African Authors

[ysabetwordsmith]

... have this problem where they can only sell stories that white people like.

Fuck that noise.  I like my literature with diversity.  I grew up reading books that got me kicked out of class.  We need small press and crowdfunding and other alternative options so that writers can write in their own voice and culture without being stifled.  Tell ALL the stories!

Comments

Access

[dialecticdreamer]

Even "in the West"-- access to books from other parts of the world, or from other viewpoints, is often strictly from digging the items up online and navigating very, very clunky order forms for some of the smaller presses.

Frankly, I'm not going to put that effort in for a title I'm only "curious" about.

Our Inter-library loan system is emaciated, nearly crippled, and I tend to use it more for things which are needed rather than for the same kind of curiosity.

What we /need/ are more places which promote small press books. More excerpts to read an actual /part/ of the book would make me far more willing to plunk down money, because I've gotten badly burned by "reviews" which seem to be written by someone who was reading an entirely different story than the one I received.

We need ways to tell not just more stories, but that the stories are out there, and how to get them!

Re: Access

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Even "in the West"-- access to books from other parts of the world, or from other viewpoints, is often strictly from digging the items up online and navigating very, very clunky order forms for some of the smaller presses. <<

Yes, that's true. It also affects many other marginalized writers and topics than just African ones.

>> Frankly, I'm not going to put that effort in for a title I'm only "curious" about.

Our Inter-library loan system is emaciated, nearly crippled, and I tend to use it more for things which are needed rather than for the same kind of curiosity. <<

I agree that these shabby infrastructure factors limit access to much literature.

>> What we /need/ are more places which promote small press books. More excerpts to read an actual /part/ of the book would make me far more willing to plunk down money, because I've gotten badly burned by "reviews" which seem to be written by someone who was reading an entirely different story than the one I received. <<

Agreed. I'd love to have a crowdfunding site that would host all different types of material and provide robust tools for searching, sorting, and rating it so that people could find what they want.

Free samples absolutely sell material online. It's a fundamental part of crowdfunding as a business model. So yeah, I'm kind of like a pusher with my poetry -- the first one is free. :D I've learned that if I have a cool poem I think might make a good series starter, it's more effective to post that as the freebie and maybe get more prompts for it, than to hold it back and hope maybe someone will sponsor it.

Re: Access

[lb_lee]

I sometimes use zine libraries and publishers like this. Surprisingly, some people also seem to use Etsy like this! (Since I presume that's how they find MY work!)

--Rogan

Re: Access

[dialecticdreamer]

I'm going to check Etsy this weekend!

Re: Access

[lb_lee]

I just organized a zine trade through it, since someone had a panic/anxiety attack zine that caught my eye.

Honestly, becoming part of the zine/indy comics scene has singlehandedly been my best resource for learning about more of the same. There aren't THAT many creators in a geographical area, and they hit a lot of the same events, so you quickly get to know who's who and who does what. (It also helps that my interests are strongly educational nonfiction, which is narrow enough that you quickly find others who do them.)

--Rogan

Re: Access

[ysabetwordsmith]

That makes sense. I think you do really great educational comics, and I'm glad that someone is addressing those topics.

I'd like to get more into comics, but haven't had as much exposure to that circle of people as I have to writers.

Re: Access

[lb_lee]

I know you're in the Midwest; if you ever want to explore the local scene and get an idea of what local creators are near you, I've heard good things about CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comics Expo) which is free for folks to visit and runs at the end of May/early June. (I'm applying there myself!)

And of course, I'm always happy to make recs. Anything in particular you favor? (Though admittedly, my knowledge is mostly educational nonfiction and queer/trans stuff.)

--Rogan

Re: Access

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I know you're in the Midwest; <<

Yes, in fact we're a few hours south of Chicago.

>> if you ever want to explore the local scene and get an idea of what local creators are near you, I've heard good things about CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comics Expo) which is free for folks to visit and runs at the end of May/early June. (I'm applying there myself!) <<

:D Thank you for the tip! I have sent the link to my_partner_doug so we can discuss whether this is something we'd like to catch. It sounds promising.

>> And of course, I'm always happy to make recs. Anything in particular you favor? (Though admittedly, my knowledge is mostly educational nonfiction and queer/trans stuff.) <<

My taste in comics is similar to my taste in other reading and art. I like nonfiction comics, which seems to be an uncommon taste -- the Three Micahs with which haikujaguar illustrates her how-to articles for creative business is a favorite. I also like queer/trans stuff. Speculative fiction tends to win over other genres. I enjoy furry if the nonhuman body language is good.

I hope that you'll nominate some of your favorites for the Rose & Bay Award when that opens in January.

Re: Access

[lb_lee]

Okay, here is a list of the comics I also sent dialecticdreamer (I can dig up more, but seriously, we'd be here ALL DAY)

Cathy Leamy is someone I know who does cool ass medical comics: http://www.metrokitty.com/comics/ I especially like Green-Blooded and Mindful Drinking.

Allie Kleber does cool fantasy and erotic comics: http://alliekleber.bigcartel.com/ (at the moment, their shop seems to be down, but hopefully it gets fixed soon)

Queerotic Comics is also a great little queer erotic comics anthology, though only the digital version is still in stock: http://www.ahsasha.com/shop/#_=_ It's printed entirely in pink and purple!

Laurel Lynn Leake does fantasy and abstract comics and little inspirational cards: http://laurellynnleake.storenvy.com/ I like Searching best.

Kimball Anderson does artsy, quiet little comics about the transcendent qualities of everyday life. http://earnestattempts.storenvy.com/ I like Folding/Unfolding most, but it doesn't seem to be on their shop.

Rampaige Warren made Busty Girl Comics, which is all about the trials, tribulations, and perks of being busty. http://paigeonecomics.storenvy.com/

Melanie Gillman does beautiful colored pencil work: http://www.melaniegillman.com/?page_id=45 Not sure if they sill print books online, but they DEFINITELY have ebooks! https://gumroad.com/melgillman

Kriota Wilberg makes interest medicine and science comics. I highly recommend NO PAIN! A Guide to Injury Prevention for Cartoonists. (A lot applies to writers as well.) http://www.birdcagebottombooks.com/shop/no-pain/

Madison Clell is the only other multiple I know of who came out and made comics about it: http://madisonclell.com/purchase-comics/

[meowdate]

Thank you.
Shira

Today's 'normal' date is: Mon Dec 01 2014
Today's U.N. Date is: Friday, December 1. 12014 H.E. (Holocene Era)

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

I agree. But part of the problem is that “We They haven't the tools to make the tools to make the tools”: i.e., missing infrastructure. Nwaubani says in that article

Any Nigerian in Anchorage or Newcastle-upon-Tyne who so wishes can acquire my novel. But here in my country, where online shopping is still an esoteric venture (and where many websites reject payment cards attached to Nigerian addresses), my book is available only at a few bookstores in highbrow areas of about five cities. It is not available in Umuahia, the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria, where I grew up, where my parents live, and where my novel is set. The struggling local publishing industry is unable to make books available and affordable.
…

Until African writers can start their careers by publishing in their home countries, none of this will change. Some of the greatest African writers of my generation may never be discovered, either because they will not reach across the Atlantic Ocean to attract the attention of an agent or publisher, or because they have not yet mastered the art of deciphering Western tastes.

Crowdfunding? Not for a while, in the current web-based model. Small press? That "small" may still be impossible, except perhaps in (some of) those cities.

[cat-sanctuary.livejournal.com]

Even rural U.S. writing has had to be sold to New York first, too. But we can take steps toward changing this. Live Journal is global. (So is Blog Spot; I've *asked* for guest posts from Zambia, and from Greece, although so far I've received neither.)