Talk:Chick lit

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Aaargh! The system logged me out in the middle of uploading the text of this article, so I didn't get credit for it. Anyway, if anyone wants to discuss the topic (and it probably needs discussing), the original work is mine....
---Michael K. Smith 20:22, 22 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] list and links

I'm planning on adding a list of chicklit books with links to short descriptions of the books in seperate pages. On those pages I'd like to add links to either publishers or places like Barnes&Nobles.com so people know where to pick them up. Lastly, I'm planning on making a section on the main page with links to various places on the web to find stuff. I hope no one minds me doing these things, this is the first section I've found on the pedia that I think I can make a real contribution to. Once the lists are up I hope that some people will be willing to revise and edit as they see fit to make the pages more full. Later --Steeley42 17:05, Jul 28, 2004 (UTC)

The list idea sounds good, but if you plan to add an article/stub for each book, then you should be using a category instead. See Wikipedia:Categories, lists, and series boxes as well as Wikipedia:Categories. Also, don't link to booksellers directly. Wikipedia convention is to make reference to a particular edition of a book by writing its ISBN number, prefixed by ISBN, such as ISBN 1234567890 (with or without hyphens), which results in a link to a generated page that provides many links to sources for the book. — mjb 19:31, 15 August 2005 (UTC)
In addition, the page needs to be linked to a book category anyway. — Onlyemarie 19:45, 15 August 2005 (UTC)
Done, by adding it to Category:Literary genres. — mjb 20:09, 15 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Tone issues

I'm contemplating an edit to correct what I see as some tone issues in this article. Though the comments regarding the "slightly uncomplimentary" tone of the term "chick-lit" are valid, the genre is immensely popular and I think that many chick-lit readers have come to terms with the realities of the genre (i.e., they're okay with the fact that it's primarily "fluffy" literature). I would thus suggest a separate section on connotations of the term, so that the genre-specific information can be more informative while the article retains references to the possible derogatory connotations of the term "chick-lit." I'll get to this as soon as I'm able; please comment here or send me a personal message if you disagree. Onlyemarie 17:41, 15 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] See Oprah's Book Club?!

Hmm, I am not sure I understand the connection between chick lit and Oprah's book club. Oprah DOES NOT recommend chick lit, unless people like Tolstoy and Toni Morrison write chick lit?! Just because certain books are popular with women does not make them chick lit. You might as well have a "see Romance genre" or something, because Romance novels is as much chick lit as Oprah's Book club. I know many fans of chick lit who would never want to read anything on Oprah's book list.71.194.155.170 08:17, 3 January 2006 (UTC)


I agree with the above, Oprah's Book Club recommendations are not in accord with this article and I recommend it be removed unless there is a connection between them. --Avigon 21:35, 31 March 2006 (UTC)
Oprah's book club is top-heavy with female authors, however Lowellt 16:48, 3 May 2006 (UTC)
Since when do "female authors" equal "chick lit?" Chick lit is not defined as literature written by women. You should try reading the page before commenting on the discussion. Jesus. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. --J.Dayton 00:32, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] connotations and origin of term

"...with the implication that readers of the genre are likely to be clichéd, unintellectual females who chew gum and avoid "serious" literature."

I am not understanding why the term chick lit carries these connotations. Is there really a stereotype about the chewers of chiclet gum? Why does the term chick lit imply that the people who read it avoid other literature, are unintellectual, and cliched? Seems like the person who wrote the connotations section has opinions about chick lit.71.194.155.170 08:16, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

I didn't say the connotation was justified or that I agreed with it -- only that it exists, which it does. I've been a public librarian since the 1960s and get to a lot of annual ALA and ABA conferences, and the several marketing discussions I've witnessed on what chick lit is and who it sells to have noted the semi-sneer with which better educated readers of both sexes approach it -- probably for the same reason that this market segment sneers at people who watch reality TV shows. Myself, I read practically all genres. --Michael K. Smith 16:11, 6 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Christian Chick Lit

Not that I care very much, being atheist and male, but there appears to be Christian Chick Lit - see [1]

[edit] Motives for writing Chick-lit

It appears that any woman who eats a bowl of alphabet soup, waits several hours, then goes to the toilet can create any kind of chick-lit plots. Many people will disagree with this bold statement, but the hanging truth is that anyone can pull this pretentious rubbish from their backsides. Even some writers have included female characters who are writing chick-lit books in the writer's story. That's how easy it is.

I am only overly annoyed at the fact that many mindless individuals buy this trash year in, year out. It also reflects whats ongoing in the music scene at present: (if I were to shave my head, would any of you give a shite?)

The only reason i buy chick-lit books is to see what kind of tripe has swindled the general public again. The books seem to have a poor use of vocabulary to describe scenes/places/emotions and there is repetition of spoken dialogue (e.g she said angrily, she said laughing, etc).

So in this day and age, if you want to be successful as a writer, you don't have to be intellectual, witty or dramatic, you only have to have a "hectic" social life with dadjies plastic card and an eaves-dropping ear to create some pieces of commercial dog-faeces. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.100.39.45 (talk) 18:25, 8 March 2007 (UTC).

This is not a message board. I agree, mostly, but this is not a message board. --J.Dayton 00:33, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Weasel Statements

I deleted the line "Men frequently use the term disparagingly, considering the genre as a whole to be meaningless/mindless and not worth reading" as it is unsourced opinion. --DOHC Holiday 17:54, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Chick Lit

"Chick lit" is a term used to denote genre fiction written for and marketed to young women, especially single, working women in their twenties and thirties.
What is the term used to denote genre fiction written for and marketed to young men, especially single, working men in their twenties and thirties? Maybe this term can be connected to Chick Lit. Coffsneeze 23:38, 12 May 2007 (UTC)

I believe it is called 'Dick Lit'. But this term may just be an aphorism to the term 'Chick Lit' as generally books aren't marketed to young men. Unless someone can prove me wrong by naming one. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.100.38.226 (talk) 02:56, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Marion Chesney (M.C. Beaton)

I don't see what the M.C. Beaton mystery books, either Agatha Raisin or Hamish Macbeth have to do with "chick lit" and would propose removing that reference. They are just ordinary mystery stories. If that's "chick lit" then so is Agatha Christie. Jlawniczak (talk) 15:32, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I guess I'm talking to myself here, but I think that it would be arguable that Marion Chesney's series, like the Daughters of Mannerling series, would qualify for this genre. Jlawniczak (talk) 13:46, 29 March 2008 (UTC)