Comments | suebrownstories: I have a question

suebrownstories

I have a question

Feb 27, 2011 19:13

Do you subconsciously give more weight to authors that represent the genre you are reading? By this I mean, male authors writing m/m fiction, female authors writing from a woman's perspective, black authors writing about race issues etc?

research

Comments 8

hab318princess February 27 2011, 19:20:53 UTC

my first thought was: not so much in romantic fiction (m/m with male author) but on the race side I think knowing if the writer falls into that makes it more 'real' - I think that is because I've gotten a better understanding (via LJ) of the issues of minorities and people in general and love (whichever way) I don't see as a minority issue even if gay love is.

trinipedia February 27 2011, 19:53:04 UTC

actually, it's the other way around.
I give more weight to any writer who write something he/she is not familiar with and does it so well I believe it.

usmc75 February 27 2011, 21:05:32 UTC

Don't know if I give more weight to it but I can tell the difference between a woman and a male writer most of the time.

josephine_myles February 27 2011, 21:42:15 UTC

I have been known to pay more attention to details in m/m writing by male authors, because I think that some of their descriptions of physical sensations and experiences of homophobia and life as a gay man are likely to be based on first-hand experience, rather than the second-hand most female writers would have to rely on. I don't think it makes them necessarily any better at writing in the genre, though.

adamluvr36_fic February 27 2011, 21:43:12 UTC

If its a subconscious function, then how do we really know for sure?

Consciously though, I'd have to say its innate in everyone from a psychological standpoint, to give more cred to the writer if the gender of the author is the same as that of the characters. It means that the writer can honestly 'know' his/her characters and get inside their minds in order to write them well. That's coming from someone who studies mental health and pathologies for a living.

On the flipside, I agree with trinipedia they said "I give more weight to any writer who writes something he/she is not familiar with and does it so well I believe it."I agree with that statement. When they're that good, then sometimes I don't know the difference and can believe they're an expert on what they've just written. Which is why they were able to convince me in the story in the first place. Its awesome when that happens ( ... )