BLACK
SCIENCE FICTION
WRITERS:
When
Will We be Comin'?
When Ever We're Ready!
Jesse
Miller
Recently, a correspondent wrote in, talking about racial discrmination in main stream publishing houses. I too have a dream; A lot of the work remaining is for us to do.
Go ahead and read here my heart felt disclaimer.
Dear
XXX,
Hello! I have read your nice offering with care and interest. Please don't be offended ... BUT :)
I do not agree with the concept of publishing bias, as you've presented it. To me, your request for input on this platform is a wise one ... I'm here to tell you as gently as possible, the impact of your thesis is potentially damaging. I do not believe the suggested conclusion you appear to draw, that Black Science Fiction is rejected as a consequence of bias, is valid.
Further,
very respectfully, as a published African American Sci Fi author I disagree
with the concept you present that selling or not selling is not a predictable
science. If a manuscript comes to a publisher which matches "well
known" criteria, that manuscript will be joyfully purchased. If the
author is a person of color, that manuscript is even MORE joyfully purchased.
The "secret"is that generally this writing process is not easy and it is not particularly rewarding. I do it because I can't help it. I don't want to. I don't remember deciding to be a professional writer. And even so ... under the banner of compulsive writing, it is still extremely hard and painful.
But ... other than citing personal professional experience for communal benefit ... I'm not responding in order to talk about me.
For
that ... well, there is this web site. I'm not self promoting at this
time ...
The fact is, your essay touches a very critical issue, in my opinion ... one which goes beyond even "just" black science fiction writing.
It is my personal experience that manuscripts are accepted or rejected on the basis of merit only. Now, the definition of merit ... that is something to take up, but if the author is a person of color, all the better.
We
don't want Authors of Color to get that proverbial rejection slip and
go away, thinking, "If I were white, this material would have been
snapped up."
Such a response precludes the true needed principle (in my opinion) which is to learn, and to improve and to keep trying.
If we get a rejection, and then go about self publishing, what ever caused that rejection remains, and there is little hope for "improvement."
Sometimes, works are simply not viable in commercial terms.
If we hone our craft and keep trying, be assured, there will be main stream publishing. If there are questions about what to do and how to do it, this forum is a great tool for this purpose!
A question I have is more on the line of "Do we even WANT main stream publishing?"
Action, conflict, resolution, the eleven or what ever number of basic plots ... is this what we want? If we go there, will this put lasting bread on the table?
And,
couple these questions with the evolving nature of this media and what
do you have? The digital revolution now seems to me greater than ... if
not beginning the culmination of ... that which started with Gutenberg.
"Recall," :) at the time, there were those who frankly feared the new mass availability
of the printed word. And there were those who used that then new technology
in order to well ... you know ... Martin Luther ... etc. :)
(He was not a "main streamer." His works were stapled to doors and boards ...
Do
we truly WANT mainstream now?)
Here,
now, we have unprecedented ability to publish at will. And here now, the
ability of our readers to embrace what we say or skip / click over it
is also unprecedented.
It is for this reason I feel a danger in the "I Got Rejected Because I am Black" Flag.
Again,
from personal experience, (nominated for Hugo,
Nebula and John Campbell awards)
being a person of color is an asset, not a handicap.
In
fact, please consider the possibility that the deficiency in the number
of published black sci-fi authors, in many instances may well spring precisely
from that sentiment, "They didn't buy it because I'm black."
The professional author's response to rejection must be "How can I make it better." (By "better" I mean "do what I want it to do: impart a message, SELL, garner fame ...")
Then ... we keep trying. The would be professional can not quit the field on the basis of perceived racial bias when the bias may be more founded on literary merit ... or lack thereof.
In my opinion, we need to acknowledge the real problem before we can fix it. This is not like the "Driving While Black" issue.
Quality Black Science Fiction is a field that is just ready and waiting and open for us. I said, "Quality."
As Black Writers, we have our personal niche market before us! If anyone needs help with a rejection, I challenge you to post it here, if you like. Let's make it better!
You
say, "There's no formula for what will be a successful selling book."
This is not true. There are indeed such formulae, and in fact this is
true to the extent that we have "formula writing.
"You say, "The publisher's (sic) pick what they think will sell." Indeed, they generally do, and these picks are again generally based on one or another very well known formula.
Now, not to attack you at all, but if your (or anyone's) work comes to a publisher and that work bears punctuation errors, and logical contradictions, then you (or anyone) put yourself in another categorical formula.
Then saying "I got rejected because I'm black" will hinder you , not help you ... and or others.
Your
statement that the lack of publishing black science fiction writers "...
effectively shuts them out of the most lucrative form of writing in the
industry," does not take into account the fact that if the work is
good, it WILL be published.
In fact, when I was writing commercial black science fiction, the fact that I am African American was, and still is, of course, an asset. It is just that you have to know or be prepared to learn ... really learn your craft.
I'm not saying you don't know ... I'm speaking generally.
Please
look at it this way. The pilot of your plane, the doctor on your daughter's
appendectomy ... is it enough that these people are black?
If the submission is not up to par, it will be rejected.
It
is too easy to say, "They won't let me fly the plane because I'm
black."
It
is far harder to study and qualify and become that surgeon or pilot.
And when you are qualified, there is no denying it OK? And it is glorious
... for all ...
And some will never! :)
(Personally, I believe that generally anyone can qualify for anything at any time ... it just takes a varying amount of work.)
You cite Sheree Thomas, who approached me and solicited me for contribution to her anthology Dark Matter, but my three submissions were all rejected, and it is not because I am black, obviously, and not because the work had structural flaws either ... but yes, even Ms. Thomas has formulae to consider ... not the least of which is "Do I like it?"
As you point out, certainly being black is not a barrier to publication in Dark Matter ... nor, conversely is the condition of prior award and or degree and or publication.
Do the work get the result ... that is my very sincere response and reaction to your thesis.
I am grateful that you have posted your work here as I believe you have highlighted a major, yet often unspoken barrier and stumbling block on the path to recognition as Black Science Fiction Writers.
Very respectfully
jivajiva (President Club Services)
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Wheeling, West Virginia 26003