Baraheni’s Books and Golshiri’s Story-Writing Classes Paved the Way for the Emergence of Female Writers in the 70s

Farideh Kheradmand, author of the book “The Crowned,” says about the emergence of female writers in the 1970s: The theoretical foundations of Reza Baraheni’s books and the practical work in Houshang Golshiri’s story-writing classes provided the impetus for the appearance of a new generation of female writers in the 1970s.

In an interview with the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), Farideh Kheradmand stated: Before the 1970s, notable works by women were few and far between. We had figures like Simin Daneshvar and Mahshid Amirshahi, but it wasn’t a widespread movement. It was in the 1970s that a new generation of female writers emerged, which was due to a specific intellectual current of that era. This current was shaped by the story-writing classes of Houshang Golshiri and the publication of Reza Baraheni’s books, such as “Qesse-nevisi” (Story Writing) and “Kimia va Khak” (Alchemy and Earth).

She added: “This new generation of women, who were educated and had entered universities, felt the need to express themselves. The theoretical foundations provided by Baraheni and the practical work in Golshiri’s classes offered them a platform to begin their careers and find their own voices.”

Kheradmand explained about Baraheni’s works: “Baraheni’s books provided the theoretical basis for a new perspective on fiction. He discussed theories from around the world and proposed that we could create our own literature based on our culture and history. This was very appealing to the young generation who wanted to create something new and different.”

Regarding the role of Golshiri’s classes, Kheradmand, who was one of his students, said: “Golshiri’s classes were a place for practice and experimentation. He taught us how to write, how to use language, and how to create characters. He encouraged us to write about our own experiences and to find our own unique voices.”

The author of “The Crowned” concluded: “The combination of Baraheni’s theoretical work and Golshiri’s practical workshops created a fertile ground for the emergence of a new generation of female writers in the 1970s. These women, who were previously unheard, found a way to tell their stories and contribute to Iranian literature.”