Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Let Them Eat (Cup)cakes

It's Wednesday, and it's hard to believe the week is half-over! A big thanks to Arlee Bird for his review of Willow, and a shout-out for a lovely new blogger Emma Pass, whose YA dystopian is due out in 2013. Pop by and check out her blog if you get the chance.

On to today's topic! I debated blogging about this, because there's already been so much discussion about it -- at least on this side of the Atlantic. Not to mention, I'm getting pretty tired of defending my chosen genre of chick lit.

So I'm not going to rehash the event that's led to me write about this. Instead, I want to ask why women writers, in particular, need to defend what they write. Do we see popular male writers like Nick Hornby defending their humorous, light fiction? No, we do not. Do we see men apologising for throwing in multiple football references, the same way woman do with shoes or cupcakes? No. And do male readers complain that black and red covers are limiting their readership? Um... negative.

So why do women writers need to do this? Why are we constantly having to justify what we write, the appearance of our novels, how they're labelled... and on and on? What's the next step, to apologise for having breasts? Bah!

There is nothing wrong with liking pink. Shoes. Cupcakes. Or even NOT liking any of those things, but wanting to read stories that are relevant to modern women. Yes, I understand packaging and marketing everything with one set of 'symbols' can be grating, but we shouldn't let our constant defence of the labels overtake the fact that we're proud of what we write, and that we write entertaining novels that connect with our readers (at least, I hope I do!). How about being on the offensive?

Let's focus on the positive, and let the critics eat (cup)cakes.

(Now I want a cupcake...)

69 comments:

  1. I want a cupcake now! I hate having to defend what I write! It's tough listening to people's views, when if they'd pick up the book they'd see there is more substance than cocktails, good looking men, and cupcakes! It's so frustrating at times! Especially when wanting to find your place with a big publisher! They don't make it easy do they!!

    PS - I'm loving your new profile pic! It's so cute!

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  2. You make really valid points, especially in the comparisons to male lit. And I'd think that some sort of packaging and categorizing helps direct readers to their interests, too.

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  3. I so want to eat a cupcake right now!

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  4. You are right about the double standard. However, we don't need to defend what we write. Most authors write what they love, they want to tell a story that grabbed them and wouldn't let go. Just that simple in my opinion, whether pink, shoes, or cakes is involved.

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  5. The issue in this debate is the mis-match (in some cases) between reader's expectations (as raised by a particular cover) and what's delivered between the pages of the book. The packaging should give a strong indication of what's inside a book and, if it's wrong, this leads to dissapointed readers. Some publishers seem determined to market all women's fiction as chick-lit, even if it's not.

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  6. True, Erin. I don't want to go into the debate about the cover issues. I want to say more about us focusing on the positives of the genre, and being on the offensive rather than constantly defending it all the time.

    Thanks, everyone, for chiming in!

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  7. You raise some good points, Talli. Wild generalisation coming - I think women have to explain and defend a lot of what they do in life - men don't!

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  8. Nothing wrong w/ pink [or purple] & cupcakes are good 7 days/afternoons/nights a week. Unless you want to walk around barefoot, you need shoes.

    Chick lit, lad fic, it's all just a label to sell books & since yours are selling very well it's all good! :)

    Thanks, I also want a cupcake & this time I'm opting for a chocolate cupcake.

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  9. I'm glad you posted this. I read the post and all the comments from yesterday on the blog about the HarperCollins author and appreciated your comments there, too. I can't stand that "the industry" has proclaimed the label chick lit as no longer a valid genre, now referring it to commercial women's fiction. Oh give me a break! I refuse to comply.

    I don't write chick lit but my daughter does, and I LOVE to read chick lit! And love to edit chick lit. I'm editing a chick lit novel right now. See how many times I said chick lit? Not commercial women's fiction. Chick lit, chick lit, chick lit.

    It's an awesome genre and nobody should be embarrassed about writing it OR reading it OR editing it, and they should also quit trying to take it away from us. Thanks for letting me rant!

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  10. This is something my CP and I talk about a lot. We have to write where our passion calls us. And deal with the rest. I've always thought it odd that one day chick lit was all the rage, and the next day no one wanted to touch it. But readers still like it.

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  11. Let's focus on the positive, and let the critics eat (cup)cakes.

    Absolutely--you make great points! But I want cupcakes too :)

    -----
    Join me at the Rule of Three Writers' Blogfest!

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  12. Good for you Talli! NO, we should not defend what we write. Hey, if someone doesn't like it, fine. That's their choice. They don't have to like it. Your target audience likes it and you connect with them and that's what counts.

    I'm not defending the fact I love read or write a good romance (and sub genres thereof)anymore than defending my choice or reading thrillers and Sci-fi, liking rock music and instrumental, or liking a good steak. If someone else doesn't like my choices fine.

    Read what you want. Choose what you want in life.

    I had cinnamon streusel coffee cake with my coffee. Yum.


    Sia McKye's Thoughts...OVER COFFEE

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  13. Talls-- I love your profile pic! You look so beautiful. I actually just looked at your profile for the first time and saw your news about BUILD A MAN.

    Fantastic! I've so much admiration for you.

    And yes, I am now blogging solely at Analog Breakfast-- thanks for asking. Hope to see you there lots. :)

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  14. I call for a cupcake revolution!

    Or more breasts please! More breasts out there mean less testosterone elsewhere!

    :-)

    Take care
    x

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  15. We women are always defending ourselves, no matter what we do. It seems as though we can't get anything right. The best we can do is stay true to ourselves, own what is us and what is everyone else, and not let the negativity affect our writing. It's so hard because the naysayers can be very obnoxious.
    Excellent post!

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  16. I hear you on this topic. I write YA and MG fiction and I've often heard, "When are you going to MOVE UP and write for adults?"

    Say what?

    Thanks Talli and may we never make any excuses for what we write.

    p.s. I'll take a cupcake too, please.

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  17. Karen, LOL! I love your comment; thank you for your support!

    Sia, yes, YES! YES! (a la 'When Harry Met Sally'. Let's do what makes us happy, and not judge or be judged in return.

    Suze, thank you for your kind words! :) I've kept Build a Man relatively quiet, since I don't want to tire people out with all my news! But I'll be talking about it more soon.

    Thanks, everyone, for all your comments. Cupcakes for all!

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  18. Well said Talli! The market for fiction targetted at women is HUGE and it's only right that's it's broken down into usefully tagged sub-genres - 'chicklit' being one of them. It's a vibrant and popular genre too - so chicklit and cupcakes for all! (Ooh, and quickly checking my watch, wine!)

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  19. I can see both sides. I would never, ever accuse chick lit writers of having an easier, shallower job, that's just ridiculous. However, I can also see that a lot of people are afraid that when women writers go pink, it classifies all women. It's fear-based and foolish, and it assumes that handbags, cupcakes, pink, and romance are negative things (pshaw!) but I think it's a natural reaction to women who may have had to deal with prejudice. I think, at the base of it, it's the same issue that a lot of people have - "I will criticize your right to do what you believe because I'm afraid it will limit me."
    Which is ridiculous. But, unfortunately, very natural.
    As far as the article goes, though, it makes sense to me that she'd be annoyed that her books as being marketed as something they're not, whether they're being marketed as chick lit or dark mystery. If that's not what they are, they shouldn't be marketed like that.
    Great post, Talli! And heck yes for cupcakes!

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  20. I really enjoyed this blog and completely agree. This is something which needed to be said and I am glad you have said it. I hate snobbery of any kind, and I think this is what it boils down to. There is no 'highest' form of literature. It all comes down to a person's ability to write, whatever it may be about and which ever market it is for. There should be room in this world for cup-cakes and light sabers, ballet dresses and hob-nail boots. Hooray for diversity!

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  21. Fantasy writers are defending their place against the "true literary" crowd. So I suppose it's not a surpise that gender-linked items are causing a stir as well. It's a sad fact that the wonderful content of a book is often misjudged by a label, a categorization or by a delightfully cute cover.

    I happen to want a cupcake now as well, chocolate please, with rich vanilla icing.

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  22. Tell 'em, Talli! It is infuriating to see the genre run down as it sometimes is. I think Chick Lit has opened up the world of writing,and brought fun back.

    Your point about male writers and their books was brilliant. I had not really thought of that before.

    You keep doing what you do well! X

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  23. I want a cupcake too. Absolutely agree with you. No way I'm changing the fact that I LOVE shoes, pink, and CUPCAKES. Yum!!! Also I love my breats. Yep, I said it. LOL.
    Have a fab day, girl. =D

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  24. Okay, I meant breasts instead of breats. Dang it. =D

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  25. I know plenty of men who enjoy cupcakes! You should be proud of providing pure entertainment and escapism! We could all use more uplifting experiences! Julie

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  26. You shouldn't have to defend your books. Some people just like to find excuses to look down on others.

    By the way, your new author pic is fantastic! :)

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  27. Right on, you tell it. The purpose of a book is to ENTERTAIN, and if we all wrote the same kinds of books, where would we be? Our readership is as varied as the kinds of writers we are.

    People are loving your stories, and that's all you need to know. Laugh yourself all the way to the bank, honey. ;o) And hey, nice new profile pic you have there!

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  28. Forgot to say I love your new photo!

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  29. Sorry they feel they have to defend it. Chick lit is just a genre.
    Light science fiction doesn't get a lot of respect either. But I'll not apologize for what I write.

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  30. Well said, Talli. Unfortunately this double standard isn't restricted to fiction. I love your stance on focusing on the positive. Never apologize for writing chic lit! How boring would the world be if all books were in the same genre?

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  31. Yeah, the sexism inherent in the system bugs the crap out of me. I think part of the problem is women read everybody, but men (though of course not the men around HERE) feel their masculinity threatened if they pick up anything that's not MANLY. All these genres SELL or they wouldn't be being published, so really, nobody should get to be a snob about it.

    (note: Gena Davis has started an institute looking at similar biases for women's roles in TV and movies--they are resigned to eye candy, rather than the 'good roles') just FYI

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  32. Agreed. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions (and tastes).

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  33. I want to stand up and cheer for this post! And eat a cupcake... Seriously though, the only reason men are on the defensive is because women are the majority of readers and we're taking over the publishing industry. When you think of it that way, you almost feel sorry for them. ;)

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  34. I agree whole-heartedly. I spend so much time defending the things I do and say and believe. I've fortunately never had to defend what I write because, well, it's not exactly widely read. Just write what you want and FORGET ABOUT the haters. :)

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  35. It's 8pm at night and you've got me craving cupcakes!!

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  36. I totally agree! Who cares. Those are small things to get offended about. Small things are not worthy my energy. Maybe I'd feel different in the situation but it seems lots of people are flipping out about small things these days.

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  37. When anyone criticises a genre - any genre - to me, I always ask them what they've actually read. I do so love uninformed idiots :-)

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  38. Well said! I also think that readers often have to justify what they read. In grad school, a lot of my classmates read scholarly books even when they're not studying, or they mainly read books by A-list authors who also happen to be college professors. I read those books too (and some of them are quite good). But sometimes it's fun just to read chick lit or funny memoirs, many of which are also very good.

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  39. I haven't thought about it consciously before now, but I believe that I started getting a complex about writing romance after I dug into the writing world on the internet.

    There was the subtle suggestion that good writeres chose literary fiction and everybody else writes all the other stuff.

    As long as people are enjoying my stories, I'll continue writing them. The naysayers can go rub themselves someplace guaranteed to give them an outbreak.

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  40. I too hate having to defend what I write and that is poetry.....not some novel. I'll have a cupcake when I'm next in London.

    Yvonne.

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  41. So, so true! There's a terrible double standard in all this. I'm never going to apologize for liking cupcakes and shoes, thank you very much. And fiction for women has so much more substance than people give it credit for.

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  42. Great point. It's true, that there is a discrepancy between how some books/genres/authors are treated and others--and it's too often the authors who try to defend what they are.

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  43. That cupcake looks like it wants to eat me. Maybe if I take a knife and scrape off the frosting.

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  44. Yes yes yes. It gets so frustrating because society tells us we have to be feminine, and be pretty, and dress nicely, and not be TOO aggressive or TOO passive and be a virgin and a whore at the same time and all this stuff...and then when books come out that have those things in them, in a light way that's supposed to be fun(!), it's called frivolous and silly, while men have been moaning on and on about their emasculating wives and their favorite sports teams and their angst about their penises FOREVER AND EVER. Seriously, is that any less frivolous? I don't think so. It grates on me that one sex's frivolous is worth less than the other.

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  45. SO many good points! We write what we like to read, we wear what we like to wear and just by being true to ourselves, our creativity is allowed to blossom.

    P.S. Loved the bit about apologizing for breasts. LOL!!!

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  46. I hope you don't feel the need to defend what you write. I know I do that to myself, but for some reason I never think other writers--of either sex--need to.

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  47. Hey, Talli,

    If you and Liz Fichera can get me to read Chick Lit and like it, more power to you.

    As I had said before, you are converting me. I think any PERSON should should be able to write ANYTHING they are passionate about and if it's pink, fluffy, and sweet. Great ... if it's written well that's ALL that matters.

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  48. You shouldn't have to defend what you write at all. It's insane, especially since the genre you write is quite popular. I don't care what's been said about chick lit not being in demand anymore. I don't believe it. Women love chick lit. And romance novels are one of the biggest markets, so taking the offensive is a great idea, and be sure and laugh all the way to the bank, Talli!

    Oh, that's one very cool, funky cupcake!

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  49. Thank you so much for the shout-out, Talli! And for all your lovely comments on Twitter yesterday, too.

    As for having to defend what you write – I completely agree. To me, the most important thing (as a reader AND a writer) is finding stories that entertain and connect. What the cover looks like or what references they contain is, in my opinion, irrelevant, and no writer should have to justify why they do or don't write a certain type of book.

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  51. What interests me is that if folk are defensive, then why are folk offensive to the genre? Who are the people that sneer and what are their motivations? I think always stand by what you write and smile, eat cupcakes, and be proud!

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  52. Absolutely no defence needed of any kind of writing, or women! But it's always been the same - bet some of those men read the same silly comics as other children. Perhaps they're now jealous that women have such a huge readership and support system - and they ahve to try and bring us done in some way!

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  53. I want a cupcake too, but not the cupcake you have on your post;)
    I agree 110%!! I'm not sure who the peeps are that keep saying Chick-lit is dead! My novels have sold really well, being on eleven best sellers lists, mover's and shaker's twice, and selling foreign rights! Plus my readers want more.
    The movie industry is still making chick-lit movies and people are still going to see them.
    I no longer defend my genre because it's a waste of time that I could be writing my next CHICK-LIT:)

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  54. That cupcake in the picture is a great one to give those critics - bah on them!

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  55. I want a cupcake too. :)

    And yes, we need to be proud of our work (as to the why...I think women tend to be more defensive, men more on the offense, as a broad, sweeping generalization)! We teach people how to treat us - the respect starts at home.

    Well said! :)

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  56. Amen, Sister! You know my feelings on the whole chick lit debate. And I adore pink and cupcakes.

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  57. who the hell doesn't love cupcakes? I don't care if you have a penis, cupcakes are delicious.

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  58. BTW, LOVE your new pic. You're so beautiful!

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  59. it's kind of like the heated debate over "dark" YA.

    write what you want. don't worry about other people because they're always going to have an opinion. and you know what they say about opinions, don't you? "Opinions are like a**holes, everyone's got one and they all stink!"

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  60. Yep, I say fughedabowdid! Enuff already!! My world of books has enough room for all genres. I don't care if a man I know only reads Stephen King and he is my son! I don't care if snide reviewers make comments about 'domestic novels' whatever that means. Don't men live in houses? I think so. I think I just saw one that lives here. I did. He was eating a cupcake that he made. He was!!!

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  61. LOL. I used to hate bookstore perusing because I was always afraid of people judging me by what I picked up. Seriously, what was I thinking? Thank goodness having matured. I no longer shy away from what I like to read--just because someone might think the cover is "gothic" or "strange".

    On the writing end, I know my audience. You know yours. Enough said, right?

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  62. I agree a zillion percent. And that is one craaazy cupcake you got there. I might have to pick some of that stuff off before eating. And I won't apologize... :D

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  63. Very well said! Bravo!
    Cupcakes all round with pink icing. Hoorah for Girl Power :O)

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  64. I'm scratching my head over why anyone would need to defend their genre...regardless. It's simple economics...SUPPLY vs DEMAND. You supply what the market demands. If there was no demand, you'd be writing in a different genre.

    I don't get it! :)

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  65. You've obviously hit a nerve with this one, Talli. Like the numerous people who have commented before me, I couldn't agree more! Great post. :-)

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  66. Here! Here! Woot. That's my intelligent contribution :)

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  67. Cupcakes are off my menu for a little while, but I'll wear pink when I want to wear pink! Chick lit is fun and lighthearted and we need it in our very stressed out and womanly lives.

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  68. Entertaining novels is definitely the main criteria I am looking for when I decide what books to read the genre is not really that important to me. I just get confused by all these labels anyway. :)

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Coffee and wine for all!