Female authors always struggle more compared to their male counterparts when it comes to getting published. No matter how good their books are, they have a high likelihood of getting rejected or going through intense scrutiny. Several novelists, including Toni Morrison, Sally Rooney, and Maya Angelou did interviews that exposed the deep-rooted sexism that lies in the publishing world. Female authors are still not taken seriously, and this includes even those who publish in the field of science and academia. More often, they are expected to write on light subjects, and even when they do, they still have to go the extra mile to prove themselves. This does not mean female authors cannot be published. It just means that they must come up with better strategies to get their work out there faster.
Speak Up
One of the mistakes that female authors make is that even when they are treated to blatant sexism, they keep quiet. If you ever approach a publisher and they make you feel bad about being a woman, join the many voices of female authors who spoke out and let the whole world know the unfairness they faced. This does not mean female authors should get aggressive to fit into the stereotype of women always whining and complaining. It just means that the female author should make it known that they will not allow people to discriminate against them simply for writing while female.
Go For Publishers Targeting Females
The good news is that even in the dark murky world of publishing, there are still publishers who have dedicated their work to getting females published. If you are a female author, you can explore some of those options. There are many resources on publishers needing exclusively female writers, including some that have a narrower niche that caters for lesbians, stay at home mothers, single mothers, and women in specific professions.
The trick is for female writers to follow their passion and write mind-blowing books. They should then put their energy in finding the right publisher who will see beyond the fact that they are females.