Extraordinary Heroines

Friday, May 14, 2010

Last night, as we all met together at KGB for the SheWrites event 'Ordinary Women...Extraordinary Heroines.' In a night of sharing and insight and support, and surrounded by so much talent and achievement, I was struck again by the things that "women do" so naturally, to support one another. And the point of SheWrites was made in front of my eyes. I was proud to be a part of it.

With no question about the pride and necessity of declaring myself a feminist, I am, clearly, of two minds about how to succeed at integration and leadership, when segregation seems more practical, but self defeating, in the long run. There is no conflict, however, about the necessity of pulling the label off of "Women's Fiction" (as opposed the the legitimate genres of "Chick-Lit" or "Beach Book" or "Romance"), in favor of – Fiction (duh).

The conversation is going on without us and we should be leading it. We are the readers and the writers; the consumers of fiction, and – as artists – the consumed. The enemy is not, at you would be led to believe, Marketing. Certainly not smart, informed, sophisticated Marketing. And the damage in dumbing down the messages that go out to our audiences, serve no one. Least of all the pockets of our publishers.

And here's a case for a segregated effort: Perhaps – if we band together (SheWrites compatriots?) we COULD guide and mold the publishing industry, to correct the things we know it is getting wrong – to create better products, better business and a richer culture. If even a part of that were possible, we really would be fulfilling the model of last night's event – not just creating heroines "between the pages", but out there in the wide, real world.