Minority publishing requests

[Phyrebrat]

I often see (and receive) email digests or PMs about publishers who are actively seeking work from LGBTQI or POC, and women.

I've never really pitched to any of them, but what bothers me is ones where we are a good match but they've asked for the LQBTQI thing. To me a query is your pitch and synopsis. Where do you get the oh by the way I'm gay so can I have a shoo in? into your letter?

I understand publishers wanting to be diverse, but really, every time I see it, I find it pretty offensive.

How are you to write your pitch letter with details of your minority status that make it in any way relevant to what you've written?

 

[Astro Pen]

On second thoughts

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I only mention anything if it has relevance to the wip. But if they request it you can put MSWL in the query and then say something like ‘you requested xyz so I wondered if you would consider…?’

Can’t get you over the angst of doing so though

 

[scholar-in-distress]

I often see (and receive) email digests or PMs about publishers who are actively seeking work from LGBTQI or POC, and women.

I've never really pitched to any of them, but what bothers me is ones where we are a good match but they've asked for the LQBTQI thing. To me a query is your pitch and synopsis. Where do you get the oh by the way I'm gay so can I have a shoo in? into your letter?

I understand publishers wanting to be diverse, but really, every time I see it, I find it pretty offensive.

How are you to write your pitch letter with details of your minority status that make it in any way relevant to what you've written?

Apologies if this comes as an offtop, but I'd really (really, not rEaLlY) want to witness the overabundance of that where I come from. Again, no offence intended, it's just one of these moments when cultural differences can give a real slap i the face. A slap by a hand in steel gauntlet and with a brick inside. What you take for granted is what I'd really love to see happening in Poland. Just for a change
Still, if you feel frustrated by being discriminated for something beyond your control, it's not alien to me, I can relate

 

[Phyrebrat]

Hi, no need to apologise

I think comparing nationality with minorities is somewhat reductive, but I take your point. Isn't it true, however, to say we are more defined by our nationality than I am by my sexuality? For example, as a Brit, my values have been informed by the country I grew up in; they inform my decisions, my viewpoint and so forth. My sexuality is private and the business only of myself and my partner, and certainly I never sit to write my horrors and think, Right, let me gay this up a bit!

However, I do see the benefit of open calls to minority communities, but just it is heavy-handed right now. To be honest, I might suffer prejudice in the real world, but as far as demographics go, as a white male, I have far more opportunity that a white woman in the publishing world.

It's problematic how we address these isues with a one-size-fits-all approach. When a publisher says they are particularly interested in submissions from minority writers, my first thought is what are they interested in? Do we minorities write differently, or is it a Equality and Diversity tick-box thing?

TBH I think the glaring error re representation is one of gender in that 50% of the world's population are discriminated against in genre fiction.

 

[Mouse]

Yep, I always find this an odd one too. The 'woman' thing is easy, my name is obviously female and I just mention that I write strong/interesting female characters. The LGBTQ+ one is harder because although I'm one of those letters, and so is my MC, we're not the same letter so it's sort of irrelevant. I've just said before now 'being [the letter] myself, I feel it's important to include strong LGBTQ+ characters in my work.' I guess if your MC isn't even LGBTQ+ at all, then it's harder to shoehorn it in there. I would probably just go for something like 'I see you're looking for work from gay authors in particular so I feel I am a good match' or, you know, words that are less crap.

 

[Abernovo]

I get it. Publishers want to be more diverse, because they're rightly been criticised for having very narrow selection criteria, but none of us want to be a token. If we're published, it should be for our quality, not as a box-ticking exercise, per @Phyrebrat's quite correct comment.

As Jo says, it's about relevance to the work. But, for some cover letters, they ask for a brief bio, so possibly it could go in there. Living in xyz-town, I'm fascinated by the history; I wanted to write a story set in the rich and varied community I live in; as part of a diaspora. Or just follow @Mouse's advice (I know, I can't believe I wrote that, either), 'I see you want gay author, I am gay author'.

My issue with applying to these is usually the 'am I X enough' question, which I know is stupid.

@scholar-in-distress - it's getting better in the UK/US publishing world, but not always elsewhere. Staying away from political matters, a few of us here have been/lived/worked in various countries, so we're very much aware of how things are, and how changeable they can be, in terms of acceptance and tolerance (I've lived in Eastern Europe, and a couple of friends are Polish). A lot of the publishers and agents don't mind too much where the writer is from, so long as the story is good, and the fit is good.

 

[.matthew.]

To me, it's more that they can then market the book as LGBT+ or racial or whatever. Such a large number of books are released now that they need some way of tapping into an audience and in this case, a demographic makes that easy, especially with social media people willing to promote the work for free because of the author's identity or themes of the book.

With the forum rules I don't want to go any further into this, but suffice to say that I don't necessarily see it as offensive... rather tacky and opportunistic, which seems to describe most publishers anyway.

I will add as a response to the original question, you don't have to tie it into the pitch at all and if you want to make the statement independently, you could always link to a Twitter/Facebook bio you've set up for your work and just make sure you have the pronouns and identity in there.

 

[Serendipity]

I must admit that when I'm looking for a market to sub my short stories to, that whenever I see them encouraging LBGT+ submissions I submit elsewhere. This is not anything against LBGT+, but the feeling that the odds of getting accepted have been biased against me. Whether this is true or not is another matter - this is the impression such marketing gives me.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

In fairness, most requests I've seen have the usual generalised

We welcome stories from ....

Line although I am seeing more and more hints that unless you identify as LGBTQI don't bother sending anything.

@Phyrebrat raises an interesting point.

Could it be that these publications are actually trying to say your story should have LGBTQI interest/appeal. In which case the content will be the important factor - which should be the case with any story.

I trust we all know about

Duotrope: Find publishers and agents. Track submissions. Get published.

but are you also aware of

The Submission Grinder

thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com

Which is free (no personal connection to myself)

Both give a reasonable indication of publication's expectations.

 

[scholar-in-distress]

I think comparing nationality with minorities is somewhat reductive, but I take your point. Isn't it true, however, to say we are more defined by our nationality than I am by my sexuality? For example, as a Brit, my values have been informed by the country I grew up in; they inform my decisions, my viewpoint and so forth.

I did not mean to compare nationality with minority. What I meant is that in Poland (as a nation/state) the minorities have a very low standing, both socially and legally. And it is nearly inconceivable to have a publisher effectively seeking LGBTQI+ authors, let alone to have an overabundance of such publishers. Poles are informed by quite different a country than Brits, hence the 'culture shock' or chasm between the ways the minorities are treated (in general, of course). It shows how different things can be. The Brits do not oppress the minorities systemically (or at least not officially). The Poles do (not only the sexual minorities) and they like to take pride in it.
It was just a loud monologue, and an off-topic

 

[Phyrebrat]

I did not mean to compare nationality with minority. What I meant is that in Poland (as a nation/state) the minorities have a very low standing, both socially and legally. And it is nearly inconceivable to have a publisher effectively seeking LGBTQI+ authors, let alone to have an overabundance of such publishers. Poles are informed by quite different a country than Brits, hence the 'culture shock' or chasm between the ways the minorities are treated (in general, of course). It shows how different things can be. The Brits do not oppress the minorities systemically (or at least not officially). The Poles do (not only the sexual minorities) and they like to take pride in it.
It was just a loud monologue, and an off-topic

A-ha. I understand. I move within a large circle of Polish people in East London and I’ve always found them to be very accepting of my sexuality so this is interesting to me.

I hope that things might change some time very soon

 

[Steve Harrison]

I've noticed this more and more lately while compiling query lists. The focus of many publishers & agents seems to be shifting from the actual writing to the gender or sexuality of the writer. Fair enough; it's their business, but I can't help thinking it's counter-productive to limit your submission base.

(Disclaimer: I'm an old, white guy with absolutely no complaints about query avenues)

 

[Brian G Turner]

How are you to write your pitch letter with details of your minority status that make it in any way relevant to what you've written?

I would think it's only an interest for the publisher if your submission directly relates to an "own voice" issue.

 

[Dan Jones]

I've been thinking about this topic a little. On the face of it it seems to be somewhat contentious, but I wonder if it's just a ham-fisted approach on the part of the agencies / publishers etc of addressing requirements of corporate responsibility. As @scholar-in-distress says, in the UK we do fairly well at offering opportunities to the vast majority of citizens, and in my civil service training recently I learned that it's written into UK employment law that employers have a corporate responsibility to consider and encourage applications etc from minorities, or traditionally excluded communities, let's say.

In the context of agencies, the encouragement to minorities to apply / sub - usually worded as, "we particularly welcome subs from etc etc" may be an acknowledgement of this piece of legislation, and also to assure minority individuals (and people are, above all, individuals) that they will not be discriminated against. That may be a small piece of comfort where such thoughts may otherwise cause some anxiety in some individuals. It also says that, you know, when we do send you a form rejection, it won't be because of who you are...

Modern day publishing tends is one of the few industries dominated by females (alongside education, health& care, and law): in the UK men make up 36% of all employees (up from 31% in 2020). That's at all levels of seniority, too (from juniors up to chief execs and directors). So this open attitude might also be a consequence of what happens when your industry is predominantly female-oriented rather than male-oriented. However, I'm speculating now, and my Dad told me never to do such things, so I'd better stop now.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

I have far more opportunity that a white woman in the publishing world.

Interestingly, behind the scenes, publishing is dominated by women. 78% of people in the US publishing business are women. (source: The Bookseller)

I'm not, personally, a fan of the modern trend of positive discrimination, but I do understand that marginalized voices should be represented and should have access. The kinds of stories they bring do add valuable perspectives to culture. "Get Out" for example would never have been created by a white guy, so it adds to the discourse, as they say in the ivory towers.

There is a sense of overkill, though. That every piece of art has to be around a narrow and insular set of themes and characters to be funded and pushed. This isn't really diversity. I want to read a whole host of perspectives, not just a shallow pool that all think like me.

I'm not sure these policies really help the bottom lines for these businesses, either.