‘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'


Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen' inspires Disney and a children's author

'The Snow Queen' inspired not only Disney's hit musical 'Frozen' but also author Karen Foxlee, who based her critically acclaimed novel 'Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy' on the wintry tale. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #inspires disney #snow queen #hit musical #critically acclaimed #marvelous boy #wintry tale


YA literature convention announces authors

The organisers of the UK’s first YA literature convention has announced a range of authors... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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LinkedIn Is Looking More Like a Publisher as It Grows Its Native Ad Business

LinkedIn is looking more and more like a publisher these days. The professional networking site eschews the term, but its recent moves suggest otherwise, from its Influencers blog network to its acquisition of news reader Pulse and the introduction of native advertising. (LinkedIn calls them... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #make money #thought leadership #user engagement #technology company


Religion Update February 2014: Marketers Help Readers Discover Christian Fiction

Someone really ought to weave a tale about selling Christian and inspirational fiction: the overcrowded market, the distracted readers, and the rewards for those who overcome the odds. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #inspirational fiction


PRH looks to grow UK distribution business

Penguin Random House UK will not be changing its distribution sites in the UK, in the wake of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #distribution sites


Time Inc. Ad Revenue Grows, but Only Because It Bought AmEx Publishing

Time Warner, the media company that owns HBO and the Warner Bros. film studio as well as Time Inc. for a few more months, surpassed analysts' estimates for both fourth-quarter revenue and profit in results reported on Wednesday.Excluding some items, earnings were $1.17 a share, the New... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #warner bros #film studio #york-based company #data compiled #pay-tv providers #fourth quarter


5th Festival Neue Literatur to Bring German Authors to NYC

The fifth annual Festival Neue Literatur begins in NYC on February 28 with a series of readings and discussions with German-language authors. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german-language authors


The Debrief website aims to be more than 'BuzzFeed for girls'

Bauer Media launches site targeting perceived gap in the market for 'constantly connected, influential, 20-something women'Bauer Media has launched digital brand The Debrief, targeting twentysomething women, with a promise that it is more than "BuzzFeed for girls".The Debrief officially launched... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital venture #unique ways #marketing manager


Book the Writer service brings authors to book clubs – for a fee

While authors have appeared in person, via Skype or via telephone at book clubs before, Book the Writer has the clubs pay for the author's appearance. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book clubs


Kate DiCamillo's 'Flora & Ulysses' earns author a second Newbery award

Kate DiCamillo wins Newbery: The awards, the most prestigious in children's publishing, were announced Monday by the American Library Association. DiCamillo, a popular and acclaimed author, won the Newbery a decade ago for 'The Tales of Despereaux.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kate dicamillo #announced monday #acclaimed author #decade ago


Wikipedia's celebrity voice archive gets underway with the help of Stephen Fry

Wikipedia. It's one of the cornerstones of the internet. It's a global resource which has quite a reputation and has spawned numerous copycats and offshoots; the latest addition to the wiki canon is the Wikipedia Voice Intro Project (or WikiVIP). As you may have guessed from the name, this is a... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest addition #stephen fry #audio clips


Issues on the Ether: Profit-Sharing Authors

Porter Anderson looks at Ian K. Ellard's concept of authors sharing profits with publishing-services experts in his winning essay at The Bookseller, The Toast. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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South Korea authors heading for LBF

Ten prominent South Korea writers will attend the Korea Market Focus cultural programme at the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gollancz acquires trilogy from teenage author

Gollancz has acquired a trilogy written by a 17-year-old girl, which will “appeal to both... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #teenage author


Parnassus Books Launches Online Lit Journal

Parnassus Books launches "Musing," an online literary journal featuring author interviews, book recommendations, and bookish news. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book recommendations


Does digital publishing mean the death of the author? | Richard Lea

We used to know what it took to be a writer – you had to publish a book. But electronic publishing is piling pressure on myths of the author's lifeWhat's the difference between making money out of books and writing books that people want to buy? Turns out it's about 40% – if, that is, you... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital revolution


Small presses growing translated fiction's readership

Innovative and energetic publishers such as And Other Stories and Dalkey Archive are finding new routes to a committed audience"We were dreaming of freedom; we woke up in capitalism," is Slovenian writer Drago Jančar's wry comment at the launch of Dalkey Archive's anthology of short stories,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Vanessa Curtis sets up literary consultancy

Author Vanessa Curtis, whose novels include Zelah Green and The Haunting of Tabitha Grey (both... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DBW 2014: Survey Finds Most Authors Want to Earn More

The Digital Book World/Writer's Digest 2014 survey, which polled just over 9,000 authors, found that many, given the chance, would still opt for a traditional book deal. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adult Books & Authors at Wi9

A comprehensive list of the writers to look for and galleys and finished books available at the ABA conference. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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