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Creating a new genre

23 June 2003

'Publishers are always trying to exploit the last success, and the original writer is the one who creates a new genre instead of repeating the last. These are often the writers who publishers don't know what to do with - but when they take a risk and publish a new kind of book that becomes an unexpected success, suddenly it's "wow".

'I don't particularly like "chick lit", partly because I'm too old. If you are over 35 you tend not to be so interested in the sex lives of 18-year-olds or office politics. I don't think you're interested in sexual courtship because you've already been there and you're married or have a partner.'

Margaret Drabble in the Independent on Sunday