Links of the week June 18 2018 (25)

In another stunning display of both truth in publishing and meticulous attention to the data, the latest release from AuthorEarnings takes on another facet of the traditional publishing industry, namely the lies surrounding scifi and fantasy publishing. In a presentation at the 2018 SFWA Nebula Conference, cape-wearing number cruncher Data Guy presented findings that dispel a number of long-held myths. These include: science fiction and fantasy audiences are shrinking; titles in that genre aren't selling like they used to; smaller advances for these authors are justified by the probably lack of return; and several others. Of course, how does AE do it? By tracking the actual sales figures from the world's largest bookstore and Nielsen/BookScan.

I did not lose 15 pounds after writing a book. I still go to bed mentally cursing the pouch of fat that has taken up residence beneath my bellybutton that ends up laced with the red marks of too-tight jeans.

My bedroom did not magically become cleaner, or receive more natural light. I wrote a book, but I am still not the type of person who wakes up early Sunday mornings, tucks her hair behind a bandana and scrubs the bathroom like a cheerful, Pinterest-y Cinderella. Post-book Dana still has take-out rotting in her fridge that she couldn't afford to pay the $3.99 delivery fee on, but did anyway. A curdled skin of soy sauce still dots my kitchen table.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Vida's latest survey of gender bias in literary criticism has revealed less than half of publications achieved gender equality, with the New York Review of Books halving its coverage of female voices.

The feminist arts organisation has warned that the dominance of white male literary critics "creates a dangerous lens through which the world is viewed". Its annual survey found showed that female writers accounted for less than 40% of articles and reviews at eight of 15 publications.