No Books For Men?
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- No Books For Men?
look out for johns channel @AuthorJohnADouglas
In this video, we’re talking about the perception that “men don’t read”
Join the conversation, and let us know your thoughts on the reading culture and alternative ways to stay informed and inspired.
#NoBooksForMen #MensReadingHabits #MenAndReading #publishing #
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Thanks for the shout out
No problem
I remember when I was a young kid with dyslexia and seeing the covers of fantasy books with dragon and other badass stuff is what inspired me to pick up reading and writing where my school was unable to do so. It's sad that I don't think the young me would feel the same today seeing the fantasy section
Same here
Your video and John A Douglas' video really struck a chord. I'm a 36 year old black male author and I've been writing for 22 years of my life with about 2 dozen books written across all genres and I have yet to even get an agent to even request a partial read by a book I've written. Even as a black male author who writes sci fi, upmarket commercial fiction, fantasy, and literary novels, it seems I don't click enough of their boxes in my work either. You're trapped by needing to write for women's genres to get looked at (cozy fantasies, romantasy, which I absolutely do not or will not write) or if I'm going to write about racism I'd have to shuck and jive that dance for them to get looked at (which I hate writing about race). Even Marlon James said he almost gave up writing because he called out the industry and said you have to write to white women to get published, because that's who is basically running the industry. Lionel Shriver said the same thing, and both authors got attacked and called sexist just for pointing out what is a fact.
It just feels disheartening knowing you likely don't have a path. At the same time I' am more than relieved that we also live in an era where I can readily self publish my books and include my comic art within it. As a professional author I even get to produce my own book covers. So when one door closes another has opened in this day and age! Great video.
Thank you and you’re not the only one to say this
I wouldn’t be surprised if even the “non men” are tired of publishers enforcing DEI checklist of tropes as priority over quality when they realise how boring and repetitive the storylines or character tropes have become as a consequence. Look how ironically homogenized the book catalogue has become.
The industry is hypocritical about DEI by discriminating men.
There are people who just want to read good stories. All these people who complain about DEI 24/7 are likely just ignorant crusaders who are obsessive compulsive with social media with nothing better to do but feel better and also insecure within themselves. It’s all about defeating the “awful oppression” of the men for “decades of patriarchy” Because they think this gives them power and control they lacked all their lives and now they think they have it as vengeance.
This is the best comment I’ve received on this video. You’ve hit the nail on the head.
It's amazing how there's this huge demand and there's an evil claque of publishers who don't want to make money. It's almost as if there are whiners who can't get published and spend their time complaining instead of writing.
As an upcoming writer, It's a very disturbing trend. This is why self publishing is seemingly the way to go. Great video!
It really is!
I have watched John's video and you have stated the current situation honestly as well. Chapters Indigo, the major chain store in Canada, has a new releases section in which you would be hard pressed to find a male author. Certainly, if you look further back in the store, you can find Lee Child, Michael Connelly, etc., so it's not like they aren't available but it seems lesser known male authors are nearly impossible to find. I do most of my book shopping now, as a result, in used bookstores where books more to my taste are easier to find.
Exactly I found trying to get the books I want to read in stores more and more difficult as time has gone on
Good to know I'm not the only one that has been slowly coming to this realization over the last few years.
@@blahyoubleep that’s cool
I've noticed this too. I haven't seen this in the manga space, but I have seen a lot of female authors being featured more than male authors. Both perspectives should be seen in my opinion. I was raised that books are ment to be enjoyed by everyone. I rarely see new male authors pop up on book websites or new bookstores. Again, both sides should be seen and heard fully.
Exactly the same here I was raised the books of everyone, but I’m seeing this more and more
If you want to know why on audible or Amazon, look at their editor staff. I think out of twenty, 1 is straight white male.
Indie all the way and brush up on the old networking skills I haven't used in a couple of decades.
Exactly
The problem is that the publishing industry based in Manhattan where the major publishers have there offices has way to much group think in the staff and honestly on corporate bourd maybe they need to be treated like a trust and busted; make publishing regional again there should be publishing houses in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Austin, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Columbus, Virginia Beach and Providence.
Truth
Boys don't have comics to read. The comics market is for men 40 years old and up, a target that dies every year. Boys prefer video games that give them everything they need, and they don't have to think much. The male from 18 years old and up has grown up, then, without reading for fun. I think, in addition, many of the new (young) male writers write a variation of Lord of the Rings and/or Star Wars, and neglect the other genres, something the Japanese have not done with their manga. I think the problem is not of now. It's been building up since the early 2000s.
I agree with you
If one is looking at this trend from the perspective of a bean counter, from a business persprctive, it makes total sense that the market favours books by women for women. If one is looking at this from the perspective of a creator, at the level of the writer, it's quite disheartening -- especially since this is supposed to be an industry that champions "diverse perspectives". I take a somewhat dim view: the industry will always put money and sales before anything else. Even idpol will lose out in the end, I think.
Exactly
@@baldbookgeek Which is of course the fault of the males who don't buy books. Publishers are capitalists- they publish what sells. How about males buy and read books instead of reading comic books and watching movies based on comic books?
If readers don't go to a bookstore, are the usual websites where they go to find books? Like Amazon or Goodreads? What other sites do they go to? Those are the places male writers can advertise their books.
Usually its social media now
@baldbookgeek so it's just boosting posts, huh? I've done that with mixed results.
@@tobeytruestory not much else it sucks
Trad publishing is over correcting with the rest of the artist space. It' become so synonymous with activism and that's not good. Honestly, I want to go back to not knowing/ caring about the author. We're cutting off the next Arthur Golden or Memoirs of a Geisha by giving the author more focus than the story.
Same here, I don’t want to know anything about writers. I just want to know about their books. I don’t care what writers do or say.
I get the feeling that they "chicked up" the film industry and mainstream publishing has followed right along.
I don't like it.
Me too
Well, most of us author men are indies. We brave the odds and the chaos.
Exactly that’s why this video is just about mainstream stuff
I have wondered this myself. I’d say almost all current, popular, modern writers are female in almost all genres, and the few exceptions I’ve noticed are written using female POV or main characters. I guess, it’s not shocking if you follow booktok, considering they are largely female audiences and content creators. I’m not saying this is true, it’s just what I noticed, but as a male who would rather stay current and follow what’s new- like how I follow music- it appears there are no male writers that haven’t been around for years.
That’s what I’ve picked up on too. There seems to be no new male writers. Lots of people that have been around for years a lot of very respected very talented people but no one new
It's been that way for awhile. Most male authors are self published. I remember trying to find an agent through reader digest catalog circa 2017 and finding out of the 200 or so fantasy agents only maybe 10 would accept male authors. So the present state of things doesn't surprise me.
The side lining of men has been going on for a few years now. It has gotten worse under the diversity, equity and inclusion mantra. I now just ignore many of the new fiction and look to many of the classics and high number reviews. I refuse to spend my hard earned money on a new author as most times its about some LGBT (heavy on the T) themes, that I have zero interest in. Lots of times it is so self centred that you wonder if they have ever gone outside to smell the fresh air. Life is a lot more complicated and I find many books to be very closed rather than open to new ideas and experiences. A good story is enlightening, many new novels are just drivel and propaganda. You got yourself a new sub.
Truth
Here's a suggestion: take your money and buy the books you want instead of whining.
@@michaelnewsham1412 I do exactly that. I now await reviews and see what the masses say. I only have time for a book a fortnight, so I want a quality read. I dont care about the money, but the time wasted will never be returned. Life is too short to waste it on the mediocre.
I grew up reading Manga,
Don't care much for the American publishing.
But what little I do read, it's always written by men.
I don't know any guy anywhere that reads these chick flicks.
@@MrPokemon248 exactly
I tend to gravitate toward male writers so try "Will of the Many" by James Islington and the best series I've ever read check out the sci-fi/fantasy series Sun Eater by Christopher Ruoccio.
Very nice
6:50 what groupchats?
many Facebook, discord, twitter, and so on
I mostly just read dead white men. I admit that I don't like books written by women (unless their name is Mary Shelley). Teen fantasy & smut romance doesn't appeal to me. Sorry women!
I get that one completely
Nah man I get it. Women tell stories and write characters differently then men do. And I as well am usually just not interested in those stories. Though my exception is Lois macmaster bujulod.
I’m a woman who reads primarily male writers and who writes in that genre. Unfortunately, women don’t enjoy my writing, and men won’t read my work because they assume it’s full of romance and girl power.
This is really reductive, women don't just write smut or romance. Check out Fonda Lee's Greenbone Saga, it's a brilliant godfather-esque descent into organized crime, or Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth which is about cultist necromancer lesbians, and it's stone cold awesome.
@@tylerdurham6091 you just listed necromancer lesbians as your evidence!
Read Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Cool
James Butcher has a fun series. (Son of Jim Butcher.) ‘Dead Man’s Hand'
Jim C Hines ‘Libriomancer’, ’Terminal Alliance’
Drew Hayes ‘Fred the Vampire Accountant’ ‘Forging Hephaestus’
Harry Connolly ‘Child of Fire-Twenty Palaces series'
Those are my current favorites. Enjoy?
I’m often mistaken for a man, so there’s that, too. 🤣
🤣🤣🤣 and a few added to my list
Piers Brown. For science fiction literature.
I'm actually grateful for this.
Yes, we're kept out of the bookstores, but Amazon has like 90% of the global market. I'm grateful that the commercial publishers have ceded the male audience to us. The demand is out there, we just have to work on our marketing skills to reach it. I'm telling you, an independent who learns how to market themself and their books will absolutely eat the lunch of a commercially published author who depends on corporate entertainment to do it for them.
I write 19th-century historical military novels. It's a niche audience, but they're enough for me to make my royalties without some big publisher with multi-million dollar office buildings and execs making six figures taking their cut first.
Ironically, a lot of my readers are women! Apparently, they like historically accurate high adventure too!
Exactly it’s refreshing to get a comment from someone who understands what I’m talking about here I’m talking about very traditional book marketing and book publishing and you hit the nail on the head