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It may seem odd to categorize 'women's fiction' as a genre, let alone as an 'emerging genre.' After all, women have been writing novels about women's lives and relationships for a long time. However, in the last decades of the twentieth century, as women's roles underwent tremendous transformations, a new type of book struck a chord with readers. Like romance, these stories centered on the lives of women, and also like romance, they presented women as caring, warm, funny individuals, coping with life's many changes. However, the romantic interest was not central to the story. Instead, the women in these books often faced life's challenges with the help of a small, supportive group of usually female friends.

Although not formally a genre in the way that 'romance' and 'crime' have become, this body of literature has widely become known as 'women's fiction,' because it is generally by, about, and for women. The designation is beginning to turn up in publishers' catalogs and in book jacket blurbs. You won't find a 'women's fiction' shelf at your local bookstore, nor are there 'women's fiction' writer and fan organizations (yet). However, it is interesting to note that a small group of retail bookstores cater specifically to female readers. (For example, Women and Children First, in Chicago). Harlequin's mainstream imprint, Mira, calls them 'Relationship novels.'

It might be said that women's fiction has its roots in the earliest published novels written by women-for example, Jane Austen, whose spirited heroines transcended the traditional roles of their times; or we may look to early twentieth-century writers for beginnings. Such authors as Virginia Woolf (Mrs. Dalloway) and Kate Chopin (The Awakening) helped redefine the roles of women with their work. A history of women's fiction as a genre has not yet been published, and it is not within the scope of this work to create one at this time. What is more important for today's readers' advisor is to understand the genre's characteristics and appeal to readers.

Women's fiction is all about relationships, and thus it is related to romance and to Chick Lit. Like romance, it is about women's relationships, and its appeal is emotional, but women's fiction does not have the tight focus on the romantic interest, and 'happily ever after' endings are not required. In fact, many titles have themes of 'after the divorce' or 'making it on my own.' It is similar to Chick Lit in that it takes this broader focus on women's lives and emphasizes friendship and humor, but the protagonists are more mature women, well into their lives, often with grown children, rather than young singles searching for fulfillment. The tone ranges from humorous (Lorna Landvik), to bittersweet (Maeve Binchy), to melodramatic (Terry McMillan).

For purposes of this guide, women's fiction consists of the stories about a woman or (most commonly) a small group of women who care about each other and lend each other strength as they face adversity as they celebrate the joys of life. Whether women's fiction is a subgenre of romance fiction, as some romance publishers would have us believe, or romance fiction is in fact a subgenre of women's fiction is a question we will not attempt to answer at this time. Certainly, a case could be made for either statement. Readers who enjoy their women's fiction on the humorous side often also enjoy very personal nonfiction such as Bailey White's collections of essays and the advice dispensed in Jill Connor Browne's Sweet Potato Queens guides.

Since many of the contemporary authors of women's fiction started out in the romance genre, readers may find earlier books by their favorite authors among long contemporary romance novels. Those who enjoy the sense of collegiality, the close-knit friendships, may enjoy some of the books called gentle reads. Mainstream novels featuring female protagonists often hold appeal for readers of women's fiction.

References:

Craig, L., Women's Fiction vs. Romance: A Tale of Two, Genres, 2005.

Sarick, J., The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction, American Library Association, 2001.

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