Reading Question

[heystacy]

I was talking with a friend about fiction writing and genres. Basicly she's writing a book that may fall under the "chick lit" category. Its such a broad term, and seems to have more positive than negative connotations. I personally don't like the term.

Is anybody out there reading any books in this genre? Any opinions? Contemporary women's fiction or trashy novel? All opininons welcomed.

[stealthwise]

So... is this just writing by women? Seems like a very broad category, so much so that I can't really see it being useful.

In my undergrad days we had a number of courses, whether it was Romanticism, American Lit, First Nations Lit, Post-Colonial Lit, that always featured female authors for probably 50% of the course texts, maybe more in some cases.

[heystacy]

It's women writers writing about women trying to find love. Includes detaiiled sex, fashon, and some romance. Think Sex and the City, or Bridget Jones' Diary. The books are very pretty, using bright pink and pastel colors. Its more than enought to drive a guy away from reading them

The male equivilent is called "Lad lit," or "dick lit." It substitutes men as the lead, but I think runs the same. Includes fashion, sex and, love/romance. Not as popular as chick lit.

The category is very broad. I think if you contain these three elements you're lumped into this genre.

Found a definition in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_lit) .

[stealthwise]

Ah, thanks. I had no clue what you were referring to initially. Um, one quibble though... Sex in the City sounds like it qualifies due to your genre definition, but you do realize that the series was created by a gay man and had a number of male producers and writers? Just wondering, because you opened with "women writers writing about women."

[heystacy]

Ah, thanks. I had no clue what you were referring to initially. Um, one quibble though... Sex in the City sounds like it qualifies due to your genre definition, but you do realize that the series was created by a gay man and had a number of male producers and writers? Just wondering, because you opened with "women writers writing about women."

Sex and the City is a set of novels written by Candice Bushnell (msp?). It was adapted into a tv series for HBO.

[stealthwise]

Sex and the City is a set of novels written by Candice Bushnell (msp?). It was adapted into a tv series for HBO.

Crap, I should have remembered that, given that my fiance forces me to watch reruns every night and I usually am awake enough to see that in the credits as the show ends.

Ok, to save face I'll ask this of you, what do you think about the HBO adaptation then? Especially given the role of male writers/producers in translating the aspects of the book to the small screen?

[heystacy]

Crap, I should have remembered that, given that my fiance forces me to watch reruns every night and I usually am awake enough to see that in the credits as the show ends.

Ok, to save face I'll ask this of you, what do you think about the HBO adaptation then? Especially given the role of male writers/producers in translating the aspects of the book to the small screen?

Its very soap opera-ish, from what I have seen. I know women ate it up. I worked with a lot of women and I have heard many a times "did you see the latest epsiode..." The show was a very explicit, fashion aware, and about single women looking for Mr. Right, except Samantha-She was after Mr. Right Now. ;)

Very much within the genre. Never read the books, but Busnell was a consultant.

By the same token. I saw Bridget Jones' Diary. I thought it was funny and sad at the same time. Too much drama for me. I haven't desired to see it again.