In recent weeks, female authors have won the main literary prizes in the country. In addition to the recent Planeta Prize, won by Eva Sáenz de Urturi, with Sandra Barneda as finalist, are the National Poetry Prize, awarded to Olga Novo and the National Prize for Literature for Children and Young People, won by Elia Barceló. This is just one example, although not the only one, of how women are on the move in current Spanish literature.

However, in fact it’s nothing new. Already in the Middle Ages there were outstanding authors such as Princess Wallada bint al-Mustakfi and Lubna of Cordoba, in Al-Ándalus; the trobairitz (female troubadours of noble origin) in Catalonia; and Isabel de Villena. They were followed later by women such as Beatriz Galindo “La Latina”, Beatriz Bernal, Saint Teresa de Jesús and María de Zayas Sotomayor. In the19th century there were writers such as Concepción Arenal, Rosalía de Castro and Fernán Caballero, and in the 20th century, Carmen Laforet, Gloria Fuertes and Carmen Martín Gaite. 

To provide more visibility and compensate for the historical discrimination of women in literature, a Female Writers’ Day has been held since 2016. It is a celebration held at the initiative of the Spanish National Library, the Asociación Clásicas y Modernas and the Spanish Federation of Female Directors, Executives, Professionals and Businesswomen. This year it was held on 19 October. 

Here are the profiles of 10 female authors in current Spanish literature. 

Born in Madrid in 1960, in 1989 she published Las edades de Lulú, an prizewinning erotic novel that has been translated into 20 languages and made into a film. It was followed by novels such as Te llamaré Viernes, Malena es un nombre de tango, Atlas de la geografía humana, Los aires difíciles, El corazón helado and Los pacientes del doctor García, which have made her one of the most established and highly-regarded Spanish authors at home and abroad. 

Born in Palma, this writer, screenwriter, essayist and teacher has held seat “n” in the Royal Spanish Academy since 2013. She has had a prolific career writing in both Catalan and Castilian Spanish. In 1975 she published her first book, the collection of short stories Te deix amor, la mar com a penyora, which dealt with taboo themes such as love between women and criticism of society. Among her works, which have been translated into a dozen languages, are Una primavera per a Domenico Guarini, Qüestió d'amor propi, Dins el darrer blau and Cap al cel obert. 

The name of this writer from Cadiz, who also works in journalism and as a screenwriter for TV and film, is inextricably linked to Manolito Gafotas (1994), a children’s book full of irony and social criticism. It has now become a classic. As well as Manolito, Lindo has published novels for adults such as El otro barrio, Algo más inesperado que la muerte, Una palabra tuya and Lo que me queda por vivir.  

Born in Madrid in 1953, she dedicated for much of her life to journalism; but in 2004 she became an international phenomenon with her first novel, The Brotherhood of the Holy Schroud, published into more than 30 countries. Her next novels were also real bestsellers: The Bible of Clay, The Blood of the Innocent​, Tell me who I am, and her most recent one, You shall not kill. 

Her first novel, The time in between (2009) launched her success, becoming one of the best-selling novels in Spanish literature. It was also translated into more than 25 languages and adapted as a successful TV series. Dueñas is also author of other successful novels, such as Misión Olvido, The Vineyard and The Captain's Daughters. She is a university professor of English Language and Literature.

Born in San Sebastian in 1969, Redondo is author of one of the biggest literary phenomena in Spain of the last decade, The Baztan Trilogy. She published the three volumes of the trilogy in 2013-2014: The invisible guardian, The Legacy of the Bones and Offering to the Storm. They have sold nearly a million copies in Spain and have been translated into more than fifteen languages, as well as being turned into a film trilogy. She backed up this success with All this I Will Give To You, a novel that won the Planeta Prize in 2016.

The phenomenon of the The Idhún's Memories (begun in 2004), with more than a million copies sold, turned this woman from Valencia into a key figure in young people's literature in Spain. But Gallego is a prolific writer beyond the universe of Idhún, with an oeuvre of more than 40 works, including Finis Mundi, The Book of Portals, Mandrake, Chronicles of the Tower, The Legend of the Wandering King,The daughters of Tara and her most recent trilogy Guardians of the Citadel. 

With more than twenty million readers around the world, the Alicante-born Asensi has become one of the main authors of historical adventure novels. Her first novel, The amber room, was followed a year later by Iacobus, which broke into the bestseller lists. But it was The last Cato which launched her international success, selling over 1.25 million copies in 15 countries. She is author of other successful novels, such as The lost origin, Peregrinatio, Todo bajo el cielo and the trilogy Martín Ojo de Plata. 

The recent winner of the 2020 Planeta Prize for Aquitania, this writer from Vitoria published her first novel, The immortal collection, in 2012, to great success in both the United States and the UK. She repeated this success in 2016 with the publication of The Silence of the White City, the first thriller of the White City trilogy which has been read by over a million people in Spain and whose translation rights have been sold in more than 30 countries. It has also been made into a film. Her novels have appeared on the bestseller lists in Germany, Poland, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina and the United States. 

Holding a PhD in Galician Language and Literature, this Lugo-born poet and essayist is the latest winner of the National Poetry Award with Feliz Idade, written in Galician. Novo’s poetry deals with subjects such as feminism, agrarian memory and eroticism, in works that include the anthology Los líquidos íntimos, A teta sobre o sol, Nós nus, A cousa vermella and Cráter. She is a professor of the Galician language, and has also formed part of a number of editorial boards of literary magazines.