Is it possible? Certainly, if your stories are peppered with obvious slanders against the female gender, or if the victims in your horror writing are women that are assaulted in a clearly misogynistic way. Since I doubt that is the case (as you would certainly recognize that in your own writing) I believe you are merely making an observation and applying a line of non-logical thinking. Let's say Editors Jane and Mary give you unprofessionally scathing rejections and Editors John and Bob let you down easy. All that can be said is that Jane and Mary gave you critical feedback that you interpretted to be a personal attack (remember, it may be just your perception). At worst, you can assume Jane and Mary behave this way to all writers. That they are related in the case of gender is not part of the equation, any more than if they both went to Yale, both drive hybrid SUVs, or both have three children.

I say examine your writing to see if you are portraying women and men differently. If you are, that may be the cause. If you aren't, then I feel you are - as your heading suggests - making too much of this.

EDIT: Chris you posted while I was writing. If this is a preference you share - or simply sense - have you figured out anyway to handle this?

Rob wrote: "I say examine your writing to see if you are portraying women and men differently. If you are, that may be the cause. If you aren't, then I feel you are - as your heading suggests - making too much of this"

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Rob I overlooked this line before. I was rather surprised by what it seems to imply. I respect your own success and value your advice. Are you really suggesting I *shouldn't* write male and female characters differently? Am I reading this wrong?

David, I see your points there.

Wow, Terry that's a rather generous offer. The easiest way to read something of mine is to scroll down to the Flashing Swords part of this board and read my stories in the last two issues. Ecspecially the one in #4 as it earned me my tag-line <g>

I will say that I do buy into your theory a tiny bit when it comes to reviewers; of either gender. I feel, as a general statement and not as an observation on any reviewer who has written about my stories, that many reviewers seem to feel they're not doing their job if they're not hunting for something bad to say.

On the editor part I just don't know. If I agree with you then I'm guilty of misogynistic perceptions by painting female editors with a broad paint brush of "insecurity" - so I wouldn't do it even if I did. However it seems to be giving my work a little too much credit to suggest it makes anyone feel insecure. The idea that being an editor at a magazine of big house might make anyone feel insecure I could buy into as a general statement. I just don't know if that *feels* like the answer to me.

I tend to write action. Okay, I only write action. More men seem to read and like action then women. As in Tom Clancy has more male readers while Danielle Steele has more female readers, ect. So I would expect a slight difference in reception. I don't know.

Perhaps as there are [as was pointed out] more female than male editors I simply caught six on a bad day. Since a writer gets more rejection than acceptance and there are more women than men making the yes/no call at magazines this is simply a statistical thing. Don't worry I won't judge all women on the planet by my personal rejection, lol. I'm still feeling gun-shy about female slush editors, though.

It still just shakes out funny when I look over my records.