ideas – Page 2 – Andy writes!

‘American Fiction’ and what stories get told

Who gets to decide which novels are made accessible to the broader public?

Among the Academy Award nominees for best picture that got trampled by the Oppenheimer juggernaut was “American Fiction,” a movie about writers, writing and the publishing business. The movie has a lot to say about the state of publishing and its gatekeeping function. Who gets to decide which novels are made accessible to the broader public? By extension, the movie’s message also applies to other art forms, and to the business of marketing and promoting books, films, music, and other works of art.

“American Fiction” trailer

Celebrating women writers

“Indeed, I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.“
Virginia Woolf, “A Room of One’s Own” (source)

Today is the first Monday of Women’s History Month, held each March to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women throughout U.S. history. Reflecting on Virginia Woolf’s comment, and how women have long been overshadowed in the world of literature (among other fields), I’m using today’s post to highlight a few of the women writers whose work has influenced my writing and thinking in recent years.