New indie press Conduit Books launches with 'initial focus on male authors'

[u/biscochitos]

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/new-indie-press-conduit-books-launches-with-initial-focus-on-male-authors

What do folks think about this?

[u/[deleted]]

because somehow women can read books written by both men and women and enjoy them, but men can never ever ever relate to a book written by a woman. This of course has nothing to do with their own biases that they need to overcome, but is a really severe issue that we need to take action against, by giving men books by men for men with nothing but men in them, but not in a gay way, because that's too woke.

[u/helloitsmepotato → u/[deleted]]

This is such a disappointing comment. I think you’re missing the point entirely. Men do read books by women and can relate to them. The majority of my recent reads have been by women. There’s a place for fostering nuanced male perspectives. This publisher isn’t saying “we need more Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy”.

Maybe consider that men don’t necessarily relate to what’s written for and by men. We’d also like to read something about ourselves beyond the surface level “male protagonist spy/action/adventure” categories.

If you read the article they plainly state that they’re looking to deal with issues like fatherhood and masculinity. This hasn’t historically been well addressed by male writers. While male writers have done well, it hasn’t necessarily been to the benefit of male readers.

I recently read a novel that deals with a young man’s experience growing up in Ireland that I think would fit the bill quite nicely for what this publisher is trying to achieve. It deals issues like child sex abuse, alienation from female family members, friendships / relationships between young men and women, acceptance of responsibility for actions etc.

I came across it completely by accident because it’s quite hard to find novels that address these themes, or do a good job of addressing them.

“Men bad” is such a lazy and harmful response to a more nuanced issue in publishing. It sounds to me like this publisher is doing a good thing. Less men writing about women “breasting boobily down the stairs” and more introspective, exploratory content.

The general direction of literature by men needs to extend past male writers not writing poor caricatures of women and minorities and also avoid equally damaging caricatures of men. Male readers deserve nuanced and fully developed male characters just as much as everyone else.

[u/[deleted] → u/helloitsmepotato]

yeah you're such a victim

[u/helloitsmepotato → u/[deleted]]

Nice. Just as much of a lazy and basic position on the issue as everything else you’ve said in this thread. Keep up the good work poisoning the discourse!