How women conquered the world of fiction

From Sally Rooney to Raven Leilani, female novelists have captured the literary zeitgeist, with more buzz, prizes and bestsellers than men. But is this cultural shift something to celebrate or rectify?In March, Vintage, one of the UK’s largest literary fiction divisions, announced the five debut novelists it would be championing this year: Megan Nolan, Pip Williams, Ailsa McFarlane, Jo Hamya and Vera Kurian.All five of them are women. But you could be forgiven for not noticing it, so commonplace are female-dominated lists in 2021. Over the past 12 months, almost all of the buzz in fiction has been around young women: Patricia Lockwood, Yaa Gyasi, Raven Leilani, Avni Doshi, Lauren Oyler. Ask a novelist of any gender who they are reading and they will almost certainly mention one of Rachel Cusk, Ottessa Moshfegh, Rachel Kushner, Gwendoline Riley, Monique Roffey or Maria Stepanova. Or they will be finding new resonances in Anita Brookner, Zora Neale Hurston, Natalia Ginzburg, Octavia Butler, Ivy Compton-Burnett. The energy, as anyone in the publishing world will tell you, is with women.It’s only relatively recently that fiction written by a woman about intimate subjects like sex has been classed as literary fictionClass is the dirty secret of publishing. Working-class male writers are now expected to answer for a past that isn’t oursMen think that to be allowed a place at the table, they need to have the right views and be these nice guysWhy wasn’t there uproar in the media... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-05-16 06:00:48 UTC ]

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Text in the city for SJP

“Sex and the City” star Sarah Jessica Parker talks to The Bookseller about moving into the publishing world with her own imprint on behalf of Hogarth. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, May 7, 2018

This week: new books from Michael Ondaatje, Zora Neale Hurston, and Rachel Kushner. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bologna Rights Roundup: Nine for the Season, Led by a ‘New Neopolitan’

From Finland by way of Kosovo, as well as the UK, Israel, Nigeria, Sweden, Spain, and the United States, the writers of our roundup are producing thrillers, literary fiction, memoir, children's historically reflective work and, of course, children's stories. The post Bologna Rights Roundup: Nine... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rights Roundup: Eight Titles To Watch in Springtime International Rights Trades

With biography, autobiography, children's literature, new Nordic noir, literary fiction, and a mystery that rides with the Tour de France, we look at several interesting sales stories and rights action the authors of which include a Syrian concert pianist. The post Rights Roundup: Eight Titles... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Female writers dominated 2017's literary bestsellers, figures show

Topped by Margaret Atwood, the UK’s Top 10 bestselling authors of literary fiction last year features only one male writer, Haruki MurakamiFlying in the face of Norman Mailer’s infamous comment that “a good novelist can do without everything but the remnant of his balls”, Haruki Murakami was the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jilly Cooper believes literary fiction should not receive state funding

Author Jilly Cooper has said that literary fiction should not receive state support, arguing instead that the money would be better spent on the declining newspaper industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why should we subsidise writers who have lost the plot? | Tim Lott

I’m not surprised sales of literary fiction are in decline – too many authors fail to engage their readers with any sort of story• Tim Lott is an author and journalistFollowing the announcement from Arts Council England that sales of literary fiction are plummeting, it is suggested that arts... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-01-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crisis in literary fiction a 'wake-up call'

Arts Council England’s report into the crisis in literary fiction should serve as a "wake up call" to the industry which needs to "radically rethink" how it presents the genre, the chief executive of Curtis Brown has warned. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary fiction under threat, ACE report concludes

Arts Council England has pledged to engage with more bookshops, fund more writers and lobby the government to provide tax relief to independent publishers following a report finding that “the general trend for literary fiction is a negative one”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Arts Council England’s Alarm for Literary Fiction: ‘The Problem Is a Real One’

'Overall the books selling well' in the UK 'are not literary,' Arts Council England's commissioned report from the Canelo team announces. The post Arts Council England’s Alarm for Literary Fiction: ‘The Problem Is a Real One’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Top 10 Library Stories of 2017

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rachel Cusk returns to Faber to publish last in trilogy

Rachel Cusk is returning to Faber & Faber to publish the third in her trilogy of novels about divorced creative writing teacher Faye. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Attica Locke lives in L.A., but she writes about what she knows — black life in Texas

Few contemporary writers have portrayed black Southern life with as much wit and heart-pounding drama as Attica Locke, whose latest book is the mystery “Bluebird, Bluebird.” Formerly a writer and producer on the television show “Empire,” Locke took the publishing world by storm with her debut... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookCon Looks to Broaden Audience

Since its inception in 2014, BookCon has mainly drawn women in the 18 to 30-year-old age bracket, but organizer ReedPop is adding more programming for the 2018 event to attract readers interested in literary fiction, mystery/thriller, sci fi/fantasy and romance. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Benway, Bidart, Gessen, and Ward Win 2017 National Book Awards

At the 68th National Book Awards, held at Cipriani New York in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday night, politics were again front and center in the publishing world. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why Publishers Need to Focus on Audience and Brand as They Step Up Their Video Efforts

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[ AdWeek | 2017-11-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Self and McGregor on Goldsmiths Prize shortlist

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[ The Bookseller | 2017-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Henley reveals ACE's 'concerns for literary fiction'

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[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Andrew Wylie and the Internationalist Imperative: ‘A Profound Moral Question’

In his keynote at Frankfurt's The Markets, the arch-agent Andrew Wylie will address the forces of nationalism: 'The publishing world is in opposition.' The post Andrew Wylie and the Internationalist Imperative: ‘A Profound Moral Question’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Aussie Rules: Black Inc launches in the UK

Australian publisher Black Inc, which specialises in literary fiction and non-fiction, is to launch in the UK this September. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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