All of the winners of the New Writing Ventures awards this year were women. The chair of the judging committee had this odd comment:

“I think it’s harder for a fledgling male writer to establish themselves, because market forces are swayed towards women,” he suggested. “But in this case women produced the best writing, so perhaps men just need to wake up.” – via Guardian Unlimited

Is it really harder for a male writer to establish himself? I am sincerely asking. That sounds completely counterintuitive to me. But it could be true. Writing could be one of those fields dominated by women in numbers but with the power players at the top being men. Or, I could be talking out of my bottom.

At any rate, boo hoo, men. I don’t think years of sexism toward women makes any sexism toward men appropriate or fair. However, so damn what if all the winners are women? Is that significant somehow beyond it being unusual? Good writing is good writing, and if the judge is to be believed, the best writers won. The End.
–Marcia