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does anyone know what is meant by women's fiction? Not romance, because the same agents that list women's fiction almost always list romance as well.
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Hello. I'm guessing that it could also include historically based (not historical) or social fiction about women, specifically addressing women's issues? Or any form of fiction that is written about subjects that are of particular interest to women? Yikes, I see now that it could mean a number of things...feminism, parenting, sexuality, you name it. You know, maybe a 'Waiting to Exhale' kind of thing. Or 'Beloved'? I sure wouldn't classify those as romances!
Please, no one use what I've said here as an excuse to critique my choice of examples...I am guessing, okay?
Wow, what a great question! I have seen the term before, too, and admit that I wondered myself. I'll watch this discussion and see what develops, it's always great to explore something new!
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Women's fiction generally refers to literary fiction that: 1) has women as the pivotal characters 2) has women who are confronting the usual or not not so usual challenges of being a woman and 3) has situations/conflicts that appeal to the broader (and perhaps somewhat sexist stereotypical) interests of women. The category often deals either with coming of age stories, or women dealing with midlife.
Recent examples include: Ahab's Wife Bee Season Secret Life of Bees The Saving Graces Theory of Relativity The Bonesetter's Daughter ... and just about every Oprah Book Club choice!
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I agree with Silligurl, I think it could be summed up as: Oprah Books. She chooses the book version of "the chick flick."
Saying that, here is the basic formula for most Oprah books I have read:
1.Child Abuse-physical and sexual 2.Age-inappropriate love affair(16 year old with 50 year old, so sketchy whether or not considered child abuse)(So statutory(sp) rape?) 3. The loss of main character's once-in-a-lifetime love by some tragedy, either through illness or accident. 4.The death of a small child. 5. Main character is clinically depressed. 6. The ending must be depressing, yet somehow the reader must feel as if there is some epiphany reached by main character, and reader is therefore left with the illusion that the ending was a happy one. 7. Incredibly well written, so even though feelings of depression are passed to reader, reader has trouble putting down book.
Liz (who just finished A Fine Balance, the single most depressing book she has ever read in her whole life.)
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I'm guessing that it could also include historically based (not historical) or social fiction about women, specifically addressing women's issues? Or any form of fiction that is written about subjects that are of particular interest to women? Yikes, I see now that it could mean a number of things...feminism, parenting, sexuality, you name it. You know, maybe a 'Waiting to Exhale' kind of thing. Or 'Beloved'? I sure wouldn't classify those as romances! 
