Making Light:  Open Thread 36 ::: February 07, 2005, 06:48 PM

Bruce Durocher II:

  I heard a report this week on "This American Life" which involved
  a convention for romance writers and on romance writing....
  The reporter made a small fuss over how everyone there was so
  supportive, and how the high proportion of women in the field must
  be a big part of the reason.

I thought the reporter or interviewee also attributed this to the
high demand for romance novels.  Anyway, I was a little suspicious of
the whole "romance publishers are so much more supportive than other
houses" bit.  It sounds too much like the publishing myths we see
about how you need an agent/lying cover letter/bribe to get published
by a traditional publisher.

The antithesis used in contrast to the openness of romance publishers
was Doubleday.  Does anyone know if they have a particularly
impermeable transom?

My hypothesis for the abundance of support and cameraderie is that
this was a convention, which has at least two effects.  First, the
writers and editors have more pleasant concerns than the usual empty
mailbox and towering slush pile, respectively.  Second, they are
face-to-face, where each will better enjoy conversational topics
other than the evils of the other.