‘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'


Global woes unlikely to hit US business at Frankfurt

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 10/10/2011 - 08:43 Leading US publishers are looking forward to this week's Frankfurt Book Fair, with both Simon & Schuster and Hachette bringing more editors than they did last year. Hachette US chairman and c.e.o. David Young will be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster #david young


Perseus Creates New Service for Authors Seeking to Self-Publish

David Steinberger of Perseus, which will offer distribution and marketing to authors. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors seeking #david steinberger #offer distribution


Little Tiger looks to grow abroad

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 30/09/2011 - 15:18 Publisher Little Tiger Press is seeking to extend its presence in Australia and the US through partnerships with distributors. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Get author consent in writing, publisher agents told

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 22/09/2011 - 15:46 Agents who wish to publish their clients’ work must offer them a detailed explanation of what they will personally gain from the arrangement and obtain their full and written agreement, the president of the Association of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors agents #detailed explanation


Daunt's flat rate discount "could hit author royalties"

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 16/09/2011 - 08:31 Waterstone’s proposed higher discount, flat rate terms for publishers, put forward in exchange for scrapping promotion fees, could hit author royalties, according to agents and the Society of Authors. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Sues Libraries

With the Google Book Search Settlement in tatters, its fragile alliance splintering, and the parties now on a pretrial schedule, the Authors Guild last week expanded its infringement claims by suing a consortium of university libraries over a digital library initiative. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors guild #university libraries


Society of Authors to hold Short Story Tweetathon

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 14/09/2011 - 08:55 Authors including Neil Gaiman and Ian Rankin will collaborate with the public in a short story "Tweetathon" organised by the Society of Authors. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Sues Universities Over Google Book Scanning

The Authors Guild has sued five universities and a library partnership organization alleging copyright infringement over their use of certain digitized copies of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Six Ways Amazon Book Streaming Could Help Small Business

Amazon's rumoured streaming-book service would be great for businesses, students, and educators. Here's why. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dolls help to launch children's novel

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 02/09/2011 - 15:00 Teacher and artist Patricia Le Baudrier is using digital printing and marketing to launch her debut novel The Orphans of St Cecile, which she created using dolls she has modeled and using photographs as illustrations. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #launch children #digital printing


'Ask an author' feature added to Kindle

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 15:08 Amazon.com is offering a new feature enabling readers to ask authors questions directly via their Kindle devices. @author is currently on limited beta release, with a handful of participating authors including thriller writer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle devices #robert kiyosaki


French authors cautious on latest Google deal

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 31/08/2011 - 15:01 French authors have given a cautious welcome to last week’s agreement for Google to scan out-of-print or unavailable copyrighted books published by the La Martinière group. Although applauding the US giant’s wish to respect... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Top That gets celeb help for The Froobles

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Mon, 22/08/2011 - 11:52 Top That is turning to celebrities to help launch its newest brand, The Froobles, with Johnny Vaughan, Denise van Outen, Edith Bowman and Reggie Yates providing the voice-overs for its Froobles apps. The Froobles are a range... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Progression for Macmillan's Africa authors

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 19/08/2011 - 13:52 Authors of Macmillan titles put on hold during the recent Serious Fraud Office investigation say they have been given a "glimmer of hope" for the future, with "sensible" discussions now beginning with the publisher after... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital rates could dissuade authors from writing - Swift

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 18/08/2011 - 12:10 Man Booker-winning author Graham Swift has said there is a danger aspiring writers may be put off from writing if the rates they are paid decrease in the digital age. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital rates #digital age


Amazon Set to Publish Pop Author

Amazon moved aggressively to fulfill its new ambition to publish books as well as sell them, announcing that it had signed Timothy Ferriss, the popular self-help guru. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon set #publish books


Headline settles legal battle with author

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 15/08/2011 - 08:49 Headline has settled a high court action brought by a former author for an undisclosed sum. Author Amanda Smith had brought the action after Headline abandoned publication of her misery memoir Toxic. The court ruled the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Peddle helps fund Vintage internship

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 12/08/2011 - 08:30 Vintage Publishing will host a paid internship, with The Bodley Head editor Kay Peddle donating her £1,000 prize money from this year's Kim Scott Walwyn Prize to help fund the four-week one-off internship. Random House... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prize money #bodley head


Xcite appoints author Coldwell as editor

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 09/08/2011 - 08:57 Erotic fiction publisher Xcite Books has appointed Elizabeth Coldwell to the role of editor. Coldwell is a former editor of Forum magazine and is also one of Xcite's bestselling authors. Managing director Hazel Cushion... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestselling authors #broad spectrum


Sceptre buys new novel by Cold Mountain author

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 09:10 Sceptre has acquired the latest novel by Cold Mountain author Charles Frazier, to be published on 27th September 2011. Publishing director Carolyn Mays bought British Commonwealth, excluding Canada, rights in the title,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #karolina sutton #curtis brown #amanda urban