--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's significantly easier to be a…" description: "\"I think it's significantly easier to be a female writer today than in the early 1800's. That said, it's hard to imagine almost anyone who knows anythin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_female_i-think-it-s-significantly-easier-to-be_1198359.png" --- # I think it's significantly easier to be a female writer… ![“I think it's significantly easier to be a female writer today than in the early 1800's. That said, it's hard to imagine almost anyone who knows anything about publishing disagreeing with the statement that women writers today are often taken much less seriously than men writers. But it's hard to…” quote by Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_female_i-think-it-s-significantly-easier-to-be_1198359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_female_i-think-it-s-significantly-easier-to-be_1198359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_female_i-think-it-s-significantly-easier-to-be_1198359.png) > “I think it's significantly easier to be a female writer today than in the early 1800's. That said, it's hard to imagine almost anyone who knows anything about publishing disagreeing with the statement that women writers today are often taken much less seriously than men writers. But it's hard to quantify, and even define, what being taken seriously means.” [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that while publishing barriers have lowered for women, gender bias still leads to their work being judged more harshly than men’s, and the concept of “being taken seriously” is vague and hard to measure. **In simple terms:** Women face less overt barriers but still get less respect. Key Takeaway Recognize and address subtle bias. Themes gender bias publishing equality perception literary criticism Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type analytical observational commentary When to use this quote - literary journals - book proposals - author contracts - media reviews Key Concepts implicit bias valuation standards historical context Questions to Reflect On - How do we define “seriousness” in publishing? - What metrics can reveal gender disparity? A Different Perspective Bias can be subtle and institutional, making it difficult to pinpoint or change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Women writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [while there are 'women writers' there are not, and have never been, 'men writers.' This is an empty category, a class without specimens; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/while-there-are-women-writers-there-are-not-and-have-never-been-men/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Compared to men writers of like distinction and years of life, few women writers have had lives of unbroken productivity, or leave behind a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-olsen/compared-to-men-writers-of-like-distinction-and-years-of-life-few/) [Tillie Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-olsen/) > [“My own luck was being born white and middle-class into a house full of books, with a father who encouraged me to read and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/my-own-luck-was-being-born-white-and-middle-class-into-a-house-full/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [ “\[...\]all men are writers, journalists scribbling within their skulls the narrative of what they see and hear\[...\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/all-men-are-writers-journalists-scribbling-within-their-skulls-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Unlike men writers who marry, most will not have the societal equivalent of a wife-- nor (in a society hostile to growing life) anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-olsen/unlike-men-writers-who-marry-most-will-not-have-the-societal/) [Tillie Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-olsen/) > [Male critics and men in the publishing industry want from their women writers what they want from their wives. I'm interested in presenting characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-braverman/male-critics-and-men-in-the-publishing-industry-want-from-their-women/) [Kate Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-braverman/) > [I detest professional anythings but particularly professional writers. Most of them today are just garbage collectors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleveland-amory/i-detest-professional-anythings-but-particularly-professional-writers/) [Cleveland Amory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-amory/) > [The challenge to writers today, I think, is not to disown any part of our heritage. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-should-probably-be-careful-admitting-this-but-sometimes-when-my/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Approaching each other, him from the gym, me from the library- this was when I walked down the aisle and he was waiting, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/approaching-each-other-him-from-the-gym-me-from-the-library-this-was/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [After I’d told her – the mall, the taxi, Cross stroking my hair – she said, ‘Did he kiss you?’ ‘John and Martin totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/after-i-d-told-her-the-mall-the-taxi-cross-stroking-my-hair-she-said/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [There's an ongoing 'water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink' situation at my house in terms of both pens and paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/there-s-an-ongoing-water-water-everywhere-and-not-a-drop-to-drink/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [She opened her mouth but did not immediately speak, and I felt, simultaneously, the impulse to coax the words from her and the impulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/she-opened-her-mouth-but-did-not-immediately-speak-and-i-felt/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“But the truth was that I didn't want to stay in Riley. 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