would wonder how many wouldn't pick up the book because it was written by a man.

[midnightfae.livejournal.com]

I also want to point out (though I'm sure you've thought of this) that your current opinion sampling is probably skewed. You're smart, which means you keep company with other smart people, which may not actually represent your entire market.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I just wonder about the casual reader. Would they care?

[cjad.livejournal.com]

I personally don't look at the sex of an author when picking up a book, primarily the blurb and cover. I'll even give them more of a chance if I already enjoy the author. I would suggest asking some of the authors already successful in these genres. Here's a link that has some good discussion as well as a list of males in the UF/PR genres. http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/304769-female-v-male-paranormal-authors
Hope this helps,
-Cjad

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

OOO! Thanks for the link! Further down the comments, a male writer of uf/pr talks about his experience.

[cadithial.livejournal.com]

I personally don't care one way or another, as I know many romance authors are writing under pen names anyhow.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

True dat.

[glynisj.livejournal.com]

NO! Michael, most of the books I read are written by men. I don't pick these books for that reason. I just like the style of their writing. As for paranormal romance, until I started scouting around more, I was reading everything by Andrew Greeley who is not only male, but a Catholic priest too. You are definitely appreciated.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[mdhenry.livejournal.com]

While I wasn't writing paranormal romance, the cover art gave off that impression and Happy Hour and Road Trip were often shelved in romance. An obsessive self-googler, I read several complaints that almost always included comments that men should not be writing romance, or that readers (female) had steered clear of the books because they'd been written by a man. Again, the majority of comments were positive, but there were enough that ran along these lines that I noticed.

As a result, and since I'm writing erotica and erotic romance now, I opted to go with a female pseudonym. Not a very hidden pseudonym as it's my UF character's name, but for readers who aren't familiar with the zombie stuff, it should be fine.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Wow. Thanks for coming by and giving your thoughts on this. This gives me a lot to think about moving forward with my writing.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

...I might. Paranormal romance I didn't think of it, but when I just thought of "male writing romance," my first response was, "Ugh." I've read some really bad male-written romances.

On the other hand, I think you have a most euphonious name.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

To clarify, I think as long as it stays in the "paranormal" category, it's not a big deal. The crossover between paranormal romance and urban fantasy is really swooshy, and many males are writing in the field (quite well). So you'd have to worry less about acceptance.

[ajakiri.livejournal.com]

I do not think about gender of the author when buying.

Now you have made me ponder over the issue what WOULD stop me. But I will not tell, as so it seems to uncover my bias.

Well - owning up that I read more fiction in English than in my native language is already bias, is it not?

[ajnews.livejournal.com]

Nah, makes no dif. Although I do know people who write in one genre then use a gender neutral name for erotica on the side, but I think that's more an author comfort zone thing than a reader preference thing.

[kmarkhoover.livejournal.com]

I am more likely to buy a novel or story from a writer I like. Period.

Whether they are male or female would not sway my purchase, and I sure as hell wouldn't let it force me to change my own byline.

Just me, though.

[mehub.livejournal.com]

Author gender has never really been an issue for me, either. Interesting stories and nice cover art are what typically catch my eye.