There’s an interesting meme going around based on Sandra McDonald’s periodic table of women in science fiction. At Wiscon this weekend, an audience member asked if women weren’t writing hard SF. I said that they were, but since I hadn’t done my homework couldn’t come up with a good list. My feeling is that fairly few new writers are doing hard SF in novel form in general.
But, behold! Sandra McDonald has put together a partial list of women in SF over the last 75 years.
On to the meme…
Bold the women by whom you own books Italicize those by whom you’ve read something of (short stories count) *Star those you don’t recognize
Andre Norton C. L. Moore Evangeline Walton* Leigh Brackett* Judith Merril* Joanna Russ* Margaret St. Clair* Katherine MacLean* Carol Emshwiller Marion Zimmer Bradley Zenna Henderson* Madeline L’Engle Angela Carter Ursula LeGuin Anne McCaffrey Diana Wynne Jones Kit Reed James Tiptree, Jr. Rachel Pollack Jane Yolen Marta Randall* Eleanor Arnason Ellen Asher Patricia A. McKillip Suzy McKee Charnas* Lisa Tuttle Nina Kiriki HoffmanTanith Lee Pamela Sargent Jayge Carr* Vonda McIntyre Octavia E. Butler Kate Wilhelm Chelsea Quinn Yarbro* Sheila Finch Mary Gentle* Jessica Amanda Salmonson* C. J. Cherryh Joan D. Vinge Teresa Nielsen Hayden Ellen Kushner Ellen Datlow Nancy Kress Pat Murphy Lisa Goldstein* Elizabeth Ann Scarborough Mary Turzillo Connie Willis Barbara Hambly Nancy Holder* Sheri S. Tepper Melissa Scott* Margaret Atwood Lois McMaster Bujold Jeanne Cavelos Karen Joy Fowler Leigh Kennedy Judith Moffett Rebecca Ore Emma Bull Pat Cadigan Kathyrn Cramer Laura Mixon Eileen Gunn Elizabeth Hand Kij Johnson Delia Sherman Elizabeth Moon Michaela Roessner Terri Windling Sharon Lee Sherwood Smith Katherine Kurtz Margo Lanagan Laura Resnick Kristine Kathryn Rusch Sheila Williams Farah Mendlesohn Gwyneth Jones Ardath Mayhar Esther Friesner Debra Doyle Nicola Griffith Amy Thomson Martha Wells* Catherine Asaro Kate Elliott Kathleen Ann Goonan Shawna McCarthy Caitlin Kiernan Maureen McHugh Cheryl Morgan Nisi Shawl Mary Doria Russell Kage Baker Kelly Link Nancy Springer* J. K. Rowling Nalo Hopkinson Ellen Klages Tanarive Due* M. Rickert Theodora Goss Mary Anne Mohanraj S. L. Viehl* Jo Walton Kristine Smith Deborah Layne Cherie Priest Wen Spencer K. J. Bishop Catherynne M. Valente Elizabeth Bear Ekaterina Sedia Naomi Novik Mary Robinette Kowal Ann VanderMeer
I’m willing to bet that I’ve read fiction by several of the people that I’ve starred. It’s hard to track short fiction down sometimes.
How about you?
