‘A smorgasbord of unlikability’: the authors helping ‘sad girl lit’ grow up

In this post-Fleabag world, publishing has become obsessed with the inner turmoils of messy millennials – but isn’t it time they pulled themselves together? Meet the novelists subverting the clichesYou’ve probably come across this woman: she is unfulfilled in her career, has been abandoned by at least one man, she is aimless and lamenting the obstacles in her life (of which, in reality, there don’t appear to be many). She is not just miserable, she’s a mess; self-absorbed and full of self-loathing.If you’ve read a book by a woman, about a woman, that has been published in the last five years, then it’s overwhelmingly likely that this woman was the protagonist. The narrative likely circled around this character’s sadness, her passive struggle to overcome it, and little else. Typically, such stories have notes of darkness but will rarely deliver the actual thing. Usually the main character (like the author) will be middle-class, if not incredibly wealthy. Almost always she will be white. The book’s cover will probably feature a devastated-looking woman with her hair covering her face or her head cradled in her hands. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-08 15:19:43 UTC ]
News tagged with: #ve read #main character #rarely deliver #novelists

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘A smorgasbord of unlikability’: the authors helping ‘sad girl lit’ grow up'

Author Lindsey Kelk on Participating in a Virtual Book Festival

Lindsey Kelk a the bestselling British Chick-Lit author and participated in HarperCollins' virtual Romance Festival. Here she reflects on the experience. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon vs Hachette: readers and authors take sides in publishing dispute

The tussle between Amazon and the publishing conglomerate has been raging since spring. Heres an update on the fightA corporate boxing match broke from the ring and swelled into all-out rumpus last weekend, as readers and authors took sides in Amazon and Hachettes fight over the publishing... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Returns Fire: The Battle With Hachette and Authors United Continues

Amazon has responded to an open letter by Authors United, signed by 900-plus authors in support of Hachette, with their own open letter, Readers United. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Urging Authors, Others to Email HBG's Pietsch

The Amazon Book Team urges KDP authors and others to email HBG CEO Michael Pietsch to tell him what they think of the publisher’s attempt to what Amazon says is its effort to keep ebook prices artificially high. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adult Authors at the FALL 2014 Regionals

Below is a sampling of some of the many authors who will be at this season’s eight regionals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's Authors at the Fall 2014 Regionals

Here is a sampling of some of the many authors who will be at this season’s eight regionals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comics Publishers Lure Bestselling Book Authors

Bestselling authors George R.R. Martin and Chuck Palahniuk and director Quentin Tarantino, along with their respective comics publishers Avatar Press, Dark Horse, and Dynamite Entertainment, generated a lot of attention at the recent Comic-Con International about their forthcoming comics projects. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chuck palahniuk #dark horse #dynamite entertainment

Bestselling authors take out full-page New York Times ad against Amazon

Stephen King and Donna Tartt among those petitioning Amazon to 'stop harming the livelihood of the authors'Readers of the New York Times will have to steel themselves this weekend, as the unseemly brawl between Hachette and Amazon erupts on to the tranquil pages of the Grey Lady. Perhaps the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors take out full-page NYT ad to criticize Amazon

There's no sign that Amazon and Hachette are close to burying their ebook hatchet, which has prompted the authors caught in the middle to speak up. One of those affected, Douglas Preston, penned an open letter to Jeff Bezos, requesting that he... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors back call for Scotland 'No' vote

Authors including Sebastian Faulks, P D James, Howard Jacobson, India Knight and Richard Dawkins... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air August 7, 2014: Judy Melinek

Judy Melinek, author of 'Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner' (Scribner, 9781476727257), will appear on NPR's 'Science Friday' on Friday, August 8. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Over 900 Authors Sign Open Letter to Amazon

Authors United, the loosely knit group of authors who joined forces to formally ask Amazon to end its sales terms dispute with Hachette Books, is preparing to run a full-page ad in Sunday's "New York Times." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Game of Thrones' author George R.R. Martin's children's book will be republished this fall (+video)

The book, 'The Ice Dragon,' appears to be set in the 'Game of Thrones' fictional universe. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #author george #ice dragon #fictional universe

'Game of Thrones' author George R.R. Martin's children's book will be republished this fall

The book, 'The Ice Dragon,' appears to be set in the 'Thrones' fictional universe. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #author george #ice dragon #fictional universe

Creator of Norton Anthology of Lit Receives Major Award

The LA Times reports that literary scholar M.H. Abrams was awarded the National Humanities Medal last Monday by President Obama. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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3 Trends That Prove Social Media is Growing Up

By Jim Anderson To those steeped in the traditions of the publishing business, it may sound a bit odd to talk about the maturation of social media, which in many ways is still in its infancy. Yet social media is... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2014-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air July 31, 2014: Luke Nichter

Luke Nichter, author of "The Nixon Tapes: 1971-1972" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 9780544274150) will appear on WNYC's "The Leonard Lopate Show" on Thursday, July 31. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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