--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew…" description: "\"When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I wanted to write about income inequality and student loan debt and the gender wage gap, but I wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31f/camille-perri-15748_age-gap_when-i-wrote-the-assistants-i-knew-very_553131.jpg" --- # When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I… ![“When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I wanted to write about income inequality and student loan debt and the gender wage gap, but I wanted to put it in a really slick, fun package. That book ended up being described as a socially conscious novel in chick-lit clothing.” quote by Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31f/camille-perri-15748_age-gap_when-i-wrote-the-assistants-i-knew-very_553131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31f/camille-perri-15748_age-gap_when-i-wrote-the-assistants-i-knew-very_553131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31f/camille-perri-15748_age-gap_when-i-wrote-the-assistants-i-knew-very_553131.jpg) > “When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I wanted to write about income inequality and student loan debt and the gender wage gap, but I wanted to put it in a really slick, fun package. That book ended up being described as a socially conscious novel in chick-lit clothing.” [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author aimed to discuss serious socioeconomic issues within an entertaining, accessible format, resulting in a work labeled as socially aware yet packaged as light‑hearted chick‑lit. **In simple terms:** Serious topics were hidden in a fun, easy‑to‑read story. Key Takeaway Blend important messages with engaging storytelling. Themes social justice economics gender literature Mood thoughtful hopeful Type literary social commentary When to use this quote - book clubs - college seminars - media reviews - policy discussions Key Concepts income inequality student debt gender wage gap Questions to Reflect On - Can humor effectively convey deep social problems? - What balance works best between entertainment and advocacy? A Different Perspective The “slick, fun” style may dilute the seriousness of the issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age gap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-gap/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Income inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income-inequality/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote 'The Assistants' while I was the Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of 'Esquire.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-wrote-the-assistants-while-i-was-the-assistant-to-the-editor-in/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [“My work has often been described as “chick lit” and for the most part the term doesn’t bother me. I think it simply signals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/my-work-has-often-been-described-as-chick-lit-and-for-the-most-part/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [It's like if a young woman writes it, then it's chick lit. We don't care if she's slaying vampires or working as a nanny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/it-s-like-if-a-young-woman-writes-it-then-it-s-chick-lit-we-don-t/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) > [I always thought 'chick lit' meant third-person contemporary funny novels, dealing with issues of the day. I mean, it's not the ideal term; when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/i-always-thought-chick-lit-meant-third-person-contemporary-funny/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [I don't think anyone sits down and thinks, 'I know, I'll be a chick-lit writer.' You write the book that you want to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/i-don-t-think-anyone-sits-down-and-thinks-i-know-i-ll-be-a-chick-lit/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [I say, 'I write romance, women's fiction, chick lit.' I think it all fits very comfortably under the same umbrella. Basically, I write books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/i-say-i-write-romance-women-s-fiction-chick-lit-i-think-it-all-fits/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [Do I mind being called a chick-lit writer? Well, it's not the worst thing that could happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/do-i-mind-being-called-a-chick-lit-writer-well-it-s-not-the-worst/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [People say 'chick lit,' and what they mean is 'crap.' And so even though you might sell 100,000 copies of a book, you're never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/people-say-chick-lit-and-what-they-mean-is-crap-and-so-even-though/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [“She might've previously veered off track and landed straight into chick lit land, but how many chick lits had the main character recognize how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-rosmarin/she-might-ve-previously-veered-off-track-and-landed-straight-into/) [Abby Rosmarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-rosmarin/) > [I think when it comes to women who write or who fancy ourselves 'hip downtown literati', there is a certain contempt for being overly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klausner/i-think-when-it-comes-to-women-who-write-or-who-fancy-ourselves-hip/) [Julie Klausner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klausner/) > [Chick Lit uses humor to reflect life back to us. It's a very comforting genre, and it's the first time our generation has had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/chick-lit-uses-humor-to-reflect-life-back-to-us-it-s-a-very/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [I've always read broadly: literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, chick lit, historical, dystopian, nonfiction, memoir. I've even read Westerns. I prefer female protagonists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-ve-always-read-broadly-literary-fiction-sci-fi-fantasy-chick-lit/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I think that there's a lot of guys out there that want to read the equivalent of chick lit, but really there's not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/i-think-that-there-s-a-lot-of-guys-out-there-that-want-to-read-the/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [I don't think my first book was chick lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/i-don-t-think-my-first-book-was-chick-lit/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [What I find weird is that the term 'chick lit' is used to encompass literally anything a woman writes about relationships. It's the assumption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fallon/what-i-find-weird-is-that-the-term-chick-lit-is-used-to-encompass/) [Jane Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fallon/) ## More by Camille Perri > [I wanted to write a book about two women falling in love that wasn't hinged on tragedy or that involved some horrible identity-based misfortune.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-about-two-women-falling-in-love-that-wasn-t/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [If you ask any adult woman in this country to name an iconic romantic comedy, I bet the answer you'll hear more often than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/if-you-ask-any-adult-woman-in-this-country-to-name-an-iconic-romantic/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I loved those movies from the eighties, movies like 'Working Girl,' 'Nine to Five,' 'Outrageous Fortune,' 'The Heat,' 'Bridesmaids,' 'Pitch Perfect,' and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-loved-those-movies-from-the-eighties-movies-like-working-girl-nine/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I can't tell you how much debt I took on to attend New York University because, at the time, I didn't care to notice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-debt-i-took-on-to-attend-new-york/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I think the skyrocketing cost of a college education has placed it in the sphere of being a luxury-priced necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-think-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-a-college-education-has-placed-it-in/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > ['When Katie Met Cassidy' is a romantic comedy about two very different women who find themselves uncontrollably drawn to one another. Issues of gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-katie-met-cassidy-is-a-romantic-comedy-about-two-very-different/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [When I read Alison Bechdel's 'Fun Home,' it was the first time I saw drawings that looked like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-read-alison-bechdel-s-fun-home-it-was-the-first-time-i-saw/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [When I was coming to terms with my sexuality, I often felt like I needed to seek out sanctuary outside of my house, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-was-coming-to-terms-with-my-sexuality-i-often-felt-like-i/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [One of my favorite things is to first read a novel and then see the movie. I enjoy picturing the characters and then later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/one-of-my-favorite-things-is-to-first-read-a-novel-and-then-see-the/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I'm not sure if it's easier to address tough themes through humor, but I do think it's more fun and makes such themes easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-m-not-sure-if-it-s-easier-to-address-tough-themes-through-humor-but/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [The queer community deserves a happy ending just as much as anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/the-queer-community-deserves-a-happy-ending-just-as-much-as-anybody/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [My advice to anyone with writerly ambitions and a demanding day job is to set aside a little piece of time, even an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/my-advice-to-anyone-with-writerly-ambitions-and-a-demanding-day-job/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [“Was sagte ich denn da? Deine Leute? Warum redete ich auf einmal wie Pa in Unsere kleine Farm?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/was-sagte-ich-denn-da-deine-leute-warum-redete-ich-auf-einmal-wie-pa/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I've always been a big fan of political and social satire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-ve-always-been-a-big-fan-of-political-and-social-satire/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [Remember that input is as important as output. Take in something for inspiration, to relight the fire inside you, and ideas on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/remember-that-input-is-as-important-as-output-take-in-something-for/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) [Explore all 41 Camille Perri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) ## More Age gap quotes > [It concerns me when people frame the conversation about equal pay about the entertainment business. I don't want the wage gap issue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/it-concerns-me-when-people-frame-the-conversation-about-equal-pay/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The raw wage gap number is not a measure of equal pay for equal work. It is a comparison of averages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/the-raw-wage-gap-number-is-not-a-measure-of-equal-pay-for-equal-work/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [For women the wage gap sets up an infuriating Catch-22 situation. They do the housework because they earn less, and they earn lessbecause they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-ann-hewlett/for-women-the-wage-gap-sets-up-an-infuriating-catch-22-situation-they/) [Sylvia Ann Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-ann-hewlett/) > [We have required under law for years that men and women get paid equal money for equal work. But we've faced challenges enforcing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/we-have-required-under-law-for-years-that-men-and-women-get-paid/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [For women the wage gap sets up an infuriating Catch-22 situation. They do the housework because they earn less, and they earn less because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-ann-hewitt/for-women-the-wage-gap-sets-up-an-infuriating-catch-22-situation-they-2/) Sylvia Ann Hewitt > [It's not like I'm some kind of veteran and there is this huge age gap. I identify with them more off the field. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-zito/it-s-not-like-i-m-some-kind-of-veteran-and-there-is-this-huge-age-gap/) [Barry Zito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-zito/) > [My mom was right. That's one hell of an age gap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tyler/my-mom-was-right-that-s-one-hell-of-an-age-gap/) [Rose Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tyler/) > [Forty-year-old seems to be nothing without the father's advice. Father to learn properlythe huge age gap that hurts a lot. Why do not understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/forty-year-old-seems-to-be-nothing-without-the-father-s-advice-father/) Mak\_786 > [Most women without childrenspend much more time than men on housework; with children, they devote more time to both housework and child care. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-hochschild/most-women-without-childrenspend-much-more-time-than-men-on-housework/) Arlie Hochschild > [I'm fighting to make childcare more affordable for working parents so they can continue working and advancing their careers, closing wage gaps that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/i-m-fighting-to-make-childcare-more-affordable-for-working-parents-so/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I think there can be a tipping point in relationships with a big age gap when the older partner finds themselves in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleen-nolan/i-think-there-can-be-a-tipping-point-in-relationships-with-a-big-age/) [Coleen Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleen-nolan/) > [“The game is a thread, microscopic in breadth, a hint of gossamer drawing unsuspecting souls together in simple competition to the exclusion of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-rogers/the-game-is-a-thread-microscopic-in-breadth-a-hint-of-gossamer/) Drew Rogers > [They had nothing to say to each other. A five-year age gap between siblings is like a garden that needs constant attention. Even three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/they-had-nothing-to-say-to-each-other-a-five-year-age-gap-between/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [In life, you see younger men and older women, and the majority of marriages don't have such a huge age gap as we're used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudie-styler/in-life-you-see-younger-men-and-older-women-and-the-majority-of/) [Trudie Styler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudie-styler/) > [We were looking for an older child since we didn't want too much of an age gap between her and Vir. However, nobody matched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandira-bedi/we-were-looking-for-an-older-child-since-we-didn-t-want-too-much-of/) [Mandira Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandira-bedi/) [Browse all 44 Age gap quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-gap/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I wanted to write about income inequality and student loan debt and the gender wage gap, but I wanted to put it in a really slick, fun package. 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