Good morning! Thank you for inviting me Edie—
I love women’s fiction. WITH A PASSION. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew the value of reading layered, juicy stories about women and their lives. My love affair started with FOREVER by Judy Blume— (I snuck this book off my mother’s bedside table and would read it on the sly in my closet, yes, balancing the flashlight!) the impact this book had on my young life— wow! It expanded my worldview and evoked strong feelings about issues I was desperate to make sense of at that age. And from there, I read a big book called THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley that inspired me to study Women and Religion at college. And now? I have built a career where I can help women make their books sing, bring their books to market, and build a readership with the understanding that somewhere out there is a woman or girl waiting to be inspired by the author’s story.
So, it’s safe to say my appetite for women’s fiction blossomed into a full blown addiction: Family sagas, unique women in history, women’s stories of healing and transformation, women’s friendships, women dealing with careers, young women raising children and finding love and purpose, fun and light hearted or dark and complicated— the power of women’s fiction is amazing— they have the ability to move you. What moves you about women’s fiction? How has a particular story touched you recently? Did it change you in some way? In writing women’s fiction, how do you find inspiration? In your life, in the lives around you? Is there one book that changed the course of your life, like me and the two I mentioned above? I would love to hear from you! As the day goes on, I will drop in too.
The market in my opinion is especially open to new voices in WF. These are hard times for many people, readers are especially looking for stories that move them. I am always actively looking for new projects in this genre. I like big, juicy, layered stories with real life characters and real life issues. I want to split my side laughing, cry my eyes out, heal my heart, swell with pride— if it hits the reader in a visceral way, I want to see it!! Please send your submissions to submission@spencerhillassociates.com and in the subject line write WOMEN’S FICTION query. Check out our website for guidelines.
I look forward to seeing your work!!
Jennifer
Spencerhill Associates
Thank you so much for blogging with us today. I used to sneak books off my mother’s bedside table, too.
I feel the same way as you do about WF. The last one I read, I think I cried about six times, laughed more times, and ended with a smile and feeling complete. I would love to have readers feel that way with my books, too.
this is a bit broad but perhaps you can shed a fraction of light for me.
What do you suggest a writer do when editors or agents say things like – the writing is good but not commercial enough- or five years ago this could have sold on voice alone but now I need more of a commercial hook.
If what the author like to write is romantic women’s fiction without paranormal elements or suspense elements or dumped wife baggage and lord no shopping- more in the vein of Susan Wiggs or even a little Robyn Carr – how do you increase commercial appeal in your storylines?
[...] more: Agent Jennifer Schober on Women's Fiction | RWA-WF Share and [...]
*waving hi to my fantabulously wonderful agent!
You mentioned two of my favorites too!!! I read Forever in high school and was stunned that honest books like that existed.
I found Mists of Avalon as an adult and it really changed my view of women in history. WHat an amazing book! It’s still one of my all-time favorites!
Thanks for the blog!
Lisa
Good Morning everyone! I’ll be dropping in as much as I can today to respond to any questions… Chris K has a question about increasing your book’s commercial appeal. I am an agent who believes that there are a number of layers of a fantastic book, and voice is a huge one, but drama, emotion and characters are also very important. If you work very hard on layering all those things into your story the commercial appeal will be there because it will IMPACT the reader and break through to people. It’s better to work on that kind of magic when writing your book, not writing toward a trend.
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Great post Jennifer! I really like what you said about the commercial appeal being about hitting the right notes and not about the hook of the moment.
I adore books that reach out and touch me in some emotional way!
Donna xx
Loved your approach to finding good stories and reading them young. As a young child, before I had any books besides the Bible (strict Victorian grandparent)I liked to revamp Bible stories and tell them to my cat. No one else would listen. Now I enjoy writing them, (even though they have no Biblical influence) As soon as I was old enough to get close to a library, I read lots of good ones under the blankets with a flashlight. I wonder if that finding of your own stories and reading them secretly is a right of passage.
Just dropping by to say hi. Wonderful post Jenn.
A book I finished a few days ago, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See (I think it came out in ’07) was marvelous. It was a historical and dealt with women’s issues in China, and was narrated by an elderly woman looking back on her upbringing. What an amazing story. The thought I was left with is that true heart love, those deep feelings we have for our female friends, are the same despite language and cultural differences.
Jennifer, wonderful post.
Enlighten me a bit. I’ve often wondered if male character driven stories that appeal to women are considered “Women’s Fiction.” Every ms I’ve written revolves around a male whose muse is a woman. My work predominately leans toward contemporary lit. fic., so I’m always clueless when looking at agent lists. Am I commercial lit, women’s fic, or lit. fic? Shrug, shrug, shrug,
In answer to your question of what book impacted me recently, I’d have to say The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Every human should read it, although I’m sure there are those in this country who’d deny its content.
Hi Kath- not seeing your work, I can’t say for sure. So having said that, Women’s Fiction is fiction that is written with women readers in mind, targeted toward women in terms of marketing, and appeals to women. I do think that having a male lead character makes the work lean to general fiction. A recent book I read with male lead characters: CUTTING FOR STONE by Abraham Verghese. AND IT ROCKED my world. I am actually reading THE HELP right now, just started~
Thank you for a great post. I, too, love to read–and write–women’s fiction. I recently finished my debut novel and will be pitching you! I have a few more edits and need to write my synopsis first. I promise to make you laugh, cry and feel good at the end.
Can you explain the difference between chick lit and women’s fiction? In my mind, women’s fiction is more layered and is not afraid to address serious topics whereas chick lit is more of a fun, light read. Is this correct?
One more question: Is it possible to have both humor and some suspense in a women’s fiction novel? One person “in the know” (but not an agent) said it should be one or the other. Maybe I’m getting too much advice. I’m in three writers’ groups.
Please help! Thank you.
Hi, Jennifer! Great post, and I love your take on WF. The most recent books that captivated me were Shanghai Girls and Firefly Lane. Loved them both. I also enjoyed and reviewed, The Help, at Magical Musings. Stunning debut from a gifted author!
I can tell you’re passionate about WF, and will definitely be contacting you at some point. I’m curious, how do you feel about connecting books?
Of course you can have humor and a little suspense in a women’s fiction! Isnt there a little humor and a little suspense in our own lives? When the balance gets off and you have too much of one or the other then it becomes an issue of marketing for publishers.
Thank you. I agree–we all have many emotions every single day in our own lives. I may have a little too much suspense in this one (one character is a cop). I’ll check as I edit. Lots of laughs, though.
Jennifer,
Thank you for blogging with us today. My question: How do you feel about a story where the woman is working through current day issues, but there are flashbacks that explain where she is and how she got there?
Do you this this works if handled well?
Thanks
Sandy Elzie
Excellent post, Jennifer. I recently read Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson and The Geometry of Sisters. I loved both.
Oh, Jenn. This post made my heart squeeze a little bit. This is why you _get me_.
We’ve talked about this a little bit at the RWA conference, but I love a story that teaches me something I didn’t know about myself or about the world. I particularly love stories about women who break all the rules. The beauty of women’s fiction is that when it lets you inside a character, it allows you to live your own life as a woman a thousand different times.
Jennifer,
Thanks for taking the time to stop by here and answer our questions.
Thanks everyone for tuning in and I appreciate the dialogue… to all those questions I didnt get to answer I leave you with this: If you find yourself asking questions about your writing, that is a REALLY GOOD THING because it offers you an opportunity to reach inside your Self and iniate growth. When you ask yourself a question– just listen. You may find that in the silence, without the phones, email and all the urgency life creates is a still place with a lot of wisdom. If you harness this power and weave it into your work, I guarantee you will have a bestseller on your hands. Thanks again for having me, and I wish you all the best.
Jennifer — Great to hear the market seems open to WF right now. Women readers are always looking for a book we can relate to, champion, connect…
Thanks for a great post!
Hi Jenn! (enthusiastic wave)
Wonderful post. What girl could deny the magic and inspiration of Judy Bloom?
I was planning to force you to read The Help next, so I’m glad I don’t have to resort to drastic measures now. When you asked which book most recently touched us/me, this is the book that instantly came to mind. As a mother of two, the ending especially moved me in a way that I don’t think it would have pre-kids. This, of course, is what’s so amazing about fiction, and WF in particular — how it touches us constantly changes according to where and who we are at the moment we read it.
Ah, subjectivity: the blessing and curse of the literary biz. LOL.
Thanks for stopping by!