Forging a Name

Chapter 1 focuses on the name of the author in a contemplation of the ways worldwide women writers in Paris contribute to the construction of a publishing profile. There are a number of constraints placed on writers from beyond French borders who seek to publish and publicize their work in Paris, but many of these writers have created a reputation that exceeds these restrictions through careful choices that constitute subtle reactions to the rules. They comply with many requirements just the same, and cooperate in necessary ways that reveal their conviction that their creative written work will have the last word, ultimately defining them beyond a set of expectations that will necessarily evolve as time goes by. Certain collections such as “Continents Noirs” at the prestigious publishing house Gallimard illustrate how publishers and critics often subscribe to and propagate specific stereotypes about writers from elsewhere. But there is an indication that engaging in textual play with proper names as well as with the distinction between a writer’s life and work contributes to more elaborate understandings of the author. When they renew their profiles through writing that emphasizes movement and change, writers counteract restrictive images contained in the packaging of their publications. It is striking that, even though they are aware they might encounter prejudice, women authors from around the world have opted to sign their published work in French with names that do not conceal their background but that instead demonstrate an embrace of their histories and identities.