In the fantasy genre, a divide exists. Fantasy stories are ether for boys or girls (usually depending on who the protagonist is). I've been looking closely at what agents and publishers are looking for (not that it matters, I'm going to tell the stories that I have in me. I'm not a mercenary and I'm not sure I could ever be). There are a lot of requests for strong female characters.
From what I've read, there are more female than male fantasy readers, and they want different things from their books. Mostly because they are interested in different characters.
Neil Gaiman talked about this in Sandman: A Game of You.
Little boys have fantasies in which they are smarter, or faster, or able to fly...Little girls, on the other hand, have different fantasies. Their parents are not their parents. Their lives are not their lives. They are princesses...from distant lands.
I would say I write more for boys. Not intentionally, but I write the stories I would have loved to read as a younger guy (and still would). So, my potential audience is shrinking. That's okay. I believe in me.
Interestingly, even though fantasy novels for females are more popular, male fantasy is what they make into movies. I don't read Laurel K. Hamilton, but I know she is rather popular with the ladies. IFC is making an Anita Blake show, and the press release said it was geared for males 19-32. Uh. What?
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