ICYMI: Writing is hard. Even if you do manage to finish that novel youve been working on, the obstacles standing between you and your publishing goals abound. And, even writers who do succeed will likely have to work a separate job to support themselves. If youre a woman ' especially a woman of color ' there are added hitches. Your work is less likely to win awards, less likely to be reviewed by major outlets, and, when it is reviewed, its more likely to be stereotyped as domestic or family-centric than mens work is. There are other, less easily quantified hurdles, too, which Chocolat author Joanne Harris began to list under the Twitter hashtag #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear on Monday. She wrote that, when on a book tour with a male publicist, or with a fellow writer who was a man, she has been mistaken for a publicist and not an author. She continued by noting questions and assumptions she often hears in her line of work, including, Who does the housework when youre away' and But your husband puts food on the table, even though shes been her familys main breadwinner for over two decades.A chorus of women writers chimed in, including Wild author Cheryl Strayed and Outlander author Diana Gabaldon. The anecdotes run the gamut, and each is illustrative of the pernicious acts of sexism faced by women in creative fields.Premiere of CHOCOLAT. Famous (male) author pushes past me without a glance to congratulate my (male) publisher. #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) April 17, 2017 #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Your books are good! I thought you were a man! S. E. Hinton (@se4realhinton) April 18, 2017 "We can't put your degrees in your bio; it will intimidate your readers." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Diana Gabaldon (@Writer_DG) April 18, 2017 *writes about personal experiences**gets dismissed as "confessional" work*#ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Lesly B. (@breathlesslyb) April 18, 2017 "Aww, what's a sweet/nice/gentle/dainty person like you doing writing crime novels'" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Megan Abbott (@meganeabbott) April 18, 2017 "And how does your husband feel about the subjects you cover'" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear pic.twitter.com/FbBOLRnBiL Chrissa Hardy (@chrissahardy) April 18, 2017 'Will you be writing about mothering now''/'I liked your piece. Did you write it when the baby napped'' #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear emily nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) April 18, 2017 "what a great way to make a little money while you're home with your daughter." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Tehlor Kay Mejia (@tehlorkay) April 18, 2017 If you just used your first initial no one would know you're a woman & you'd probably sell more books #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear jami attenberg (@jamiattenberg) April 18, 2017 "Wait, you write science fiction' But you're a woman." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear #still #in2017 #frommydoctor #iaskyou Melanie Fletcher (@melaniemf) April 17, 2017 "When are you going to write a real book'" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) April 18, 2017 Male friend, to me: 'I'd read one of your books, but I'm not your target audience.'Me: '... as a human being''#ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Laure Eve (@LaureEve) April 18, 2017 "Don't you worry about how that will reflect on your children'" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Racheline Maltese (@racheline_m) April 17, 2017 "So, is it a real book or is it like, a Harlequin'" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Jenny Trout (@Jenny_Trout) April 17, 2017 "You'd sell more books if you switched to initials." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Madeline Ashby (@MadelineAshby) April 18, 2017 I've got one, from after I gave a lecture: "How does your husband handle your wit'" #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755) April 18, 2017 #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHearWhere do you find the time to write' pic.twitter.com/2XyLFYeKSy Danielle Gray (@ImDanielleGray) April 18, 2017 Male radio hosts say they love my books, then once we're on the air they say I write "great books for women." #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear Cheryl Strayed (@CherylStrayed) April 18, 2017 type=type=RelatedArticlesblockTitle=Related... + articlesList=55d4df55e4b055a6dab2a673,55bbcc7ae4b06363d5a2342b,57cef1b4e4b03d2d45965d62,56c2e1d4e4b0b40245c7c869,58cc3aa7e4b0be71dcf4bede,586fa74ee4b043ad97e2f5f0function onPlayerReadyVidible(e){'undefined'!=typeof HPTrack&&HPTrack.Vid.Vidible_track(e)}!function(e,i){if(e.vdb_Player){if('object'==typeof commercial_video){var a='',o='m.fwsitesection='+commercial_video.site_and_category;if(a+=o,commercial_video['package']){var c='&m.fwkeyvalues=sponsorship%3D'+commercial_video['package'];a+=c}e.setAttribute('vdb_params',a)}i(e.vdb_Player)}else{var t=arguments.callee;setTimeout(function(){t(e,i)},0)}}(document.getElementById('vidible_1'),onPlayerReadyVidible); -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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