海角大神

There鈥檚 no lighting of candles or finding that perfect spot in the house when Sandy Geronimi sits down to write. It might be when her toddler is taking a nap, or late at night when inspiration hits. But thanks to the pandemic, she鈥檚 finally devoting time to her passion.听听听听听听

鈥淚鈥檝e always liked writing, but I never did it seriously until the first lockdown,鈥� says Ms. Geronimi, who works听for听France鈥檚 National Geographic Institute in听Toulouse. 鈥淯ntil then, I never knew much about the literary world or how to write a book.鈥澨�听听

Ms. Geronimi now follows several literary experts on social media听and has submitted听four听short stories to national writing contests. She鈥檚 not alone: More than 5 million French people听started a writing project during the country鈥檚 first lockdown, according to a听May 2020听online poll.听听

French publishing houses have been so overwhelmed by submissions that top publisher听Gallimard told the public last month to stop sending unsolicited manuscripts.听听听听听听听

The deluge of new writing follows a decadelong shift in France鈥檚 publishing world from an elitist, male-dominated field to one of growing acceptance and diversity. Major publishers have created special collections to promote听first-time authors and ethnic minorities while new publishing houses are opening the field to a larger spectrum of writers, styles, and subject matter. At the same time,听self-publishing has exploded during the pandemic.听听听听

In parallel, writing workshops and graduate degrees in creative writing 鈥� once seen as a North American concept 鈥� are popping up around the country and acting as gateways to publication for burgeoning writers. Taken together,听these efforts are forcing听change in an industry steeped in tradition and pushing French literature to represent the reality of its diverse society.听听听

鈥淭here is a real evolution when it comes to racial and gender diversity in French literature. The French author is no longer just the white man, over 50,鈥� says Fr茅d茅rique Anne, a French writing coach who splits her time between Paris and Normandy. 鈥淭here are also more people writing for the first time who are realizing they don鈥檛 need some divine intervention to do so. The field is definitely opening up.鈥澨�听听

A space for marginalized voices听 听听

France鈥檚 literary institutions have long struggled with a diversity problem. Though France doesn鈥檛 collect statistics on race and ethnicity, a majority of top editors and authors have historically been white. Its literary awards heavily favor men: Since France鈥檚 top literature prize, the Prix Goncourt, began听in 1903, only 12 women have won.听听

The integration of marginalized literary voices, especially those of second-generation French or people of color, has come in fits and starts. Until the 1990s, literature written by children of immigrant parents of Maghrebis descent was categorized using a pejorative term for Arab.听

The publication of a 1999 novel by Rachid Dja茂dani, which described daily life in France鈥檚 housing projects where many immigrants live,听was a landmark in breaking the mold.听Another was the publication in 2007 of a controversial literary collection by second-generation French writers about their complex relationship with France.听听听

But progress has been incremental. Publishers still gravitate to books by people of color from Francophone Africa or the United States, rather than minority writers who grew up in France.听听

鈥淚鈥檝e always been struck by the lack of representation in French literature of my reality: what it means to be Black in France,鈥� says Gladys Marivat, a Paris-based literary journalist.听听听

In 2015, she interviewed all of the major publishing houses in Paris as part of an investigation into the lack of diversity in French literature; her report went unpublished.听听听

鈥淲hen I asked [publishers] why this was the case,鈥� says Ms. Marivat, 鈥渢he answer was always the same: a total incomprehension of my question.听They said, 鈥楤ut we publish authors from Francophone Africa.鈥� But that鈥檚 not the same thing.鈥澨�

Publishers have struggled with how best to broaden their range of titles. Publisher JC Latt猫s uses its 鈥淟a Grenade鈥� label 鈥� created last year by听acclaimed author and child of Turkish-Kurdish refugees听Mahir Guven听鈥撎齮o promote work by socioeconomic and ethnic minorities, and publishes one novel per month by a first-time author. Gallimard鈥檚 鈥淐ontinent Noir鈥澨�(Black Continent) collection features literature by and about Africa and its diaspora.听

These imprints face competition from a听new generation of publishers, like听Face Cach茅es and Hors d鈥檃tteinte, which focus on stories about topics such as feminism, rap, or racism.听听

鈥淭here鈥檚 really a strong intention to be the most open, the most curious,鈥� says Anne-Sophie Stefanini, literary director at JC Latt猫s and a published author. 鈥淔rench publishing houses, big or small, are thinking about diversity right now. It鈥檚 a concern for all literary editors of this generation.鈥澨�听听

Niche labels find an audience听听听

For some听new or struggling writers, niche labels are preferable to well-known publishing houses. After several rejections by mainstream publishers, Bordeaux-based writer Thomas Andrew turned to Juno Publishing 鈥� which specializes in romance books 鈥� for his fantasy and LGBT romance novels.听听听听

鈥淚 was told by a few publishers that my story was good, but could I change the romance between two men to a man and a woman? I thought, no way,鈥� says Mr. Andrew, who has published nine novels with Juno.听鈥淏ut publishers are not going to put money into something that strays from the norm and won鈥檛 sell.鈥澨�听

While France鈥檚 10,000-odd publishers collectively put out nearly听200听books a day, some writers opt to go it alone.听In 2017, one in five books printed in France was self-published, up from one in 10 in 2010, according to the French National Library.听听听

Terence Samba, a 24-year-old writer who is Black and grew up in the Paris suburbs,听self-published his first novel in December after being rejected by several publishers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a closed-off world and literary houses keep the same writers for years,鈥� Mr. Samba complains. 鈥淥ftentimes I was asked to include a photo with my manuscript. That creates a very delicate situation.鈥澨�听

Part of the challenge听is听also听encouraging marginalized French voices to write in the first place.听Since听2013, the University of Paris VIII has offered one of the few graduate degrees in creative writing in the country, and aims to accept a diverse range of applicants 鈥� from newly minted graduates to midlife professionals.听

And though the focus isn鈥檛 on how to crack the publishing industry, around 30 graduates have put out work since the program began, including Fatima Daas, an acclaimed French Algerian, lesbian writer who grew up in the Paris suburbs.听听

鈥淥ur goal is to help give permission to those who haven鈥檛 felt legitimized in the past to tell their story,鈥� says Sylvain Pattieu, a published author who teaches听within听the program.听鈥淲e try to give them confidence that it鈥檚 not about talent, it鈥檚 about finding their voice and perfecting their craft.鈥澨�听听