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Author Gender Ratios

I've been reading some discussions about the low percentage of women published in such magazines as The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and those discussions led me to tabulate the author gender numbers for Lone Star Stories. Here's what I found:

Stories published: 23 by women; 23 by men

Poems published: 29 by women; 14 by men

All female authors issues: 2

All male authors issues: 1

All female fiction writers issues: 3

All male fiction writers issues: 4

All female poets issues: 4

All male poets issues: 0

Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 at 10:04 am | | Leave a comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend

Comments


[info]sartorias

I'd certainly call that an impressively fair gender mix.
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 03:09 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

I agree for fiction, Sherwood, but the numbers show a slant toward accepting female poets. I hope I'll be forgiven for that. ;-)
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 03:24 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]jborneman

statistical study of gender mix

Earlier this year I performed a little statistical study on gender bias (if any) in Spec Fic mags that some of you may remember,

Here are my results:

http://brassman.xtra-rant.com/women_write/index.htm

John
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 06:06 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Re: statistical study of gender mix

Thanks for the reminder and the link, John!
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 06:16 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ccfinlay

Hey, Eric, can you sample your submissions and give us an idea of the gender mix there? For example, publishing 50% women is great... unless 80% of your submissions are from women. Does that make sense?
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 03:28 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

I'll check that, Charles. I'm fairly certain that most of my submissions come from men, though.
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 03:47 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Charles,

A quick counting shows that from April 1, 2006 to present, I have received 125 submissions from men and 114 submissions from women.
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:15 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ccfinlay

So 52% subs from men, 48% from women, during the sample period, compared to a 50-50 publication rate overall. That seems about right.

If you only received 25% of submissions from women and published about 25% subs by women, would people still praise you for balance?
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:48 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Probably not, but it's interesting that I receive close to 50-50 in subs. I understand that's not the case for most genre publications, large or small. I know that when I started LSS, I had very few female authors submitting, but that changed over time when I published significant numbers of stories and poems by female authors (some of which I solicited). Until today, I didn't even realize how many female authors sent me their work compared to male authors. I assumed my quick check would show a 65-35 ratio or something similar. (Also, I didn't separate poetry subs from fiction subs, and I know I receive more poetry from women than men.)

On a side note, I was forced to solicit work from authors because I was not finding work in the slush pile that I wanted to publish. It's better now, but I still have to ask for work.

I'm just too dang picky . . . .
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 06:15 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]sallytuppence

FYI, Charlie, Eric also requests stories from writers, too.

And there's another example of 'Sarah is a wimpy submitter': Eric has published three of my stories, and all three (as I recall), he requested, I didn't submit.

I refuse to submit!!!
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:18 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

That's a good point, Sarah. I do solicit stories sometimes, but usually when I am running up on a publication deadline with slots still open. (I'm just too picky sometimes.) I'm not sure what the gender ratio is for the authors I solicit work from, though.
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:36 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Oh, and I solicited two of the three stories I published by you. You sent me "Hekaba's Demon" on your own, which I definitely appreciate. :-)
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:38 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]sallytuppence

And see, by that point I'd had such a good experience working with you on the previous two stories, that I didn't hesitate to submit my stories to you.

I'm such a tender flower...
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 07:13 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Indeed. *grin*
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 08:02 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]aliettedb

I'm with ccfinlay here ;)
But it does seem to be balanced, which in itself is impressive (I seem to remember stats for other mags a couple of years ago that weren't balanced at all).
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 03:34 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

I like balance, Aliette, but I like a strong ToC best. :-)
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:39 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]ccfinlay

Which is, I think, what every editor would say.
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:43 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]aliettedb

loool
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 04:50 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]mallory_blog

women in small print

You just convinced me to send some stories to you ::evil grin::

As a point of reference - the current F&SF Magazine has a -20% ratio of female presented content in it.

Women writers DO notice such things...
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 06:31 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Re: women in small print

I look forward to reading your submissions!
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 08:14 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]mallory_blog

Re: women in small print

I've heard only good things about you and your magazine and I look forward to having you read me...

::grins::
Posted on Jun. 9th, 2006 08:17 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

[info]jennreese

Coming late to this discussion as I didn't realize you had an LJ...

When I see so many women on a ToC, I am far more favorably inclined toward a market. It doesn't have to be a majority, because even half is surprising. (Incidentally, it works this way with martial arts schools, too.) Once you get the ball rolling, it gathers speed.
Posted on Jun. 12th, 2006 12:25 am (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

[info]ericmarin

Go, ball, go!
Posted on Jun. 12th, 2006 02:06 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply
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