Should you pitch your work as “women’s fiction” if you’re seeking traditional publication? I interviewed literary agents including @ecniumata.bsky.social and @jsinsheim.bsky.social to explore this question for @janefriedman.com's The Bottom Line newsletter mailchi.mp/janefriedman... - ThreadSky

About ThreadSky

editorsangeeta.bsky.social • 36 days ago

Should you pitch your work as “women’s fiction” if you’re seeking traditional publication? I interviewed literary agents including @ecniumata.bsky.social and @jsinsheim.bsky.social to explore this question for @janefriedman.com's The Bottom Line newsletter https://mailchi.mp/janefriedman/womens-fiction-definition?e=91be13e34f

Comments

jademasonwrites.bsky.social•36 days ago

Thanks for writing this! I’ve questioned so much about this topic and have struggled personally with defining women’s fiction. It’s especially interesting for those of us who remember the chick lit era. It’s all been a learning curve for me!

editorsangeeta.bsky.social•36 days ago

Thanks so much, Jade, for reading and sharing the article, and for your kind words! Yes, one of the people I interviewed said that "women's fiction" is a more sophisticated label for "chick lit," and I agree.

jademasonwrites.bsky.social•36 days ago

If you don’t mind me asking—writers like Katherine Center and Mhairi McFarlane say they write women’s fiction (with romance & HEA). If they didn’t, would it be considered book club fiction?

editorsangeeta.bsky.social•35 days ago

Once writers are established—like both Center and McFarlane are—they probably talk to their agent and publisher to determine how best to spin their work. Center wrote a novel called THE ROM-COMMERS, "a rom-com about writing rom-coms," so maybe she wouldn't mind being called a rom com writer!

editorsangeeta.bsky.social•35 days ago

My guess is that, technically, neither Center nor McFarlane write "book club fiction," but this doesn't mean that book clubs won't choose their books. And if calling their work "book club fiction" will draw in more readers, their publishers wouldn't mind. Hope this helps and thx for your question!

jademasonwrites.bsky.social•35 days ago

It does! Thank you!!

Posting Rules

Be respectful to others
No spam or self-promotion
Stay on topic
Follow Bluesky's terms of service

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply