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


Maurice Sendak dies at 83, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are'

The enduringly popular children's book illustrator and writer radically changed the genre with tales of outsized monsters and frolicsome humor that tapped into the fears of childhood. He also collaborated on numerous operas, films and TV programs.Maurice Sendak, the children's book illustrator... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Maurice Sendak dies at 83

Maurice Sendak, the US author of the best-selling children's book Where the Wild Things Are, dies aged 83. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt Book Fair features Kiwi authors

Kiwi authors such as Patricia Grace and Lloyd Jones are seeing increased interest in their books being translated into German ahead of this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Solomon takes author concerns to Vaizey direct

The general secretary of the Society of Authors has called for a one-on-one meeting with culture... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google wants authors group out of library case

Google Inc. urged a judge Thursday to toss The Authors Guild and an organization representing photographers out of 6-year-old litigation over the future of the world's largest digital library, a move that would force authors and photographers to individually fight the online search-engine... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Steve Jobs' and 'The Help' dominate reading lists in many American cities

Data gathered by Nielsen BookScan for The Daily Beast show many of the same titles are popular in American cities – but exceptions include 'Heaven Is For Real' and 'The Great Gatsby.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve jobs #american cities #data gathered #nielsen bookscan #great gatsby


Audible to pay authors $1 per audiobook sale

Amazon is paying authors $1 for every audiobook they sell if they sign up to its Audible Author... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut authors tussle for Carnegie

Four debut authors are in contention for this year's CILIP Carnegie Medal, announced today (... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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AOP: Two Thirds of Online Publishers Plan to Grow Digital Roles

Two thirds of UK online publishers are planning to increase the number of digital roles "on the back of product growth expectations", the Association of Online Publishers reported today, compared to 55 per cent which saw growth in 2011. Acco ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OUP grows picture book list

Oxford University Press has appointed a new commissioning editor with a view to expanding its... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Waterstones to grow children's range and space

Waterstones is set to grow its children’s range and space in stores over the summer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Choc Lit scores two at the Ronas

Independent publisher Choc Lit has scored two prizes at the Romantic Novelists’ Association... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cal Ripken Jr. co-authors a second children's book

A new book by Cal Ripken Jr. and journalist Kevin Cowherd focuses on the issue of bullying among children. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MCB acquires three from Young Sherlock author

Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired three titles from its Young Sherlock Holmes author... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macmillan children


MCB scoops three from Young Sherlock author

Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired three titles from its Young Sherlock Holmes author... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macmillan children


Apple, Amazon rivalry could grow

With iPad 3 rumored to be on the way—possibly boasting a sharper screen and talking personal assistant Siri—Apple CEO Tim Cook may drop the price of the iPad 2 so he can go after the cheaper tablet market now dominated by Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook. Analysts figure a $200 to... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #dedicated e-readers #ebook sales #book publishers


Their Print Ad Revenue Is Growing. Want to Know Why?

By Amy Feinstein With the publishing industry changing on what seems like a daily basis, how is it that some publications are actually finding ways to increase their print advertising revenue in the past two years?... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2012-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee Child most successful UK Kindle author

Lee Child is the most successful British Kindle book author worldwide, followed by Stephen... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin sales top £1bn as ebook revenues grow 106%

Penguin has reported sales of £1.04bn in 2011, growing 1% on an underlying basis, though... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Drag; Drop; Read: Apple's New iBooks Author Format

In early January, Apple released iBooks Author, a groundbreaking drag-and-drop ebook authoring environment that promises to democratize the production of complex, structured books, notably including textbooks. But iBooks Author could also presage something else: the eclipse of open ebook standards. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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