Welcome to Thunderdome

Feedback from my wife.

Rose is an old persons name, choose a name popular in kids born in the late 80s.

A male writing female voices can actually be popular, she thinks you should try a male name.

If you plan to get in print, think about what genre and shelf you'll be on, and pick a last name similar to the most popular name in that genre, so you are next to that person.

My advance readers agree, this one doesn't pigeonhole into any one genre.

TheCatt wrote: If you plan to get in print, think about what genre and shelf you'll be on, and pick a last name similar to the most popular name in that genre, so you are next to that person.

That's pretty smart.

GORDON wrote: My advance readers agree, this one doesn't pigeonhole into any one genre.

This is not an "aggressive" comment, just offering help still... Unless your advanced readers actually work in the publishing industry, their opinions are no more or less valid than the contrary opinions from Catt, his wife, me, etc. I would obviously also caution you that if your advanced readers are too close to you, their input might actually be damaging to your cause.

TheCatt wrote: Rose is an old persons name

The only Rose I know is the old woman from Titanic. Your wife is right about it being an old person's name.


I do agree with Gordon that I don't think it pigeon holes into any genre. Although, if "her" first book is erotica, that will do enough to pigeon hole her.

TheCatt wrote: A male writing female voices can actually be popular, she thinks you should try a male name.

I've been thinking about this a lot overnight and this morning. I'm still very much against using a name created by someone else. However, I've been wondering if writing under a female pen name as a male could cause him more problems down the road.

Will there be a backlash if female readers find out he's male? Would it be considered a "lie"? Could he get SJWed with some sort of cultural appropriation bullshit? "You're stealing from women!"

On a different note, where are you with the publishing dates? Will I be able to read this on my flight to or from the Carolinas at the end of the month?

OH! I wanted to add that I thought I'd hate the paper dolls, but I think they work.

Supposedly, a woman tried to get her book published, from a woman's point of view, and it failed, no feedback, etc. She then submitted the same book as a man (still a woman's point of view), got lots of feedback, offers to help etc. She tidied it up and sold it as a woman.

Leisher wrote:

GORDON wrote: My advance readers agree, this one doesn't pigeonhole into any one genre.

This is not an "aggressive" comment, just offering help still... Unless your advanced readers actually work in the publishing industry, their opinions are no more or less valid than the contrary opinions from Catt, his wife, me, etc. I would obviously also caution you that if your advanced readers are too close to you, their input might actually be damaging to your cause.

I read a lot, and I don't know where it fits, aside from the general "Literary Fiction" section with Stephen King and Dean Koontz. My early readers read a lot too, and they agree.... this is not easy to classify.

It definitely isn't erotica... the characters in the first book are abused, not having sex, and I've done my best to imply what is happening, I don't describe it in graphic detail.

Isn't chick lit, there are no heaving bosoms and ripped bodices and romantic men.

Isn't Young Adult, though I think it has some good lessons for young women about inner strength, in the second and third book. But no, no high school will put this on their summer reading list.

So just general fiction, I think.

+++

As far as my readers being too close, I just had a very uncomfortable meeting with one of my editors... she quoted some things and used all the bad words that I put in writing. Very weird. But her feedback was generally positive, and she said that she cried during some of the parts where I was crying while writing it. So whew... it isn't just me. Also GFY if you think that needs to be qualified.

TheCatt wrote: Supposedly, a woman tried to get her book published, from a woman's point of view, and it failed, no feedback, etc. She then submitted the same book as a man (still a woman's point of view), got lots of feedback, offers to help etc. She tidied it up and sold it as a woman.

I'm very conflicted about my pen name. I asked around, and all of the women I queried agreed that yes, "50 Shades" would not have been well received if written by a man.

Leisher wrote: On a different note, where are you with the publishing dates? Will I be able to read this on my flight to or from the Carolinas at the end of the month?

Not sure. I was aiming for Dec 1 but my editors are slower than promised... and that's fine. They're doing me a solid, and I know they aren't ignoring it.

I can give you an early version, probably. When is the trip?

I haven't seen the group. Is there a group?

On Facebook, look for "Rose Tylar, Author." Let me know how hard it is to find and join, I've never made a group before and don't know how it works.

Found it. I think I searched for Rose Tyler, earlier.

GORDON wrote: I'm very conflicted about my pen name. I asked around, and all of the women I queried agreed that yes, "50 Shades" would not have been well received if written by a man.

I get that, and I'm also concerned that if it comes out that you're male, it will completely destroy everything you've done or could do in the future.

What is the history of writers using pen names of the opposite sex?

GORDON wrote: When is the trip?

I leave the morning of November 27th and return early afternoon on the 1st.

Leisher wrote:

GORDON wrote: I'm very conflicted about my pen name. I asked around, and all of the women I queried agreed that yes, "50 Shades" would not have been well received if written by a man.

I get that, and I'm also concerned that if it comes out that you're male, it will completely destroy everything you've done or could do in the future.

"I'll thank you to not question my gender identity."

Bam, 10k more copies sold.

Leisher wrote: GORDON wrote:
Source of the post I'm very conflicted about my pen name. I asked around, and all of the women I queried agreed that yes, "50 Shades" would not have been well received if written by a man.


I get that, and I'm also concerned that if it comes out that you're male, it will completely destroy everything you've done or could do in the future.

There was a story a while back, a white author write a story about characters of color, and he was getting flak from the SJWs about how he had no business trying to understand their experience. That is also on my mind, there will be those who think a man has no business writing a story about these abused women.

GORDON wrote: That is also on my mind, there will be those who think a man has no business writing a story about these abused women.

Exactly.

I honestly don't know what the correct choice is only that there is something to be concerned about.

How about Pat? Or something from here: http://www.babynames1000.com/gender-neutral/

Interesting. Gender Neutral...

Can you write an entire bio gender neutral?

Leisher wrote: Interesting. Gender Neutral...

Can you write an entire bio gender neutral?

Just write it in first person

I considered initials, like JK Rowling.

Yeah, I'm digging the gender neutral idea. Don't play things up either way. Let the reader picture you however they need to...

Pen name: G.F. Young.

Because I like the initials.