Thread: which era tbanned women from Publication?

and who was the most published important writer of the 19thCentury BC?
Charles Dickens?

Apparently the Bronte sisters had to submit their manuscripts as male authors. I am not sure if Dickens was the most published or not but he certainly did lots. Jane Austin had many too.

Originally Posted by Robdemanc

Apparently the Bronte sisters had to submit their manuscripts as male authors. I am not sure if Dickens was the most published or not but he certainly did lots. Jane Austin had many too.

the Bronte's sisters? how odd.
apparently Maria Correlli I have just found out but then I have heard of Dickens and not Correlli.
I am not sure which to believe.

Most female authors of the 19th century had to use male pseudonyms to publish their work because most English-speaking countries were predominately ruled and run by males. It was almost impossible for female authors to get sales, much less validation. In fact, it's still happening today. Joanne Rowling decided to use the name 'J.K. Rowling' to sell her books because she worried teenage boys would not buy them if they knew a woman wrote them.

Originally Posted by Sam W

Most female authors of the 19th century had to use male pseudonyms to publish their work because most English-speaking countries were predominately ruled and run by males. It was almost impossible for female authors to get sales, much less validation. In fact, it's still happening today. Joanne Rowling decided to use the name 'J.K. Rowling' to sell her books because she worried teenage boys would not buy them if they knew a woman wrote them.

what??
I have never heard of that.
J.K does not look masculine to me plus where did she get the idea that young teenage boys won't buy her books?
sorry not being offensive or rude,..I have never heard of something so absurd.lol

J.K. could be short for Joanne Kelly or Jim Kenneth. That's the point.

Some male friends of mine won't buy thrillers by Catherine Coulter because they're written by a woman. It's a macho thing in most cases. Some people still believe that a woman can't know or write about guns, war, and other 'manly' endeavours. Which is pure chauvinism.

Originally Posted by Sam W

J.K. could be short for Joanne Kelly or Jim Kenneth. That's the point.

Some male friends of mine won't buy thrillers by Catherine Coulter because they're written by a woman. It's a macho thing in most cases. Some people still believe that a woman can't know or write about guns, war, and other 'manly' endeavours. Which is pure chauvinism.

wow I have to admit I have never come across it before.
my partner reads and buys tons of books and he could not care less wether it is a man or a woman.
I honestly believed that people generally went for the story not who wrote it.
I am sure it is just a minority or maybe not I really don't know now.
I wonder of women feel the same about men writers..wether they prefered women's to man's?!!
I personally never put a thought about gender when it comes to writing.
it is totally irrelevant to me.

I don't think any books were published in the 19th Century BC...

The UK had plenty of female authors in the 18th/19th Century AD - Fanny Burney, Elizabeth Gaskell, the 3 Brontes, the incomparable Jane Austin, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Maria Edgeworth, Matilda Houstoun to name but a few.

Originally Posted by Robdemanc

Apparently the Bronte sisters had to submit their manuscripts as male authors. I am not sure if Dickens was the most published or not but he certainly did lots. Jane Austin had many too.

They chose names that were deliberately androgynous - Currer Bell, Ellis Bell and Acton Bell. They wanted people to think that their books could have been written by men, whilst not betraying the fact that they were written by women.

Originally Posted by yingguoren

They chose names that were deliberately androgynous - Currer Bell, Ellis Bell and Acton Bell. They wanted people to think that their books could have been written by men, whilst not betraying the fact that they were written by women.

androgynous is an interesting word.
the question that springs to mind is
is anyone not able to tell wether it is a man or a woman behind a story?

Originally Posted by Nacian

androgynous is an interesting word.
the question that springs to mind is
is anyone not able to tell wether it is a man or a woman behind a story?

That is an interesting question. And one that I can't answer.

'Jane Eyre', for example, has a female narrator and it's clear that the writer sympathised with her. So you would think that people might guess the writer was also a female. But then 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' was written by a man who sympathised with the female main character. So...!?

Originally Posted by yingguoren

That is an interesting question. And one that I can't answer.

'Jane Eyre', for example, has a female narrator and it's clear that the writer sympathised with her. So you would think that people might guess the writer was also a female. But then 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' was written by a man who sympathised with the female main character. So...!?

I am surprised to hear that you are not able to tell a man from a womans' author.
I think it can be done if you trained yourself.
I can almost always usually tell a masculine write from a feminin one.
Jayne Eyre.
Tess of the D'uberville both are titles of two female characters and one is written by Thomas Hardy therefore I am assuming Jayne Eyre is too because of the style of the title.
Another book called Miriam again written by Truman Capote a man.
it is an intrigue to think a man could sympathise with a female character..it is very unusual to me.

Actually, Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte.

How can you tell the difference between feminine and masculine writing, Nacian?

Originally Posted by Sam W

Actually, Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte.

How can you tell the difference between feminine and masculine writing, Nacian?

haha...well I can definetely tell if a work is of a woman straight away because I am one.
therefore what is left is of a man.
It is just the women's brain work and think and therefore what you see is what you get type of thing, for me anyway.
I just seem to be able to do it.
there are fine lines and nuances in the way a woman think and write and it is very easy for me to spot
hey just thinking we could do a little test and see.
that would be real fun

Didn't you think AvA was a woman when he was in fact of the male persuasion?

Just sayin'. . . .

.