Reader Response: An Alternative Insight into the Chick-Lit Genre

Dear Dan Wright,

I just read your article, "How the Slapper Became the Saluted: An Alternative Insight into the Chick-Lit Genre" and have to say I was extremely disappointed and a little bit offended. I am an aspiring writer and am nearly finished writing my first novel, which coincidentally, is in the chick lit genre. I find it insulting that you say "Chick-Lit is so popular because it gives the impression that women are in the driving seat; that they can play around with men’s emotions because they’re the centre of attention. Also it may show them that they can sleep around with as many men as they like because it’s okay to do so. Because apparently, men have no real feelings anyway!" As a writer, I made my main character true to life. Many of the women that I know, including myself, have never thought about playing around with a man's emotion. On the contrary, my inspiration came from a time in my life where a man played around with my emotions; so much so that I tried to commit suicide. I dislike the fact that you are hinting that chick lit is meaningless and mindless. My novel, just as many other chick lit novels I've read deals with real-life issues that many women I know have personally dealt with, including depression, grief, heartbreak, self-image, self-worth and financial difficulties. Just because you slap a pink cover on something doesn't mean it takes away the heart and soul of it, nor the brain.

I don't understand why you bring an entire genre down with your generalizations. Just like any genre, chick lit certainly has its good books and bad books. I've read women's fiction and general fiction that bored me to tears or depressed me so much I felt I needed to take some Prozac.

Really, I'm not trying to get personal, but it seems to me that your article comes across as bitter. Perhaps you are taking your personal issues out on an entire genre of fiction that is entirely meant to uplift and inspire women just like me, who've been dumped, abused or kicked around and just want something to make them feel that they're not alone, that things can and will get better.

Just because I enjoy a nice pair of shoes doesn't make me an airhead who cannot write. I have read Jane Austin, William Shakespeare and Maya Angelou among many, many others and consider myself a whole person, in the real world and the literal world. To imply, "Instead of the strong, mothering figures that truly do look for true love and family happiness, are we now left with selfish, indecisive slappers?" is an ignorant and snobby generalization. My central character, just like many that I have read, is a real woman who wants to be loved and learn to love herself. In my view, wanting to be loved and love someone in return is the least selfish thing there is. Demoralizing the work of many successful, smart, funny and soulful woman, on the other hand is selfish.

Read Dan Wright's original editorial on Chick-Lit.

Agree? Disagree? Tell us at editor@writersnewsweekly.com or join the discussion on facebook.com.