Half of Women over 40 Say Older Women in Fiction Are Clichés, Survey Finds

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From The Bookseller:

Fifty-one percent of women over 40 feel older women in fiction books tend to fall into clichéd roles, according to a new survey.

The brand new data reveals 47% of women over 40 say there are not enough books about middle-aged or older women. Yet women over 45 buy more fiction than any other segment, and 84% say they read every, or almost every day.

Exploring how women over 40 really feel about their portrayal in fiction, the survey of more than 1,046 women found when older characters do appear in fiction, half of women (50%) say they’ve seen them being portrayed as baffled by smartphones, computers or the internet – and think it’s insulting. 75% buy their books online, with 55% hearing about the books they buy online compared to 43% who find out about new releases in magazines (43%) or newspapers (42%).

The findings of the survey, in association with Gransnet, the UK’s biggest social media site for older people, and publisher HQ (HarperCollins), were revealed today.

. . . .

The majority (67%) say they want to read about characters they can identify with personality (71%) and values (68%) of the character what really matters to them. Just 19% say they feel that the age of the central character is important.

The survey found those polled would like to see women their age portrayed as more active (56%), working (41%) and going to the types of places that they themselves frequent (50%). Almost half of women (46%) agreed that older women are represented better in books than they are in films or on TV.

Gransnet Editor Cari Rosen said: “Gransnet users have long been frustrated with the perception that you are essentially past it the minute you hit 40. We know from our forums that many women remain active, busy and vital into their 70s and beyond, and it’s essential to see that reflected in the books that we read. It’s also important to recognise that we like to read a range of fiction, from crime and thrillers to stories about travel and friendship and everything in between. We don’t want to be typecast in our reading choices, any more than we do in any other area of our lives.”

. . . .

95% say they read fiction for enjoyment, 87% say it’s to relax and almost 59% say it’s to escape the pressures of everyday life. 87% of respondents say they read in bed, while 17% read in the bath, and 14% on the loo.

Link to the rest at The Bookseller

7 thoughts on “Half of Women over 40 Say Older Women in Fiction Are Clichés, Survey Finds”

  1. Well, would you look at that. Obvious News is Obvious, Report at 11

    Why would someone need a survey to tell them this information?

    • Because publishers, like TV executives, think the only people who matter are those between 18 and 30. And thirty is probably pushing it.

      Perhaps that’s because they hire brand new MFA graduates to screen incoming manuscripts. That’s one of the reasons I decided to self-publish. I couldn’t imagine one of them identifying with characters created by a sixty-plus woman with a lot more life experience than they had.

  2. When you write one who isn’t, you have trouble finding readers.

    Cliches sell. Many readers want more of the same only (slightly) different. And they are entitled to getting what they want, since they pay for it. And many writers will be happy to produce what these readers want (could that be the other 50%?).

    Having realistic adult women in your novels can diminish your potential reader base, but there are still plenty of women over every age who read, and there are enough readers for everyone.

    • I’ve actually had readers thank me for my senior sleuth who doesn’t sit in a rocking chair all day. She goes hiking. She’s very comfortable using her cell phone and computer. She’s retired from her day job, but not at all retired from life.

      I started writing her that way because I was sick of the cliched grannies who were losing their faculties and sat around complaining about their aches and pains all day.

      • Some of the people here in Independent Living are starting to have significant problems; others still play sports, go hiking and traveling. Often, couples age at different rates.

        I’m the limited one – and I’m going out for a trike ride in a little while. The husband has all kinds of things going on.

        Modern medicine has helped, and living in low-stress places, like this one. Some of our residents are over 100 – and they are a bunch of fascinating people with resumes in the sciences that blow your mind.

        I still haven’t figured out who reads what, but over 30 people here have read my book, and it’s not small.

    • How about boy meets girl. They overcome some difficulties. Then they live happily ever after.

      Or maybe Evil Guy is going to blow up the world. Hero Guy overcomes some difficulties. Saves the world.

      People love cliches.

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