Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The write effect: Women lead the way

Their heroines stride the streets, wield BlackBerrys and enjoy power lunches. They shop for Jimmy Choos, follow the South Beach Diet and have their dermatologists on speed dial. As for the heroes, they don’t mind pitching in with the housework or working out of home and can whip up a mean meal too.

The newest trend in Indian writing in English lies in the way authors are treating their subjects and their heroines. Gone are the gender stereotypes, the predictable storylines and the self-conscious writing. There is a fresh and often irreverent approach to writing today which readers are lapping up and enjoying immensely. The number of women writers in the country has also multiplied many times over when compared to their male counterparts.

Says author Usha KR, author of Monkey Man: “I think this trend has a lot to do with the way the space is evolving in India. Today, women can write about anything, like chick-lit, hedonistic accounts of their lives, thrillers or even graphic novels. Women are experimenting with all kinds of subjects and new voices are being heard all the time. I’ve noticed that when a space opens up, there will always be more variety. And literature always grows when there is more variety. But as more writers test the waters, there will be both good and indifferent writing in the market. Gradually, over time, an enduring genre will emerge.”

Full report here DNA

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