Thread by @aliettedb, About people who complain they cannot write such and such a book [...]

Aliette de Bodard

aliettedb

About people who complain they cannot write such and such a book and this is a symptom of cancel culture given free rein: what I will simply say is that some years ago, I pitched a Vietnamese-influenced SFF book and was told it would never sell. (1/?)

I was told, in more or less subtle ways, that people like me shouldn& #39;t be writing SFF and certainly shouldn& #39;t be winning awards for it, the subtext being we should be grateful for scraps. (2/?)

There& #39;s much being made of free speech but I& #39;d wager its proponents haven& #39;t had to sit at a table listening to someone tell them that people "like them" couldn& #39;t be trusted to behave.
(I have. It was like being punched in the face over and over again) (3/?)

Bigotry isn& #39;t a debate. The reason being one side thinks the other shouldn& #39;t exist or shouldn& #39;t enjoy the same rights as them (the list goes on and on and on). That& #39;s not a debate. That& #39;s violence. (4/?)

And obv bigotry leads to physical violence and physical harm. And murder.

To anyone saying it& #39;s just words: are people in the book industry really and seriously arguing that words have no power and no weight?
(of course they do)

I don& #39;t want to make it seem like I& #39;ve only had bad experiences in SFF publishing--I& #39;ve been lucky and privileged, people have been very welcoming. But you know, this shit still happens, and I get to smile and smile until it hurts.
(7/?)

And yes, the market has changed. The book I pitched is now saleable. Funny how some people are unhappy at this state of affairs and think it& #39;s all wrong. (8/?)

Also cancel culture mostly seems to blow up in marginalised people& #39;s faces (see: the weaponisation of the ownvoices hashtag). So the very idea it& #39;s running unchecked is *something*

Anyway, I& #39;m still salty but I have tea. And a book to write.
In the meantime I recommend you check out books by @tadethompson @tashadrinkstea @Benjurigan @zenaldehyde @jeannette_ng @IAmSuyiDavies @kwebberwrites @deuceofgears @kacencallender @drkarenlord @ChenQiufan & others

Oh sorry forgot the awesome @cyborgyndroid

Also if you liked this thread and want to check out my books:
-sapphic romantic fantasy inspired by precolonial Vietnam: https://www.amazon.com/Fireheart-Tiger-Aliette-Bodard-ebook/dp/B088DQ5ZQN/
-heist">https://www.amazon.com/Fireheart... and murder mystery in space: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Infinities-Aliette-Bodard-ebook/dp/B08L17LFYV/">https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Inf... and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Infinities-Universe-Aliette-Bodard-ebook/dp/B08QBL2HCQ/
-Gothic">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Inf... dark fantasy: http://www.amazon.com/House-Shattered-Wings-Aliette-Bodard-ebook/dp/B00SI02L4W">https://www.amazon.com/House-Sha...

Fireheart Tiger

Fireheart Tiger

https://www.amazon.com/Fireheart-Tiger-Aliette-Bodard-ebook/dp/B088DQ5ZQN/

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