Any Chick Lit/Mom Lit/Lady Lit Writers Here??

RitrChick · Sep 1, 2009

Hey all! I know this forum is quite active in the Romance arena, but are there any Chick Lit, Mom Lit, Lady Lit or Hen Lit (or Women's Fiction of any kind that is NOT Romance) writers lurking around in here?? If so, what kinds of projects are you working on and what stage are you in?

I'm contemplating the start of my second Women's Fiction project after trunking my first last year. Just wondering if I have some girly company in here?

shameless · Sep 2, 2009

I supposed I would consider my Turning Thirty-Twelve "lady lit."

I'm working on an urban fantasy series, but I also started another women's fiction story. I recently reconnected with some old classmates from high school. That sparked an idea about a "going back to my hometown" type of story. Very mainstream with romantic elements rather than a straight on romance.

romancewriter · Sep 8, 2009

I just started playing with a chick lit type story, although mine's aimed more for teens. Not sure where to go with it. I want to finish my para-romance before I get too wrap in something else. I've always been under the impression that chick lit, etc, has some romance but the focus is more on personal growth. Is that right? Or am I mixing up my genres?

Sandy

Tressa · Sep 9, 2009

I'm working on my first and having a lot of fun. Until this story I wrote/sold only non-fiction. When you have facts and personal experience it's easy to write the article. This is not as easy as I expected.

Bubastes · Sep 9, 2009

I write more women's fiction than romance (mostly confession-style short stories so far). I seem to be incapable of writing a pure happily-ever-after ending, so writing straight romance is a bit of a challenge.

RitrChick · Sep 14, 2009

Yaaay! So there ARE some of us lurking around in here! That's awesome.

I am (was?) totally having a genre identity crisis. After trunking my first WF piece and chalking it up to a learning experience, I thought I'd try my hand at the uber-popular YA, since my "voice" easily crosses over into that genre. Then it became all saturated (IMO), so I though, hmmm, maybe Middle Grade. Started a MG project and still like it, but a WF idea has been burning a hole in my brain for months and really fleshed itself out last night. Might start writing it today and see what happens.

So...pleasedtameetcha all, and maybe we can come here to chat and give each other little nudges and support...

writehereinOhio · Sep 15, 2009

I'm here, too! I primarily write WF. Working on my second novel and two shorts. Sending one all over the place. My novel is in its 4th rewrite. I'm hoping to have it ready to go out early next year.

Synonym · Sep 15, 2009

I've got two WIP's in various stages of gestation. One has a woman in her fifties and the other in her forties. I'd never written a thing until I became so disgusted with all the books I read that had only young, hawt, innocent or not so innocent female MC's. It has inspired me to quit bitchin' and do something about it. May never amount to anything, but I feel better.

RitrChick · Sep 20, 2009

You go, Synonym! Good way to test the "write what you'd want to read" theory. Good luck!

And Ohio, have you ever submitted a short story to the Writer's Digest Short Short Story contest (yes, two "Shorts" - that was not a typo!)? I submitted one in '07 and took 21st place (out of over 8,000 entries!) The Top 25 get their stories published in a compilation collection. I have no idea if it will carry any weight in a query letter, but it certainly can't hurt! The contest deadline is December 1st, I think.

seeAlliwrite · Sep 20, 2009

I am! I've had five women's fic./chick-lit/whatever you want to call it now that we're not calling it chick-lit books out. The market is pretty painful at the moment, I have to say. The worst I've ever seen it and I've been published for ten years next year. Ah well, the only way is up, right?!

rockitwoman · Sep 30, 2009

I love chick lit unfortunately not many are publishing them as they used to.

MeriBeth · Oct 1, 2009

My first chick-lit novel is completed and I'm currently looking for agents. No one wants chick-lit! It's so sad and I just don't understand it. I'm the organizer of a chick-lit book club comprised of 300 members - obviously, people enjoy reading the stuff. I was looking into E-publishers as well and they seem to prefer straight up genre romance too. I started my second chick-lit novel recently and perhaps I'm being foolish considering the current state of demand for it, but I love it and it fits my writing style. Nice to see others writing it too.

Lainey Bancroft · Oct 1, 2009

The term 'chick lit' is dead, the genre still exists. It is now being labeled 'humorous women's fiction' when the story focuses more on the 'woman's journey,' and tagged 'romantic comedy' when a romance plays a role in the book.

I'm agent shopping a humorous women's fiction--although dark humor--and polishing a romantic comedy.

L.Jones · Oct 1, 2009

I've done it all. Chick, Hen, Mommy, Women's Fic, Grit Lit, Lit Lite and romance....

Right now romance is paying the bills but hope spring eternal for finding a home for other projects, even though I'd probably have to use a new name (okay by me) as my last single title women's fic books did not have good numbers.

annie jones

RitrChick · Oct 3, 2009

Lainey is right on. For those of us looking to find an agent and publisher for our uber-fabulous stories, it'll be all about adapting the genre name to the current market needs.

In the Sept. '09 issue of Writer's Digest, there is a list of 24 agents actively looking for new writers, and of those, 12 are looking for "commercial women's fiction" (or some variation of that term) and another is looking for "upmarket" women's fiction (Jodi Picoult-ish, I assume). So....there is plenty of hope (I hope!!). We just need to keep buying these "romantic comedy" and "humurous women's fiction" pieces to do our part to keep the market alive!

shameless · Oct 3, 2009

My "chick lit" is still my best seller. FWIW... :tongue

RitrChick · Oct 7, 2009

AW Social Group for Us

Hey, fellow ChickLitters! Since there are several of us lurking around here, I thought it'd be fun to start our own little social group here at AW where we can talk about all things Chick Lit (and its various genre names)! Join me over at Chick Lit Lovers Unite! here on AW and let's talk.

See you there!!

britwit · Oct 15, 2009

I finished my first ms last December and the entire time I was writing it I knew without a doubt that it was "women's fiction" or as I was calling it at the time chick-lit.
It's the story of one women's personal journey to find herself, and what she wants’ out of life. But not funny, could that be a problem?
Well thirty agents later, no one wants it. Most were form letters but I did receive written letters back from four, all said the same thing "chick-lit or women's fiction is dead."
I hated hearing it, I for one love chick-lit, and I know others who do as well. So I'm glad to hear that others are still writing it and loving it as well.
The agents who answered all suggested rearranging the story to fit a romance theme, but honestly while I love romance, this book is not fit for that genre.
It is what it is.
Like you I shelved my ms, maybe one day there will be a market for it, in the meantime it is still in my heart and mind.

Grace_Sully · Oct 26, 2009

Hi all,

I'm a chick lit lover too! Finished my first novel and enduring the first edit. I've found an agent in New York who said they'd represent me but they've only read the first three or so chapters. Is that not unusual? I'm a bit iffy about singing a contract with them as my book need work and their prepared to take it as it is once a critique is done. Am I being too caucious or shoud I just go with it? If any of you guys have any experience with agents and publishing I'd be grateful for your advice as I'm a bit scared (if that's the right word?!) about trusting someone I don't know with my novel. . .
Thanks x

Chumplet · Oct 26, 2009

britwit said:
I finished my first ms last December and the entire time I was writing it I knew without a doubt that it was "women's fiction" or as I was calling it at the time chick-lit.
It's the story of one women's personal journey to find herself, and what she wants’ out of life. But not funny, could that be a problem?
Well thirty agents later, no one wants it. Most were form letters but I did receive written letters back from four, all said the same thing "chick-lit or women's fiction is dead."
I hated hearing it, I for one love chick-lit, and I know others who do as well. So I'm glad to hear that others are still writing it and loving it as well.
The agents who answered all suggested rearranging the story to fit a romance theme, but honestly while I love romance, this book is not fit for that genre.
It is what it is.
Like you I shelved my ms, maybe one day there will be a market for it, in the meantime it is still in my heart and mind.

British publishers still seem to love chick lit according to some articles I've read. They don't even mind the term. As far as women's fiction, I wonder which agent said it was dead! Many others are saying it's a growing market. There are still a ton of agents listing women's fiction as their preferred genre. I wouldn't give up so soon.

Thirty agents? Pfff... keep querying.

I've been working on my women's fiction for about 3 years, but in the meantime had three other novels published: a straight romance, romantic suspense and what the publisher called 'erotic chick lit'. The last one was really humorous women's fiction IMO.

The lines between the genres are so blurred, you could call it mainstream and let the agent/publisher decide the genre for themselves.

Chumplet · Oct 26, 2009

Grace_Sully said:
Hi all,

I'm a chick lit lover too! Finished my first novel and enduring the first edit. I've found an agent in New York who said they'd represent me but they've only read the first three or so chapters. Is that not unusual? I'm a bit iffy about singing a contract with them as my book need work and their prepared to take it as it is once a critique is done. Am I being too caucious or shoud I just go with it? If any of you guys have any experience with agents and publishing I'd be grateful for your advice as I'm a bit scared (if that's the right word?!) about trusting someone I don't know with my novel. . .
Thanks x

Hi Grace, and welcome! Have you looked through the Bewares and Background Check section of the forum? Many of your doubts may be dealt with there. You can also see if the agent offering the contract is a legitimate one or not. Just remember one thing - if they ask for ANY money before your book is sold, they might not be legitimate.

Alpha Echo · Oct 26, 2009

I think mine are kinda women's lit. That's how I catagorize it anyway.

shameless · Oct 26, 2009

Grace_Sully said:
Hi all,

I'm a chick lit lover too! Finished my first novel and enduring the first edit. I've found an agent in New York who said they'd represent me but they've only read the first three or so chapters. Is that not unusual? I'm a bit iffy about singing a contract with them as my book need work and their prepared to take it as it is once a critique is done. Am I being too caucious or shoud I just go with it? If any of you guys have any experience with agents and publishing I'd be grateful for your advice as I'm a bit scared (if that's the right word?!) about trusting someone I don't know with my novel. . .
Thanks x

The fact this agent offered on a partial raises a red flag with me because my first agent signed me that way. Trust me, it wasn't a good experience. As Chumplet suggested, go to Bewares and Background checks. Do some good research on this agent before you bind yourself to him/her. It's worse to have a bad agent than no agent at all.

sharla · Oct 31, 2009

I probably write women's lit. I have a very chicklitty voice, but I've stopped calling it that and switched to calling it romantic comedy or women's fiction to be safe because that's become such a death toll with agents.

I think there's still a major market, just can't call it what it is!!

Any Chick Lit/Mom Lit/Lady Lit Writers Here??

RitrChick

Rejoining the Butt in Chair Club

shameless

Superlative Type A

romancewriter

Tressa

Writer in hiding

Bubastes

bananaed

RitrChick

Rejoining the Butt in Chair Club

writehereinOhio

Synonym

RitrChick

Rejoining the Butt in Chair Club

seeAlliwrite

rockitwoman

MeriBeth

Lainey Bancroft

Cover Me!

L.Jones

RitrChick

Rejoining the Butt in Chair Club

shameless

Superlative Type A

RitrChick

Rejoining the Butt in Chair Club

britwit

Grace_Sully

Chumplet

This hat is getting too hot

Chumplet

This hat is getting too hot

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

shameless

Superlative Type A

sharla

What's up??