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clf
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When I posted my first story version it began with a battle scene. About half of my YWO reviewers suggested I start the story before the battle. I revised and came up with two different versions. I posted the version with the battle as the alternate beginning. Both stories have scored nearly equally, only one slot apart on the charts. Here's the rub, there is definately a noticable trend developing. Men prefer the version with the battle opening, while women prefer the other. I has hoping to eliminate one, but now the preferences seem gender based and I'm unsure just which way to go. Now what do I do? Any thoughts? clf 
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eilidh
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I wanted to take a look and I will. I may have trouble with my English (can't help you there. lol.) Actually you can read from the way someone is posting whether it's a she or a he. Sex scenes are very telling also. So maybe you publish two books? The new idea!  Edited: FWIW, I took a look and I must say the battle scene is the stonger opening IMHO. Why? Because you have it all there: A protagonist and his conflict. Will have a closer look tomorrow. 
This post was last edited by eilidh, 19 Jan 2008, 03:21
Keep writing.
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clf
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Thanks eilidh, both beginnings have their merits, maybe it's just personal preference, some like their stories to build slowly, while others prefer to get pulled right in from the start. clf 
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altguy3
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Quote: clf, Saturday, 19 Jan 2008 00:58When I posted my first story version it began with a battle scene. About half of my YWO reviewers suggested I start the story before the battle. I revised and came up with two different versions. I posted the version with the battle as the alternate beginning. Both stories have scored nearly equally, only one slot apart on the charts. Here's the rub, there is definately a noticable trend developing. Men prefer the version with the battle opening, while women prefer the other. I has hoping to eliminate one, but now the preferences seem gender based and I'm unsure just which way to go. Now what do I do? Any thoughts? clf It might be worth bearing in mind that 2/3 of all books are purchased by women (at least in the UK). What you do shld also be influenced by who you see your core readership as. If it's a book that eventually will be marketed at men, then go with the more 'masculine' opening.
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jaywhat
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Not too sure about any of this. Some times you feel you know the gender of a writer, but IMO it is not necessarily correct and in any case is it so relevant ? As for gender bias in reading taste - too many assumptions being made here, surely.
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colette
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Quote: jaywhat, Thursday, 3 Jul 2008 05:31Not too sure about any of this. Some times you feel you know the gender of a writer, but IMO it is not necessarily correct and in any case is it so relevant ? As for gender bias in reading taste - too many assumptions being made here, surely. Of course Jaywhat is right. You cannot start imagining that you must choose whether to please women reviewers or male reviewers. And to be honest I also think you are making too many assumptions. The thing is, you should listen carefully to feedback but you are not writing a book by comittee. You have to write the book YOU want to write. You can't go chopping and changing to suit others. You have to have faith in your storytelling. But saying that, do listen carefully to what your readers have said. If you put your battle scene first and reviewers thought you should have a bit of preamble before it, it may well be that, it is nothing to do with the gender of the reviewers but simply that your battle scene could be written better? Remember that novels are about characters - maybe your focus shifts a little? Have you got the structure of your novel exactly as you want it? I think sometimes a review has to be pondered on for a while and you might find that a direct comment about moving info around has more to do with the way the info is presented than the structure itself. But the moment you start worrying about gender is the moment you start misreading your crits (imho).
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sophiemp
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Colette is right. The only reader you really have to please is yourself.
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JDSmith
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Have a look at the Pro Crit of The Emperor's Elephant (Catigula).
JD
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I've Noticed a Trend
19 Jan 2008, 00:58
