Best of Women's Fiction Poll

[SL]

Heart Press would like everyone to nominate their favorite Women's Fiction titles:

http://heartpress.com/2011/11/best-wo...

[Maryann]

Thanks for the invitation to join. One of my favorite women's fiction book is The Color Purple. Also enjoy chick-lit.

[SL]

In our humble opinion, Chick Lit and Romance are sub-genres of Women's Fiction. Do you have any other standout titles? -Steve

[C.C.]

Question: Is Women's fiction limited to chick lit and romance? Is action with a strong female lead women's fiction? Or the author being a woman? Thanks!

[SL]

Hi CC, thanks for the questions. The Heart Press definition is the broadest possible and *includes* Chick Lit and Romance as sub-genres.

The author's gender isn't a factor, however I will say it takes a special type of male author (and highly skilled in his craft) to write authentically on the female experience.

Action with a strong female lead will likely fail our "appeals more to women than men" test. If the focus is Action & Adventure like a female James Bond, then no it isn't Women's Fiction.

"The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" *book* is probably a good gray area line to look at. The upcoming Hollywood movie script version will likely cross into Action/Adventure as it minimizes the relationship focus, becoming a more visual, action packed, treat for the masses. To pay for this production, it needs to bring in a large male (especially teen) audience. I believe many women will bring their male friends to see this version, only to be disappointed. The movie, while enjoyable to many, won't feel like the book.

The audience is the key and is the reason for Heart Press. Our core titles will always appeal first and foremost to women.

[Maryann]

SL wrote: "In our humble opinion, Chick Lit and Romance are sub-genres of Women's Fiction. Do you have any other standout titles? -Steve"

That's true, Steve. Most of Toni Morrison's books are women's fiction, as are the books by Anne Tyler - The Accidental Tourist being one of my favorites. They tend to be more mainstream, although the storyline appeals more to women than men.

[Maryann]

My husband really enjoyed "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" book, but I have not read it yet. So many books, so little time. LOL My husband did say he could see why our daughter liked the book so much, so maybe there are elements that appeal more to a woman. However, my husband said there was nothing that made him want to stop reading.

[Deborah]

SL wrote: "Heart Press would like everyone to nominate their favorite Women's Fiction titles:

http://heartpress.com/2011/11/best-wo..."

Very fun poll, SL. I left my suggestions on your blogspot.

[SL]

Thanks Deborah! There will be more fun when the final poll is assembled; when the readers rank them 1-100.

[Adrienne]

Thanks for the invite Deborah!
Oh my goodness! So many books and I have to narrow it down to one favorite? Now that's going to take a lot of thought. I've been a voracious reader for most of my life and can't begin to remember all of the books I've read (especially since my brain injury). This is going to be a challenge.

[Wayne]

Favorite? What does that word mean?

Sorry, I've read so many books, that the word has no meaning to me. I'm also not sure how you class Women's Fiction.

Would Paladin of Souls count? If it does, what about the previous book in the series, The Curse of Chalion, or the third book, The Hallowed Hunt.

Definitions are always fun.

Wayne

[SL]

Women's Fiction, the Heart Press definition. ;-)

Women's Fiction appeals more to women than men, with Chick Lit and Romance as subsets within WF. Also Women's Fiction is decidedly not Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller, or any other major definable genre.

The stories tend to focus on relationships and issues of importance to women. As a Hugo and Nebula winner, Lois Mcmaster Bujold doesn't write Women's Fiction.

Clear as mud, right?

[C.C.]

Clear as mud, LOL! I think I'll leave this with ones that know better than I do. Have fun, all!

[Ellie]

Thanks for the invite to join. I love women's fiction-although I'm interested in what the phrase means. Hopefully not genre fiction of the meaningless variety. Not that there isn't a place for that-and in my own life too-but in my mind, women's fiction means more than that.

Although exactly what it means, I don't know!

[Stephen]

I have recently finished reading Alice McDermott's novel, "Someone" for the second time. It is the fictional biography of an "ordinary" woman, written with such respect and understanding as to make that life transcendent. This is both literary fiction and women's fiction of the highest order.