There are a great many female SF/F writers nowadays. Bill, am I remembering right that fairly recently Sheela said about half the writers published in Asimov's are women, or was that Trever talking about Analog? Certainly a a lot more than when I was a young teen reading A Wrinkle in Time and The Wind in the Door and the Harper Hall trilogy. I especially admire Catherine Assaro, though I've probably mangled the spelling of her name. But everywhere you look there are women, in hard SF, in soft SF, in Fantasy...it's marvelous. Of course, there always have been women, think of Andre Norton and James Tiptree Jr., not to mention Mary Shelley who arguably started the whole enterprise. But it's wonderful to see what had been a male dominated field so thoroughly integrated.
I haven't encountered that quote, but can easily believe it's true. But for early female SF writers I would go back before Norton to C. L. Moore, one of the top short story writers of the 30s and 40s. Her "Vintage Season" is one of the absolute classics of the period. And I love her Northwest Smith stories, absolutely perfect examples of Clarke's Law. And then there is her Jirel of Joiry series, with a female protagonist in sword and sorcery.
But, as I said, it was in the '80s that female writers ceased to be the exception and became fully accepted. I think publisher Don Wohlheim was already 3 or 4 years behind the times when he told Catherine Cherry she should use her initials.
Oh yes, C.L. Moore! Primo! Andre Norton consciously wrote for the young male audience, because that was what sold at the time; and many of her books are a trifle formulaic (there is generally a quest, arguably initiatory in nature), but ripping good stories. And let us not forget Zenna Henderson; in addition to The People, she could imagine astounding aliens.
I'm a little bemused wondering what path Marco Rubio followed in asking me to become a founding member of his campaign. Must have gotten my email from some list somewhere, but I can't imagine which.
Follow the path and it will lead you to Dean.
ReplyDeleteThere are a great many female SF/F writers nowadays. Bill, am I remembering right that fairly recently Sheela said about half the writers published in Asimov's are women, or was that Trever talking about Analog? Certainly a a lot more than when I was a young teen reading A Wrinkle in Time and The Wind in the Door and the Harper Hall trilogy. I especially admire Catherine Assaro, though I've probably mangled the spelling of her name. But everywhere you look there are women, in hard SF, in soft SF, in Fantasy...it's marvelous. Of course, there always have been women, think of Andre Norton and James Tiptree Jr., not to mention Mary Shelley who arguably started the whole enterprise. But it's wonderful to see what had been a male dominated field so thoroughly integrated.
ReplyDeleteGreat firsties!
DeleteI haven't encountered that quote, but can easily believe it's true. But for early female SF writers I would go back before Norton to C. L. Moore, one of the top short story writers of the 30s and 40s. Her "Vintage Season" is one of the absolute classics of the period. And I love her Northwest Smith stories, absolutely perfect examples of Clarke's Law. And then there is her Jirel of Joiry series, with a female protagonist in sword and sorcery.
But, as I said, it was in the '80s that female writers ceased to be the exception and became fully accepted. I think publisher Don Wohlheim was already 3 or 4 years behind the times when he told Catherine Cherry she should use her initials.
Oh yes, C.L. Moore! Primo! Andre Norton consciously wrote for the young male audience, because that was what sold at the time; and many of her books are a trifle formulaic (there is generally a quest, arguably initiatory in nature), but ripping good stories. And let us not forget Zenna Henderson; in addition to The People, she could imagine astounding aliens.
Delete--Alan
I'm a little bemused wondering what path Marco Rubio followed in asking me to become a founding member of his campaign. Must have gotten my email from some list somewhere, but I can't imagine which.
ReplyDeleteOr amused, lol! Sounds like he's needing a new team. . . .
DeleteHill surprised some (including me) with an "attack" on CEOs' wages. . . . (better team)