List of Canadian women writers in French explained

This is a list of Canadian women writers in French who were born in Canada or whose writings in French are closely associated with that country.

It was in the mid-19th century that French-speaking women began to contribute to Canadian literature, partly as a result of growing Quebec patriotism but also because of the influence of the Catholic church and developments in education.^[1] Early contributors include the novelists Laure Conan and Gabrielle Roy^[2] and the poet Blanche Lamontagne-Beauregard.^[3] Women's greatest contribution has however been since the 1960s and above all since the 1980s, triggered by increased interest in feminism.^[4] Some sources have pointed to significant differences between English-Canadian and French-Canadian literature, resulting in part from the protected language identity of the Province of Quebec where French-language radio and television and pop-stars reinforce its insularity.^[5]

A

• Marie-Célie Agnant (born 1953), poet, novelist and children's writer
• Francine Allard (born 1949), educator, novelist, poet and visual artist
• Geneviève Amyot (1945–2000), poet and novelist
• Linda Amyot (born 1958), novelist, short story writer, children's writer
• Marguerite Andersen (1924–2022), German-born French-language poet and editor
• Maryse Andraos (born 1988), novelist
• Ginette Anfousse (born 1944), writer and illustrator of children's books
• Nelly Arcan (1973–2009), novelist
• Suzanne Aubry (born 1956), novelist, scriptwriter, playwright
• Aude, pen name of Claudette Charbonneau-Tissot (1947–2012), novelist, short story writer, children's writer

B

• Robertine Barry (1863–1910), journalist and publisher
• Angèle Bassolé-Ouédraogo (born 1967), Ivorian-born poet and journalist
• Estelle Beauchamp (fl. from 1995), novelist
• Jacqueline Beaugé-Rosier (1932–2016), Haitian-born Canadian educator and writer
• Germaine Beaulieu (born 1949), poet and novelist
• Nicole Bélanger (born 1962), novelist and screenwriter
• Jovette Bernier (1900–1981), journalist and poet
• Louky Bersianik, pen name of Lucille Durand, (1930–2011), novelist
• Claudine Bertrand (born 1948), educator and poet
• Charlotte Biron (born 1990), novelist
• Lise Bissonnette (born 1945), writer and journalist
• Marie-Claire Blais (1939–2021), novelist, poet and playwright
• Virginie Blanchette-Doucet (born 1989), novelist
• Lise Blouin (born 1944), educator and novelist
• France Boisvert (born 1959), educator and writer
• Monique Bosco (1927–2007), Austrian-born Canadian journalist and writer
• Mylène Bouchard (born 1978), novelist and non-fiction writer
• Lise Bourbeau (born 1941), writer of self help books
• Lysette Brochu (born 1946), novelist and short story writer
• Hélène Brodeur (1923–2010), educator, journalist and writer
• Nicole Brossard (born 1943), poet and novelist
• Chrystine Brouillet (born 1958), novelist
• Françoise Bujold (1933–1981), poet, radio playwright, artist and publisher

C

• Chantal Cadieux (born 1967), playwright, novelist and screenwriter
• Catherine Chandler (born 1950), poet and translator
• Lisa Carducci (born 1943), poet, short story writer and novelist
• Claudine Chatel (born 1951), actress and writer
• Évelyne de la Chenelière (born 1975), playwright and actress
• Adrienne Choquette (1915–1973), journalist, editor, novelist, short story writer
• Andrée Christensen (born 1952), educator, editor, poet and novelist
• Stéfanie Clermont (born 1988), poet, novelist
• Anne Élaine Cliche (born 1959), novelist, essayist
• Yolande Cohen (born 1950), historian
• Daria Colonna (born 1989), poet
• Laure Conan, pen name of Marie-Louise-Félicité Angers, (1845–1924), first French-Canadian novelist
• Héloïse Côté (born 1979), fantasy novelist, academic
• Reine-Aimée Côté (born 1948), teacher, novelist
• Maya Cousineau Mollen (born 1975), poet
• Arlette Cousture (born 1948), historical fiction writer
• Gracia Couturier (born 1951), educator, children's writer, novelist and playwright

D

• Francine D'Amour (born 1946), educator, novelist
• France Daigle (born 1953), novelist and playwright
• Anne Dandurand (born 1953), novelist and actress
• Diane-Monique Daviau (born 1951), educator, writer, translator and journalist
• Carole David (born 1955), poet and novelist
• Caroline Dawson
• Claire Dé, pen name of Claire Dandurand, (born 1953), short story writer, playwright and novelist
• Corinne De Vailly (born 1959), French-born Canadian novelist, children's writer
• Monique Deland (born 1958), educator, journalist and poet
• Jeanne-Mance Delisle (born 1939 or 1941), playwright
• Denise Desautels (born 1945), poet and playwright
• Martine Desjardins (born 1957), novelist
• Roxane Desjardins (born 1991), writer, editor
• Sylvie Desrosiers (born 1954), novelist, screenwriter
• Aurore Dessureault-Descôteaux (1926–2015), playwright
• Hélène Dorion (born 1958), poet, novelist, essayist
• Christiane Duchesne (born 1949), researcher, educator, illustrator, translator and novelist
• Louise Dupré (born 1949), journalist, educator, poet, playwright and novelist

E

• Gloria Escomel (born 1941), Uruguayan-born Canadian educator, novelist and playwright

F

• Abla Farhoud (1945–2021), Lebanese-born Canadian playwright and novelist
• Jocelyne Felx (born 1949), literary critic and writer
• Madeleine Ferron (1922–2010), novelist
• Naomi Fontaine (born 1987), novelist
• Dominique Fortier (born 1972), novelist and translator
• Arlette Fortin (1949–2009), novelist
• Danielle Fournier (born 1955), educator, poet, novelist and essayist
• Christiane Frenette (born 1954), educator, poet and novelist

G

• Madeleine Gagnon (born 1938), educator, literary critic and novelist
• Karoline Georges (born 1970), novelist, short story writer, poet and children's writer
• Mylène Gilbert-Dumas (born 1967), novelist
• Gabrielle Gourdeau (1952–2006), literary critic, novelist
• Germaine Guèvremont (1893–1968), journalist, novelist

H

• Hélène Harbec (born 1946), poet, novelist
• Pauline Harvey (born 1950), novelist
• Anne Hébert (1916–2000), poet, novelist, short story writer and playwright
• Nicole Houde (1945–2016), novelist and short story writer
• Céline Huyghebaert, novelist

J

• Suzanne Jacob (born 1943), novelist, poet, playwright, singer-songwriter and critic

K

• Hélène Koscielniak (fl. from 2007), novelist

L

• Carole Labarre (born 1966), novelist
• Andrée Laberge (born 1953), novelist
• Marie Laberge (born 1950), actress, educator, poet and playwright
• Marie-Sissi Labrèche (born 1969), screenwriter, novelist
• Chloé LaDuchesse, poet
• Claire de Lamirande (1929–2009), novelist, literary critic
• Michèle Laframboise (born 1960), science fiction writer and comics artist
• Claire de Lamirande (1929–2009), novelist and literary critic
• Blanche Lamontagne-Beauregard (1889–1958), early Quebec poet
• Tania Langlais (born 1979), poet and educator
• Claudia Larochelle (born 1978), journalist, radio host, columnist and novelist
• Monique LaRue (born 1948), novelist, short story writer and essayist
• Mona Latif-Ghattas (1946–2021), Egyptian-born Canadian novelist, poet and short story writer
• Marie-Renée Lavoie (born 1974), novelist
• Louise Leblanc (born 1942), educator, novelist, screenwriter
• Perrine Leblanc (born 1980), novelist
• Rachel Leclerc (born 1955), poet and novelist
• Françoise Lepage (1945–2010), educator, non-fiction writer and children's writer
• Anne Legault (born 1958), actress, playwright and educator
• Catherine Leroux (born 1979), novelist, short story writer
• Marguerite Lescop (1915–2020), novelist

M

• Louise Maheux-Forcier (1929–2015), novelist
• Michèle Mailhot (1932–2009), novelist
• Andrée Maillet (1921–1995), short story writer, poet and novelist
• Antonine Maillet (born 1929), novelist and playwright
• Jovette Marchessault (1938–2012), novelist, poet, playwright, painter and sculptor
• Michèle Marineau (born 1955), novelist and translator
• Suzanne Martel (1924–2012), journalist, novelist and children's writer
• Claire Martin (1914–2014), short story writer, novelist, autobiographer
• Carole Massé (born 1949), poet, novelist
• Marie-Sœurette Mathieu (born 1949), Haitian-born Canadian teacher, poet and novelist
• Catherine Mavrikakis (born 1961), novelist
• Julie Mazzieri (born 1975), novelist and translator
• Stéfani Meunier (born 1971), novelist and short story writer
• Andrée A. Michaud (born 1957), novelist and playwright
• Pauline Michel (born 1944), novelist, poet, playwright, songwriter and screenwriter
• Hélène Monette (1960–2015), poet
• Madeleine Monette (born 1951), poet, novelist, short story writer and essayist

N

• Yvette Naubert (1918–1982), playwright and novelist
• Francine Noël (born 1945), playwright and novelist

O

• Madeleine Ouellette-Michalska (born 1930), novelist, essayist and diarist
• Francine Ouellette (born 1947), novelist
• Hélène Ouvrard (1938–1999), playwright, novelist, poet and short story writer

P

• Suzanne Paradis (born 1932), poet and novelist
• Alice Parizeau (1930–1990), Polish-born Canadian novelist
• Aline Poulin (1965–2011), poet and novelist
• Francine Pelletier (born 1959), science fiction novelist and short story writer
• Hélène Pelletier-Baillargeon (born 1932), journalist, essayist, and biographer
• Maryse Pelletier (born 1946), actress, playwright and novelist
• Stéphanie Pelletier (born 1980), short story writer, novelist
• Geneviève Pettersen (born 1982), novelist
• Michèle Plomer (born 1965), novelist, children's writer, translator
• Anique Poitras (1961–2016), novelist
• Marie-Hélène Poitras (born 1975), novelist and journalist
• Gabrielle Poulin (1929–2015), novelist, short story writer and poet
• Monique Proulx (born 1952), novelist, short story writer and screenwriter

Q

• Judy Quinn (born 1974), poet and novelist
• Pascale Quiviger (born 1969), poet, novelist and essayist

R

• Bernadette Renaud (born 1945), novelist and young people's writer
• Thérèse Renaud (1927–2005), actress, poet and novelist
• Aurélie Resch (born 1971), travel writer, poet, novelist and short story writer
• Hélène Rioux (born 1949), novelist and translator
• Dominique Robert (born 1957), poet, novelist and short story writer
• Suzanne Robert (1948–2007), novelist, short story writer
• Régine Robin (1939–2021), novelist and non-fiction writer
• Esther Rochon (born 1948), novelist, science fiction writer
• Maryse Rouy (born 1951), French-born novelist
• Gabrielle Roy (1909–1983), influential novelist, educator, autobiographer

S

• Anne-Marie Saint-Cerny (born 1954), novelist, non-fiction writer and politician
• Annette Saint-Pierre (born 1925), educator, novelist and publisher
• Marie Savard (1936–2012), poet and radio scriptwriter
• Jocelyne Saucier (born 1948), novelist and journalist
• Dominique Scali (born 1984), journalist and novelist
• Aki Shimazaki (born 1954), Japanese-born translator and novelist
• Louise Simard (born 1950), novelist

T

• Olivia Tapiero (born 1990), novelist
• France Théoret (born 1942), feminist, poet, novelist, playwright and essayist
• Marie José Thériault (born 1945), poet, novelist, performer and translator
• Kim Thúy (born 1968), Vietnamese-born Canadian novelist
• Lola Lemire Tostevin (born 1937), poet, novelist and feminist writer
• Lise Tremblay (born 1957), novelist and educator
• Clarisse Tremblay (1951–1999), poet
• Danielle Trussart (born 1948), visual artist, novelist and children's writer
• Élise Turcotte (born 1957), novelist and educator
• Roxane Turcotte (born 1952), children's and youth literature writer

V

• Hélène Vachon (born 1947), children's writer, novelist
• Lise Vaillancourt (born 1954), playwright, novelist
• Christine Dumitriu Van Saanen (1932–2008), Romanian-born French language poet and essayist
• Mélissa Verreault (born 1983), novelist, short story writer and translator
• Nancy Vickers (born 1946), novelist and poet
• Yolande Villemaire (born 1949), short story writer, novelist and poet
• Élisabeth Vonarburg (born 1947), French-born Canadian science fiction writer and novelist

W

• Audrée Wilhelmy (born 1985), novelist

Y

• Ying Chen (born 1961), Chinese-born Canadian novelist

See also

• Canadian literature
• Quebec literature

Notes and References

1. Web site: Littérature québécoise – Une nouvelle et incontournable histoire de la littérature québécoise . Desmeules. Christian. Le Devoir. Montreal, Quebec. 1 September 2007. 27 November 2019 . fr . Quebec Literature – A New and Inescapable History of Quebec Literature.
2. Setting Words Free: Feminist Writing in Quebec. Gould . Karen. Signs. 6. 4. 617–642. University of Chicago Press. 1981. en. 3173735. 10.1086/493838.
3. Web site: Histoire de la littérature canadienne-française: La poésie. History of French Canadian Literature: The Poetry. Sœeurs de Sainte Anne. Marianopolis College. 1954. 27 November 2019. fr. https://web.archive.org/web/20190519070040/http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/encyclopedia/Histoiredelalitteraturequebecoise-lapoesie.html. 19 May 2019. live.
4. Mosaïque: l'écriture des femmes au Québec (1980–2010). . 27. 2. 2014. 39–61. Mosaic: Women's Writing in Quebec (1980–2010). Boisclair. Isabelle. Frenette. Catherine Dussault. Érudit. 27 November 2019. fr. https://web.archive.org/web/20180725221153/https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/rf/2014-v27-n2-rf01646/1027917ar.pdf. 25 July 2018. live.
5. Too Different and Too Familiar: The Challenge of French-Canadian Literature. Malla. Pasha. The New Yorker. Condé Nast. 26 May 2015. 27 November 2019. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190712175402/https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/too-different-and-too-familiar-the-challenge-of-french-canadian-literature. 12 July 2019. live.