2015 is an exciting time for LGBT fiction. Gone are the days when the LGBT community had to make do with being represented as the token lesbian/gay/bi/trans friend. Instead the community is being reflected more realistically and LGBT people are written as fully evolved characters who lead full, exciting lives. They fall in love, they get married, they have kids – they are just like everyone else!
To learn more about the evolution of LGBT fiction and discover what best selling lesbian author Clare Lydon had to say on the topic in my recent interview, keep reading…
It wasn’t too long ago that LGBT fiction was seen as somewhat of a taboo. Publishers steered clear of signing authors who wrote this genre and booksellers were just as reluctant to stock them. Any books that were fortunate enough to see the light of day were more often than not banished to the deepest recesses and darkest corners of bookshops.
Thankfully, times have changed since then. Modern attitudes and political activism have helped to give the LGBT community a stronger presence and as a result businesses have reflected this. Nowadays mainstream booksellers are more inclusive with their book titles and a limited selection of LGBT fiction can be seen sitting on shelves beside their counterparts.
The greatest shift in LGBT fiction however, can be seen online. With websites such as Amazon offering hundreds if not thousands of LGBT books for sale, it’s easy for anyone to snap up a book from the vast selection. Whether you’re into thrillers, horror, romance or maybe sci-fi, there’s something available for everyone.
Much of this success can be attributed to the increasing popularity of indie authors who are picking up their pens (or tapping away on their keyboards!) to write their stories without any outside restrictions. With no one censoring their work, they are creating spell binding worlds that are drawing readers in.
Best selling lesbian author Clare Lydon is one such person. Debuting with her novel London Calling in 2014, she has since gone on to publish two further titles.
When I had the privilege to ask Clare about her views on LGBT fiction and her journey to success, she gave me these answers.
Is LGBT fiction important?
LGBT fiction is hugely important, as it’s paramount that we see our lives embedded in the books we read, as well as the films and television we watch. Stories of LGBT lives are all around us, so our fictional worlds need to soak that in and reflect it back. In the past, this was only done in a negative way and characters only ever encountered sorrow and heartbreak. These days, with the rise of LGBT fiction, LGBT characters are doing all sorts of jobs and leading happy, healthy lives.
Why do you think LGBT fiction has grown in popularity?
I think there was a huge gap in the market beforehand – publishers were scared to publish, and what they did publish towed a certain line. However, with the rise of ebooks and the ability for anybody to tell their stories, the democracy of fiction has spoken and it’s asking for more stories, constantly! The gap has been flooded.
Do you feel that indie authors have contributed to this rise in popularity?
Absolutely – and it’s not just authors who’ve never been published traditionally before – there are a lot of trad-published authors now going indie and enjoying the control they have over their career. Prior to the rise of ebooks, LGBT publishers had shrunk hugely in number, but now, you don’t need them to get your voice heard. You just need the courage to do it yourself.
Indie authors once had a bad name, but I hope that’s changing, as we’re producing some great books that people are buying and enjoying. You buy independently produced craft beer, artisan foods from small producers and indie music, so why not indie books?
Once your first manuscript was completed, did you approach publishers or was the plan always to self publish?
The main players for the lesbian fiction market are all US-based, so I did approach them first with a view to publishing my first novel, London Calling. It was rejected. But then I went to LFestive and met UK indie authors Angela Peach, Kiki Archer and Clare Ashton and they convinced me to publish independently and gave me loads of great help and advice. It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m still learning every day, but it’s also been hugely satisfying and enjoyable.
When you self publish your novel you are in control of everything from the first idea to the finished product. There is not only the story to consider but also editing, marketing and a book cover. How do you navigate this?
It’s daunting at first. However, the key things to concentrate on are making your book the best it can be and having a great cover – if you don’t get those right, it doesn’t matter what else you do. You need a solid, entertaining book to offer people.
So get a designer to do your cover, and get an editor to edit your book – you can’t do it alone, believe me! I also have a team of readers to read various drafts of my books and give me feedback. I’m lucky, I used to work in magazine publishing, so I know a lot of people who can help. I also have a friend who typesets my books too, and another who does my book trailers. After that, you need a marketing plan to get reviews and coverage and I’m also looking into advertising too.
It’s great having such massive control over your work, but it also means it’s a huge amount of work and you have to be ready for it. You will make mistakes, but you learn as you go.
Have you approached bookshops in regards to them stocking your books? If so, have there been any obstacles that you have come up against?
Gay’s The Word in London stock all my books and have been happy to do so from the start. I have got my books in a few other stores, but bookshops are generally a bit sniffy when it comes to accepting indie authors. I think that might change in the future as indie authors become more mainstream, and the other thing to do is to frequent the store and get to know the owner – then they’re far more likely to stock you!
Do you feel there is enough LGBT fiction available to buy in UK bookshops on the high street?
The short answer is no. There are hardly any gay bookstores anymore, and LGBT sections in high street stores are almost non-existent. I don’t see that changing as I think the days of bookstores are numbered. However, the choice online is immense, whether on Kindle, Kobo, iTunes or Nook, and even on free platforms like Wattpad.
Finally, do you read LGBT fiction yourself?
I do – I’ve always been a fan. I loved reading novels with LGBT characters in them by the likes of Patrick Gale, Jeanette Winterson and Emma Donohue. But then I discovered lesbian romance (the genre I write in) and fell in love with it – my gateway authors were the likes of Georgia Beers and Gerri Hill. When I decided to have a go myself, my aim was to write heart-warming romances packed with British wit – I hope I achieved this with all my books.
Clare Lydon’s latest novel, This London Love, is out now. Her previous two books are London Calling and The Long Weekend. Find out more at www.clarelydon.co.uk or follow her on Twitter: @clarelydon