International Women’s Day is not just about honoring the achievements of women across industries—it’s also a time to celebrate the voices that have shaped the way we think, feel, and experience stories. From unforgettable characters to thought-provoking narratives, female authors have left an undeniable mark on literature, inspiring generations of readers.
To mark this occasion, we asked Inkitt employees to share their favorite female authors, the books that changed their perspectives, and even a little bit of wishful thinking—what would they ask their favorite writer over coffee?
Whether you’re just looking for a good book or want to appreciate the amazing women behind some of our favorite stories, take a peek at what the Inkitt team had to say about our favorite female authors!
1. Who are your top 3 favorite female authors?
Haven S., Creative Strategist: Elin Hilderbrand, Kristin Hannah, Sarah J Maas
Jamie A., Story Intelligence: Mona Awad, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Han Kang
Pallavi C., Senior Principal, Business Operations: Emily Henry, Ilona Andrews and Mariana Zapata
Dano C., Software Engineer: Amélie Nothomb, Jen Beagin, Anaïs Nin, Alejandra Pizarnik
Anhelina K., SEO Consultant: Olga Tokarczuk, Oksana Zabuzhko, Lina Kostenko
2. If you could have coffee with your favorite female author, what would you ask her?
Haven S., Creative Strategist at Inkitt: I just want to know what her entire writing strategy is. How did she develop her skills over time? What gets her in the perfect mood to write the next biggest hit?
Jamie A., Story Intelligence: I would ask Ottessa Moshfegh how she creates such despicable, yet empathetic characters in her novels.
Dano C., Software Engineer: If I could have a coffee with Amélie Nothomb, I’d ask her how was it like to grow in so different cultures, spending time in Belgium and France, then in Japan. And what’s her take on why cultures are different.
Dano C., Software Engineer: If I could have a coffee with Amélie Nothomb, I’d ask her how was it like to grow in so different cultures, spending time in Belgium and France, then in Japan. And what’s her take on why cultures are different.
Anhelina K., SEO Consultant: I would ask Oksana Zabuzhko, what inspires her sometimes to create such an interesting non-linear chronology in her plots.
3. What’s a female-authored book that completely changed your perspective on something?
Haven S., Creative Strategist at Inkitt: Kristin Hannah – The Great Alone
Jamie A., Story Intelligence: Human Acts by Han Kang. It was a deeply moving novel about death and the tragic events surrounding the 1980 democratization uprising that took place in Gwangju, South Korea.
Pallavi C., Senior Principal, Business Operations: Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series sent me down a Faerie and introduced me to romantasy as a genre (way before I read books SJM and Rebecca Yarros).
Dano C., Software Engineer: Tuer le père (‘Kill the Father’) from Amélie. It’s crazy how much psychology can a book contain implicitly without actually being related to psychology.
Anhelina K., SEO Consultant: The Life of the Mind by Hannah Arendt, such an interesting philosophical perspective on how we make our decisions.
4. If your favorite female author wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Haven S., Creative Strategist at Inkitt: …Small Girl, Big Dreams (or something like that haha!)
Jamie A., Story Intelligence: I would like to think that Ottessa Moshfegh would write a book about me called, “We’re All Very Concerned.”
Pallavi C., Senior Principal, Business Operations: “Book Hangovers & Bad Decisions”—because I stay up too late reading their books.
Dano C., Software Engineer: Alejandra Pizarnik would probably name it “Silencio” (“Silence”), because I think she’d use a symbolism of a trait of my personality.
Anhelina K., SEO Consultant: So it would be Oksana Zubuzhko, and it would probably be a long title (in her style) like “A long schedule of unfinished tasks and a longer menu of uncooked meals” to remind me to finish my tasks 
Conclusion
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the powerful voices of female authors who inspire, challenge, and move us with their stories. Whether through unforgettable characters, deep emotions, or fresh perspectives, these writers shape the way we see the world.
At Inkitt, we believe that great stories come from diverse voices, and today is the perfect time to recognize the incredible women who bring them to life. So, let’s keep reading, sharing, and celebrating the women who make literature richer and more exciting. Happy International Women’s Day!
