PC Monsters of Genre: Collect Them All!
A week or two back, someone started a Twitter account called SFWA Fascists, dedicated to attacking the “screeching feminist witches” who are destroying the natural order — not to mention RUINING science fiction and fantasy — in the name of their twisted PC ideology.
The account itself is mostly spittle and flailing, but the creators also posted a list of the PC Monsters of SFWA (which they then renamed PC C**ts of SFWA, because I guess Monsters was too classy). These are the people deemed to be “immoral, vicious, manipulative snakes.”
DL Thurston has a copy of the list here.
Interestingly enough, people on the SFWA Fascist Enemies List reported suddenly gaining new followers, some as many as 50 to 100 in a few days.
Watching people use this list as a suggestion for “Who to follow on Twitter” made me happy. And because I was putting off working on the book one afternoon, I decided it would be fun to create PC Monster of Genre cards to go with it. (Note: All of these were made with the permission and blessing of the subjects.)
I started with myself, to celebrate my inclusion on the list. As of today, I’ve done cards for 7 of the 16 list members.
I’ve been asked about turning this into a Kickstarter to produce actual, printed cards, with the profits going to a good cause, one that would continue to DESTROY THE GENRE with all of that PC dogma of inclusiveness and treating people like human beings.
I love the idea, but I don’t know yet whether or not it will happen. For starters, I’m also writing two novels and potentially doing an additional project. I’d also need to figure out artwork rights, logistics, and so on. Right now, I’m doing this because it amuses me, and it lets me promote some authors I think deserve more attention.
For the future, we’ll see what happens. And in the meantime, I hope the cards bring a few laughs.
Clay Dowling
July 16, 2013 @ 9:44 am
I missed Laura’s card. Honestly I would like to see more romance authors writing fantasy. When romance rears its ugly head in fantasy or science fiction, it can feel very awkward and uncomfortable. In Laura’s books, it feels natural, and I’m cheering for the romance to work. While Laura’s awesomeness as an author is undisputed, I think this particular awesomeness comes from the fact that she’s been over this ground before.
Jim C. Hines
July 16, 2013 @ 9:49 am
Agreed. I learned a fair amount reading a romance novel by a friend of mine.
As a general rule, I think it’s a great idea for authors to read outside of their genre, and to do so as broadly as possible.
Leane
July 16, 2013 @ 10:20 am
Your link to DL Thurston’s copy of the list doesn’t work for me. Is it just me?
Jim C. Hines
July 16, 2013 @ 10:28 am
Hm … it’s coming up for me. For some reason, linking to Twitter Lists seems to be a hit-or-miss thing.
Bryn
July 16, 2013 @ 11:08 am
Thank you so much for adding to my “authors I need to read/read more of” list! See? Even rabid weasels can contribute to the cause of Good and Right. 😉 Love the cards, but the thought of John Scalzi singing Journey songs will likely give me nightmares.
The Twitter list is coming up fine for me–are you on a work computer, Leane? If so, all things Twitter might be blocked for you.
Leane
July 16, 2013 @ 11:15 am
Testing… Huh. It seems to just be a problem when I try to view it through my iPad. It comes up fine on my computer. So, it’s just me. 🙂
Laura Resnick
July 16, 2013 @ 11:47 am
(Oops. Well, THAT was devastatingly witty of me. Let’s try this again.)
Thanks, Clay! (beam)
I’ve been asked a number of times over the years why I started out in romance. It was partly because I thought it made more sense to try to break into publishing in a genre where my gender was not a drawback (being a woman was the norm in romance, rather than being a snidely dismissed or openly resented minority funk), and partly because I was a kid in my early twenties who’d never tried writing before–and of all the many possibilities for writing a novel, writing a short one about two likable people in a familiar setting who fall in love seemed like something I might be able to do.
I’m also always asked why I switched to fantasy. Partly, it was opportunity–Marty Greenberg, the legendary anthologist to whom my father introduced me after I’d sold my first 8 romance novels, bought so many sf/f short stories from me that I wound up winning the Campbell Award and getting asked often when I was going to write an sf/f novel–and since this is how I make my full-time, self-supporting living, I am never Too Proud to consider a professional opportunity. And partly it’s because I wasn’t well-suited to the romance genre and needed to move on. Fantasy attracted me because, given my druthers, my genre would he “High Adventure.” But there wasn’t a section of the bookstore marked “High Aventure,” so I looked around for the genre which DID have its own handy marketing niche in which I could write high adventure. Fantasy was a very good choice for this, and so the genre became my new home.
I don’t talk much about my romance career to fantasy people, because it was apparent to me early on that many sf/f readers (and more than a few sf/f writers) revile romance. When IN LEGEND BORN came out–my first fantasy novel, a big guts-and-glory sword-slinging epic of love, loyalty, duty, warfare, honor, and betrayal–I got letters from people saying things like, “I’m glad I didn’t know until after I read this book that you were a romance writer, because I wouldn’t have picked it up!”
Lesson learned. (UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!) I certainly don’t -hide- Laura Leone (my romance-genre name) from people in fantasy (she’s right there on my website, after, and usually right there in the bios I provide to blogs and cons), but I keep that part of my career low-key around sf/f types.
But while I recognize the attitude, it’s not one that I understand or share. I don’t particularly care what genre a book is. As a writer who needs to make a living, I recognize the marketing and audience-building aspects of genre and work with them. But as a reader, all I care about is: a good story, well told. Does the book I’m reading enthrall me, absorb me, entertain me, and keep me coming back for re-reads over the years? As a writer, does the book I send out into the world make readers stay up too late at night reading and then go buy my next one right away?
THAT’S what matters to me–not what genre a book is in. There are individual stories or authors who fulfill what I’m looking for in a novel, not a particular genre that fulfills it. So genre is mostly irrelevant to me. The story, the characters, the voice, the writing–these are what matter to me. And I feel that audience I’m writing for is not the “fantasy” audience (or the “romance” audience), but rather the audience who are attracted to my stories, my characters, my voice, my writing.
lkeke35
July 16, 2013 @ 11:49 am
These are all authors whose books I’ve read and enjoyed and Mr. Ahmed’s book made mt top ten list last year.
I love the cards and I will be going right to Myke Cole’s and Laura Resnick’s blogs.
Laura Resnick
July 16, 2013 @ 11:50 am
Love the cards. 🙂
Would be a great charity-auction item.
But I definitely understand about the “too busy” part.
(And I am AMAZED at the time these trolls have for pursuing pure bullshit. Evidently they’re all living in their parents’ basements, not working, and not going to school. It’s the only explanation I can think of for the acres and acres of time they’re able to waste on their constant and idiotic fact-free spew and attacks online. But, alas, some of us actually have writing careers to pursue and households to support, so we have to focus on that rather than on these tedious antics. DARN.)
Ryan Consell
July 16, 2013 @ 11:52 am
Someday I, too, hope to be worthy of such a card.
Keep being awesome,
Ryan
Ryan Consell
July 16, 2013 @ 12:17 pm
If only it were true. Too many of them are trolling on company time. With the internet on phones, insipid bile can be broadcast from anywhere.
Rebecca Stefoff
July 16, 2013 @ 12:44 pm
Hilarious and smart. Thanks for the link to Thurston’s copy of the list. I promptly used it to follow everyone I wasn’t already following.
Post-vacation link roundup | angelahighland.com
July 16, 2013 @ 1:00 pm
[…] And the maddest of mad props to Mr. Hines, who, being awesome, has responded beautifully. […]
Steve Buchheit
July 16, 2013 @ 1:19 pm
Okay, but if you do go through kickstarter, I think you (or whomever) should make it into a card game.
Laura Resnick
July 16, 2013 @ 1:22 pm
Seriously??? Online, these do not come across as people who could have jobs or earn a living.
AMPillsworth
July 16, 2013 @ 1:32 pm
You forgot to include how your +10 Wit knocks trolls off their horny feet and onto their scabrous butts. Very useful skill, that.
Ryan Consell
July 16, 2013 @ 1:32 pm
Oh yes. Are you not familiar with John Gabriel’s greater internet fuckwad theory?
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
Also, you overestimate the actual requirements for employment. These people can operate keyboards. That’s the equivalent of passing the Bar in some industries.
Phil Mervis
July 16, 2013 @ 1:34 pm
*gasps* Romance in Science Fiction?!?!?
I really liked Linnea Sinclair’s books. 🙂
Leane
July 16, 2013 @ 1:40 pm
Could have it be the simplest game of all – the game of War. Scalzi would have to be an Ace.
Jason Burnett
July 16, 2013 @ 2:09 pm
These cards are awesome! And you can put me down as another person who used this list as a list of people to follow on Twitter.
Ryan Consell
July 16, 2013 @ 2:13 pm
Does anybody have the collection of twitter handles handy for a #followfriday tweet?
Avilyn
July 16, 2013 @ 2:34 pm
A few quick thoughts:
1) Those are really funny & creative
2) I would totally support a kickstarter for those such as you describe
3) I have a bunch of new authors to check out, thanks!
Jason Burnett
July 16, 2013 @ 2:44 pm
They’re right here: https://twitter.com/DL_Thurston/doing-something-right/members
Ryan Consell
July 16, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
Thanks! You’re a hero.
Wendy
July 16, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
I confess – I clicked through the “SFWA Fascists” list going “ooh – more cool people to follow!”
Jimmy
July 16, 2013 @ 3:00 pm
Really cool I dig the cards. But Mr. Hines should be way more then level 4.
kimberlycreates
July 16, 2013 @ 3:22 pm
If you do go the kickstarter route, I will totally back this! Thank you, Jim.
Jason Burnett
July 16, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
All I did was copy the link! 😉 BTW, I just followed you on twitter.
Erica
July 16, 2013 @ 3:40 pm
I love the cards. Sometimes humor is the best response 🙂
And I also used that site to find more people to follow on twitter. Notice the site is gone now, so maybe it’s, ahem, owner realized it wasn’t having the desired effect?
Laura Resnick
July 16, 2013 @ 3:48 pm
I think it’s probably gone because I filed a complaint with Twitter, which investigated. Call me a PC-monster-fascist-snake-witch and I shrug.
But call me a “c*nt,” and I think, “Hey, I’ll bet that violates the code-of-conduct standards of the professional internet business on which you’re posting, and thus you’ve probably just handed me the means to get you off my radar, you tedious little cockroach.”
Jason Burnett
July 16, 2013 @ 4:09 pm
You are awesome!
Sally
July 16, 2013 @ 4:23 pm
I think my favorite details here are the little green critter with NKJ, and the “Wait, why isn’t he on OUR side?” for Cole.
Shawn R
July 16, 2013 @ 5:30 pm
Entertainingly enough, I read all over genres, starting in mystery during grade school, shifting to SF/F as a tween, and only in my 30’s moving over to romance. I’ve found joy in reading horror, high adventure stuff, thrillers, and stuff that isn’t easily placed in any particular genre. But when I started reading romance novels, once I found fabulous story tellers in that genre, I realized I loved romance because of the focus on the character interactions and the love stories. That’s what I’ve enjoyed the most in ALL of my reading, regardless of genre. It was as if romance distilled the stuff I loved the most.
And you know, most SF/F has that character interaction. Most SF/F that I read usually had a love story. There were some writers who did it better than others, but it was routinely present. So why the hate for the romance genre? Love stories are powerful, they motivate people to move mountains & risk incredible odds, so why are people so dismissive of them as the primary focus of a story as opposed to a co-primary, or a secondary? (I know, whole different topic …)
I still read all over the genre spectra. I look for awesome stories told by amazing writers. I have always been delighted to discover that a favored author writes in a different genre than the one in which I first discovered them.
Laura, I’ve enjoyed your cross genre work!
And I’ve never understood the mindset that spits on an author for writing in different genres, or that spits on reading outside of one particular genre. There’s awesome stuff out there, all over the place. When I can’t find the story I’m looking for in one genre, it’s a huge relief to know I can just wander around the bookstore, be it brick & mortar or electronic, & maybe I’ll find what I’m in the mood for somewhere else.
Laura Resnick
July 16, 2013 @ 6:21 pm
Actually, I’m boringly pragmatic. I just see no point in enduring such idiocy. I don’t find it amusing. Just tedious and pointlessly distracting.
And kudos to Jim for coming up with something amusing in reaction to that garbage!
Ian Osmond
July 16, 2013 @ 7:15 pm
Are we sure that Jonathan Coulton isn’t Saladin Ahmed’s evil twin? Actually, odds are that they’re BOTH the evil twin. We all know that one twin is always evil, but that doesn’t mean that the other one isn’t evil, too.
Jim C. Hines
July 16, 2013 @ 7:19 pm
::Shocked and Dramatic Gasp::
Jim C. Hines
July 16, 2013 @ 7:19 pm
Myke wrote that line for the card 🙂
Chris
July 16, 2013 @ 7:23 pm
I love that you mentioned the JoCo thing, because that was absolutely the first thing I thought when I saw Saladin Ahmed 😀
Eric Francis
July 16, 2013 @ 7:25 pm
Sir,
As a member of the straight white male oppressor class, I salute you and commend your actions! Also, I laughed my freaking head off.
In awe,
Eric
James Cheatham
July 16, 2013 @ 9:53 pm
The cards are neat, but I don’t follow twitter so, I’d need more of the cards to figure out who I need to look into for reading material.
Now this statement: ” dedicated to attacking the “screeching feminist witches” who are destroying the natural order — not to mention RUINING science fiction and fantasy — in the name of their twisted PC ideology.”
Is there a “natural order” in Science Fiction or Fantasy? I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea, but given the previous thread I’m assuming they’re talking about being allowed to sexually harass people and get away with it? IT’s always seemed to me that if there was a natural order it was up to the author as to what it was in his storyline, but in the real world you are supposed to behave according to the natural rules of society which says such behavior is unacceptable.
Nina
July 16, 2013 @ 10:26 pm
Love this, Jim, but I’m dying to know – what are N.K. Jemisin’s level and class? Having read (and been blown away by) her first series, seems like her level ought to very high!
Jeff Linder
July 16, 2013 @ 11:16 pm
Not sure if we need a kickstarter. There has got to be a small card gaming company that would produce a bunch of sets in return for a little publicity.
That just leaves any art issues (and the current cards all appear to be photos of the participants so that shouldn’t be a huge issue.
We can put them up on Bidding for Good and I’ll even volunteer to handle all the shipping at cost…
SunflowerP
July 16, 2013 @ 11:44 pm
I am highly amused (especially by the ‘biter bit’ aspect, but the cards are funny just in the overall context of certain recent events), and I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the cards, if and when your time and the subjects’ permission allow.
Black Gate » Blog Archive » Board Game Review: Forbidden Island
July 17, 2013 @ 12:06 am
[…] Wil Wheaton’s TableTop which included acclaimed science fiction author (and recently-dubbed PC Monster of Genre) John […]
Jessica Rydill
July 17, 2013 @ 7:37 am
Splendid. Highlights the sheer silliness (if not insanity) of the other side’s approach. They have completely lost their marbles.
David Breslin
July 17, 2013 @ 8:04 am
You see this a lot in music, where most listeners regard any genre they’re not into themselves as completely irredeemable trash intended for idiots. Musicians themselves are a bit more broadminded, which can lead to confusion when someone learns that their favourite death-metal bass player actually started out in a disco band (or vice versa).
Pam Adams
July 17, 2013 @ 9:09 am
and when there is a section in the bookstore labeled ‘High Adventure,’ I for one, will buy lots of books there. Hmmm- I feel a sudden need to re-read The Prisoner of Zenda.
Stephen A. Watkins
July 17, 2013 @ 10:11 am
Oh man. This is made of WIN.
I’ll have to check the rest of the list of 16 people, but I’m pretty sure I already follow all of these people on Twitter. 🙂
Clay Dowling
July 17, 2013 @ 10:21 am
I completely understand the genre marketing issue. I don’t go browsing down the romance aisle, even though there are good writers there. But when I have read Nora Roberts, I’m amazed at what an excellent writer she is. Usually when I go outside of my normal genres though I do it because of a recommendation from somebody I trust. In fact I found the excellent Fashion Avenue Mysteries because of your recommendation.
Laura Resnick
July 17, 2013 @ 11:00 am
🙂
exclusion | Crime and the Blog of Evil
July 17, 2013 @ 11:39 am
[…] – or mostly men – they’ll react against that, in ways small and large, and weird, with enemies lists, harassment, and in the largest cases, […]
Sally
July 17, 2013 @ 10:19 pm
Pretty sure people have said that about him behind his back. Or, knowing idiots, to his face.
Stefan
July 18, 2013 @ 4:31 am
Awesome! These go all straight into my Magic The Gathering Deck.
What, that’s against the rules you say? Well I PLAY BY MY OWN RULES *obligatory maniacal laughter!
Great idea to counter the venom these people spew.
Props to you Jim and company!
AmyCat (Book Universe)
July 18, 2013 @ 4:40 am
As a bookseller specializing in SF/F, I don’t think “romance” = “Unclean!” (as you so amusingly put it). OTOH, I’ve become wary of crossovers where the author has no SF/F “chops”: writers who’ve churned out dozens of Harlequins with the usual gender-stereotyped characters, and have clearly been told by an agent or editor that “That ‘Paranormal’ sh!t is really HOT now: make your next hero a Vampire!”.
I’m also old enough to recall the “Western in SPACE” pulp stuff that flooded SF after “Star Wars”, and the post-“Twilight” flood of “Romance With Urban-Fantasy Trappings” feels very similar, and includes a ton of crap. Despite this, there are exceptions to every rule; a blanket condemnation of “Westerns in Space” would mean you miss “Firefly”, for example… 🙂
I’d definitely want to stock copies of the “PC Monsters” card-set… and get my own and geekily go around cons collecting autographs on ’em!
AmyCat (Book Universe)
July 18, 2013 @ 4:44 am
Cool! (I was already Following half of them…)
AmyCat (Book Universe)
July 18, 2013 @ 4:45 am
Yep. If we’re doing Suits, and Scalzi’s an Ace, Hines should be as well.
AmyCat (Book Universe)
July 18, 2013 @ 4:48 am
If you print these cards, I’ll want to order a bunch to sell at cons!
AmyCat (Book Universe)
July 18, 2013 @ 4:50 am
One thing to change on the art before going to press: The Scalzi orc should be wielding a War-Hammer (“Mallet”) instead of a Battle-Axe… 🙂
Will
July 18, 2013 @ 8:59 am
Mr hines, i love your work and when i read this i thought of an indiegogo campain. unfortunatly it’s almost over – you may have heard of it already , and would just like to say i understand you don’t want people putting links to random .. rubbish on your blog so i’ll try to keep it brief and on topic . http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pact-professional-artist-client-toolkit . i prefer kickstarter but see something interesting on indiegogo once in a while. I really hope you do decide to make these cards – and wonder if you may considor ‘farming’ the artwork out to proffesionals who might wish to contribute to this as a charity or public awareness piece. woude love to see some in the style of aaron diaz’z department of awareness. uh …. i said i would keep it short . sorry
Thankyou for all you have done. and keep doing it 🙂
Will
Stephen A. Watkins
July 19, 2013 @ 9:39 am
What’s funny is: I think you could totally do this.
As presented, they’re all free-to-play (no summoning cost) monsters. But their attack/defense value appears to be -/-! I would assume that means they can neither attack nor defend. You just play them and they sit there and look awesome on the table.
The Missing Link…spam (19 July 2013) | Geek Feminism Blog
July 19, 2013 @ 12:50 pm
[…] PC Monsters of Genre: Collect Them All! | Jim C. Hines: Sexist, racist homophobes make a Twitter list of people they hate. Jim C. Hines finds out. Epic win ensues. […]
Laura Resnick
July 19, 2013 @ 2:17 pm
AmyCat, I think that’s a good/bad books thing, rather than a genre thing. I mean, within any genre, there are always rampant bandwagon trends where publisher start snatching up and releasing anything that fits a certain hot-market-niche, until they overflood the market and then decide that trend is “dead.” Sometimes it happens in the space of a few months, sometimes it takes years. I could probably write 3000 words of trends I’ve survived as a romance writer and as a fantasy writer. (I remember beating off editorial demands in romance to write a “mystery baby” book when that was all the rage, and beating off editorial/agent demands to write 250K words when back treekillers were all the rage in fantasy. I remember wondering if I’d get another contract in fantasy when BDSM was all the rage in fantasy for a while, and thinking it was a good thing I wasn’t still writing romance when erotica became the only thing anyone could sell for while. And so on.)
Bandwagon trends do tend to produce a sea of books that don’t become anyone’s favorite novel. In every genre (including litfic).
On the plus side, such trends also make room for books that no one would buy before. I couldn’t sell my Esther Diamond series for -years- before urban fantasy finally became hot, and it’s the series I’ve always wanted to write.
Erica
July 21, 2013 @ 4:33 pm
Works for me 😀
And the cards are awesome.
Erica
July 21, 2013 @ 4:37 pm
To clarify, your response works for me, not the racist, sexist trolls. It really baffles me that people who write in a genre that’s supposed to be about imagining the future and/or worlds that are different from ours in some ways, object so much to other writers doing just that.
Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little
July 24, 2013 @ 12:36 am
OMG THIS IS AWESOME AND NOW I AM TWELVE WITH GLEE.
(Also, having *finally* finished reading Goblin Quest — picked up the trilogy omnibus recently, om-nom-nom — I can truly appreciate your blue-skinned and fanged alter-ego.)
We can do better | Simon McNeil
July 27, 2013 @ 5:08 pm
[…] of my favourite authors and “PC Monster” Saladin Ahmed shared this chart recently and I was a little bit […]