--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My work has often been described as…" description: "\"“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 to readers that the book i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/emily-giffin-938_chick-lit_my-work-has-often-been-described-as-chic_1210981.png" --- # My work has often been described as “chick lit” and for… ![“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 to readers that the book is about women, written for women (although many men enjoy my books), about issues that concern women (relationships, careers, etc.) The only thing…” quote by Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/emily-giffin-938_chick-lit_my-work-has-often-been-described-as-chic_1210981.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/emily-giffin-938_chick-lit_my-work-has-often-been-described-as-chic_1210981.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/emily-giffin-938_chick-lit_my-work-has-often-been-described-as-chic_1210981.png) > ““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 to readers that the book is about women, written for women (although many men enjoy my books), about issues that concern women (relationships, careers, etc.) The only thing that bothers me is when the label is used disparagingly, to imply that all chick lit is, by definition, superficial, beach-read fluff because I believe that this is akin to saying that all women are devoid of substance and the issues that concern us, are fundamentally trivial ones. And I take issue with that.”” [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The term “chick lit” can be a neutral descriptor of women‑focused stories, but when used as an insult it unfairly dismisses women’s experiences as trivial. **In simple terms:** Label can be neutral or demeaning. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes about women’s literature. Themes gender literature stereotypes representation Mood defensive thoughtful Type critical analytical When to use this quote - book clubs - publishing industry - marketing - reading groups Key Concepts feminist critique genre labeling cultural bias Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling affect perception of a work? - Can a genre be both popular and substantive? A Different Perspective Not all readers or critics share this view; some see the term as empowering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chick Lit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chick-lit-671739/) [Chick-lit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chick-lit/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Imply Chick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imply-chick-3670870/) [Lit Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lit-term-3670868/) [Read Fluff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-fluff-3670869/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Sexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism/) [Superficial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I wanted to write about income inequality and student loan debt and the gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-wrote-the-assistants-i-knew-very-much-that-i-wanted-to-write/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [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/) > [Much-derided chick lit, chick flicks, and chick magazines have left ambitious women in a bind. Why is it that I, a young woman, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-minshew/much-derided-chick-lit-chick-flicks-and-chick-magazines-have-left/) [Kathryn Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-minshew/) ## More by Emily Giffin > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I think exercise is critical to my writing and an essential way to recharge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-think-exercise-is-critical-to-my-writing-and-an-essential-way-to/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Grab his penis like this, and I guarantee, it’s a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/grab-his-penis-like-this-and-i-guarantee-it-s-a-done-deal/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Well, anyway… it’s over,” I say, realizing that those two words lump me right in with a hoard of naive women who say it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/well-anyway-it-s-over-i-say-realizing-that-those-two-words-lump-me/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There are two kinds of sorry. There is the sorry imbued with regret. And a pure sorry. The kind that is merely asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-are-two-kinds-of-sorry-there-is-the-sorry-imbued-with-regret/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Throw in the intensity of emotions that come with that bittersweet summer sandwiched between high school graduation and the rest of your life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/throw-in-the-intensity-of-emotions-that-come-with-that-bittersweet/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“You can never be too sure when it comes to things that matter most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-can-never-be-too-sure-when-it-comes-to-things-that-matter-most/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“It occurs to me that she is not unique--that all women compare lives. We are aware of whose husband works more, who helps more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-occurs-to-me-that-she-is-not-unique-that-all-women-compare-lives/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“I desperately want to feel that way again. To be in a relationship that I’m not trying to script or water down. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-desperately-want-to-feel-that-way-again-to-be-in-a-relationship/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I always find something in common with my protagonist, particularly when I write in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-always-find-something-in-common-with-my-protagonist-particularly/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There is no grief like heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-is-no-grief-like-heartbreak/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I find my voice and manage to say those three one-syllable words back to him. Words I haven't uttered in a very, very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-find-my-voice-and-manage-to-say-those-three-one-syllable-words-back/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [i wish i could freeze this moment, somehow delay my final decision, and just hang here in the balance between two places, two worlds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-wish-i-could-freeze-this-moment-somehow-delay-my-final-decision-and/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-write-about-real-women-real-people-in-other-words-flawed/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“never had a good gut feeling. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t have faith in my team, but that I maintained the truest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/never-had-a-good-gut-feeling-it-wasn-t-so-much-that-i-didn-t-have/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) [Explore all 324 Emily Giffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More Chick-lit quotes > [“Don't get mad about the infestation of fleas if you keep shopping at the dog pound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-j-lewis-coleman/don-t-get-mad-about-the-infestation-of-fleas-if-you-keep-shopping-at/) [Valerie J. Lewis Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-j-lewis-coleman/) > [“Looks like my superpowers don’t come with automatic manicures, thank heaven. I hate long nails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/looks-like-my-superpowers-don-t-come-with-automatic-manicures-thank/) [Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/) > [“Read Kiss and Tell a great read”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-aubrey/read-kiss-and-tell-a-great-read/) [Lou Aubrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-aubrey/) > [“Between dainty bites, she told Amie, 'Oh, you simply are as darling a creature as Henry described! I had no idea of your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/between-dainty-bites-she-told-amie-oh-you-simply-are-as-darling-a/) [Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/) > [“She was disappointed in herself for being the typical girl. She never wants to be that girl. That girl…is an emotional wreck. That girl…was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iesha-s-walker/she-was-disappointed-in-herself-for-being-the-typical-girl-she-never/) [Iesha S. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iesha-s-walker/) > [“Liza took her time sipping her tea. “That’s what I hear Janet. Of course, living it up can take years off your life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwenn-wright/liza-took-her-time-sipping-her-tea-that-s-what-i-hear-janet-of-course/) [Gwenn Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwenn-wright/) > [“I can see the stars in your eyes from a mile away. They guide me to you just like the North Star.” Then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-curry/i-can-see-the-stars-in-your-eyes-from-a-mile-away-they-guide-me-to/) [Kelly Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-curry/) > [“Suddenly I’m no longer aware of the people around us, just the feel and the warmth and the scent of Daniel, and the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-daily/suddenly-i-m-no-longer-aware-of-the-people-around-us-just-the-feel/) [Lisa Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-daily/) > [It's a lot of responsibility to hold a person's heart in your hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/it-s-a-lot-of-responsibility-to-hold-a-person-s-heart-in-your-hands/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“„V jednoduchosti je krása.“ „Alebo nízke IQ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-jezersk/v-jednoduchosti-je-kr-sa-alebo-n-zke-iq/) [Silvia Jezerská](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-jezersk/) > [“Beauty in life and fiction is a mixture of Fairy Tale and Tragedy. Men see a pretty face and want to claim the image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-jones/beauty-in-life-and-fiction-is-a-mixture-of-fairy-tale-and-tragedy-men/) [Lori Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-jones/) > [“For a long time we sit there not saying anything, enjoying the quiet of the bay and the occasional steamy knee bump.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-daily/for-a-long-time-we-sit-there-not-saying-anything-enjoying-the-quiet/) [Lisa Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-daily/) > [“I already feel like the Girl Who Lived around here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/i-already-feel-like-the-girl-who-lived-around-here/) [Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/) > [“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/) > [“...sometimes you have to pretend to be feeling better to actually feel better. It's why new workout clothes make you feel like you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-clayton/sometimes-you-have-to-pretend-to-be-feeling-better-to-actually-feel/) [Alice Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-clayton/) [Browse all 125 Chick-lit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chick-lit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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 to readers that the book is about women, written for women (although many men enjoy my books), about issues that concern women (relationships, careers, etc.) The only thing that bothers me is when the label is used disparagingly, to imply that all chick lit is, by definition, superficial, beach-read fluff because I believe that this is akin to saying that all women are devoid of substance and the issues that concern us, are fundamentally trivial ones. 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