Queer Spec Fic Conversations
Queer Spec Fic Conversations explores speculative fiction publishing through a queer, social justice lens. It’s for authors and industry professionals committed to building thoughtful, lasting careers in SFF publishing.
Besides chatting about great books, it's also about how to sustain creative work in ways that prioritize care, relationship-building, and long-term artistic practice over the relentless grind of capitalism, tech-bro disruption narratives, and AI hype.
Season 2 runs monthly through May 2026. Subscribe and join the conversation.
Queer Spec Fic Conversations
Inclusive Language and Nonbinary Gender Outside the Anglosphere
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In today's ep I'm chatting with Vesna Kurilic of Shtriga Books again!
Today we discuss inclusive language and nonbinary gender in Croatian language and fiction. We explore how culturally specific the discussions around conscious and inclusive language are, and what challenges other contexts face with different approaches toward languages.
Then we get onto grammar. In Croatian, which has three grammatical genders, you flag the speaker's gender much more often than in English. We explore what this means for getting your head around nonbinary pronouns, and what that means for Croatian spec fic!
Shtriga Books: https://shtriga.com
Milena Benini: https://www.croatian-literature.hr/zzindex_sing.php?tekst_id=609&menu_id=1
Queer-owned business. AI-free editing and consulting. Conscious language advocate.
💎Book an editorial assessment: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com/book-an-editorial-assessment
🌈Second World Editorial: Speculative fiction editing and writing: https://www.secondworldeditorial.com
🎓The Narrative Craft: Cultural anthropology developmental editing and consultancy: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/
💎Need a transcript? Here you go: https://thefreelancer.buzzsprout.com/
🥰 Check out my fiction newsletter for stories, opinions, and tips on how to survive publishing without exploiting yourself or others: https://thenarrativecraft.kit.com/e8debf1dd5
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