Comments on: Male or Female-Who’s Reading and Who’s Writing?

By: Etta Wilson

Etta Wilson — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:45:27 +0000

KC, you are wise to weave things for boys into your writing since research tells us that girls will read stories for boys but not vice versa. That troubles me a little and I don’t know that it’s true across all age levels.

By: KC Frantzen

KC Frantzen — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:17:56 +0000

Someone of either gender has to be kinda crazy to read Hitchhiker’s, but then, I enjoyed the entire series. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish – what a hoot!

Glad to hear that boys are reading and writing about it too.

You truly enjoyed judging this didn’t you?!

When I taught, it was at a small private school. My class had 13 boys and 2 girls. Fortunately for me, no fights.

Do love my boys! I am purposely weaving things into the story for boys to enjoy as well as girls.

We’ll see how it goes, yes?

Rebekah, thanks for the tip on Raising Cane – will check that out.

Stay warm – the snow has begun in middle TN!

By: Etta Wilson

Etta Wilson — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:49:17 +0000

Kate, I remember a fight between two girls in my 6th grade class years ago. It was a doozy and so true to your analysis.
etta

By: LeAnne Hardy

LeAnne Hardy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:31:53 +0000

Etta, I love the idea that a future John Grisham might be reading my words.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:08:47 +0000

(OH, the best villain of all time for me is Kate in East of Eden. Oh and if you’ve ever broken up a fight….if it is two girls going at it….just let them finish each other off. By the time a female engages all reason is gone!)

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:06:39 +0000

I love boys! When I taught school I slowly became the 7th grade teacher who got the “boys” placed with me. Moms of boys would request me. When I was younger and babysat, I always enjoyed the boys more, and now I’m a mom of three boys! It is a boy world I live in.

I love your observations because often girls do better in writing than boys, or at least this is what we see happen in school settings. But there is a direct correlation between boys succeeding in classrooms that allow boys to be boys vs. classrooms that are a bit more traditional in style of teaching. This is something to remember when writing for boys.

I’m sure you’ve read Raising Cane. Anyone who wants to understand boys should read this book.

By: Etta Wilson

Etta Wilson — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:55:17 +0000

Cat, your “well-rounded characters of all kinds” comment set me thinking about different genres and whether the villain is more often a male than a female. Determining that would make an interesting master’s thesis.
Etta

By: Cat Woods

Cat Woods — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:37:01 +0000

Thanks for the informative breakdown. I have four kids–three boys. Their tastes vary so differently that I have learned not to make any assumptions about my future readers other than to provide them the best writing I can.

And that means writing to and for boys with well rounded characters of all kinds!