thumbnail|Women's fiction edition of [[Ms. magazine in 2002|268x268px]]

Women's fiction is an umbrella term for women-centered books that focus on women's life experience and are marketed to female readers. It is distinct from women's writing, which refers to literature written by (rather than promoted to) women. The women's fiction genre has changed throughout history as the role of women has changed. Contemporary women's fiction is popular in part due to the large number of sub-genres, giving readers a large variety to choose from. The term women's fiction is criticized, as there exists no comparable label in English for works of fiction that are marketed to men.

History of women's fiction

The genre of women's fiction has changed throughout history as the role of women has changed. Although fiction, the literature within the genre has always reflected real concerns and desires of women. Women wrote and published about a variety of topics, both fiction and non-fiction. Before 1900, the majority of women publishing any form of literature were white and protestant. Many of these early women's fiction novels were written to be educational, as they often included overly curious female protagonists who were excited to learn, and as their knowledge about various subjects grew, so did the readers. Within the context of women's fiction, historical fiction acts as an outlet for underrepresented groups, like women, to revisit historical events which have been taught through a largely white male perspective and write them into fiction with the perspective of women.

Definitions of the term

The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as, "a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship."

Criticism of the term

While the women's fiction label is embraced by some authors, others have argued that it is applied too broadly to works by women that would otherwise be considered literary fiction, and therefore marginalizes women's writing. Critics point to the lack of an equivalent term for men's works, and that men's works are rarely if ever considered women's fiction even if they fall within the parameters of the genre. Author Jennifer Weiner has been a vocal critic of the term, which she believes leads to books written by women receiving less publicity, fewer reviews, and lower esteem than those written by men. Women's fiction has been compared to chick lit, a term that has since fallen out of favor.

See also

  • Gynocriticism
  • List of modernist women writers
  • List of women's magazines
  • List of women writers
  • Women's writing (literary category)
  • Chick lit

References

  • The International Women's Fiction Festival
  • Craig, Lisa. "Women's Fiction vs. Romance: A Tale of Two Genres."