Am I male?

Can you tell a writer's gender by analyzing their prose? According to the Gender Genie you can. By highlighting masculine and feminine keywords and applying this algorithm to the text, the Gender Genie makes a prediction as to the nature of the one who wrote the sample. Obviously, if you know what to write, you could skew it one way or the other. I promise,

My test:

Words: 1888
Male Score: 2161
Female Score: 1712

The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: male!

And so I am validated. This little toy/tool reminded me of an essay Neil Gaiman wrote a bit back, talking about how certain books have a gender of their own. He looks at it from the perspective of who the audience of a book is supposed to be, as well as the process through which a novel is developed. Stardust, for instance, is a female book, while American Gods, as he says, is most definitely male. Is it the overall feel one gets while reading the book that makes them more one than the other?

What does the gender of a book determine? That a masculine story may be enjoyed by more men than women? There are certainly genres out there that seem to be gender dominated. I've seen how considering the gender of an intended audience is important in the marketing considerations of a novel. But what does it mean for the writer, or the reader? Should books come marked with

so people can see what titles they might find a better connection with? Some people say that you should know the themes or the moral lessons your book is intended to communicate. Should you also figure out the gender of your baby book-to-be?

I see that smile.