As an aspiring writer and a bibliophile, my connection to books has always been strong. My childhood lazed on the tales of C.S Lewis and Dahl, making me fall in love with books in the first place. Growing up, I further dove into the world of literature. My days and nights were shadowed by the words of Vonnegut, Keats, and Doyle, among many. Most of these writers were famous men of their time, and have amassed a substantial fan following over the years, myself included. However, as a young woman, I felt that the representation and appreciation for female writers of the same caliber was fairly slender. These female authors have written some of the most reputed works of the time and have used their voices to pave way for many young female writers. Here is a small list of 4 of these amazing women who serve as amazing role models for writers all around the world:
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was poet, novelist, educator, producer, actress, filmmaker, dancer and civil rights activist. Her legacy cannot be described by a single label. However, she is the most famous for being a writer. Her award-winning autobiographical book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, detailed her struggles about growing up in the South and became one of the first books written by an African-American woman to procure a broad readership. Her words resonated with her readers and she taught them important lessons about life and self-acceptance.
Mary Ann Evans (also known by her pen name George Eliot)
The author George Eliot has written some of the most prolific works in English literature. However, not many people know that George Eliot was in fact a woman by the name of Mary Ann Evans. She chose to write under a pen name because women during her time were only seen as romantic authors, but Mary’s work demonstrated her capability as an author.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen is unquestionably one of the most influential writers of the Regency era. Her work includes timeless classics such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion, etc. The reason why Austen’s work is still so relevant today is because she wrote her stories in the context of everyday life, crafting realistic characters and interesting storylines that people still relate to. Her ironic perspective offers a comedic take on the lives of the regency era women and shows the readers that women during that time period were more complex and accomplished than we deem them to be. Austen’s works have been adapted to both movies and television, so if you haven’t read the books, go and watch the recent Austen adaptation now.
Agatha Christie
If you’re a fan of mystery, you have got to read the works of Agatha Christie. She was a strong writer, who drafted complex stories, and with strong female characters. In my opinion, the character of the female detective Miss Marple has one of the most interesting characterizations that I’ve read.