09-03-2025
Shaping new reading trends in finance, mental health
As International Women's Day was celebrated last week, the focus has largely been on noting the successes of women in leadership roles, entrepreneurship, and other traditionally male dominated areas like the sciences.
Another interesting trend that has not got enough attention is the way that women are defining market trends in reading. This is particularly relevant in two important areas: financial literacy and mental health.
Data had earlier shown that even women who have successful careers tend to leave financial investments decisions to their male relatives, usually husbands. This is no longer true, at least in urban settings. Increasingly, women are taking charge of their own money and learning to use it strategically.
Books giving financial advice to women has seen a rising trend in recent years.
According to Forbes, it now constitutes 4.5 per cent of all non-fiction books published annually.
This is an important shift from traditional reading. Books like 'Wealth Secrets' by Deborah Owens and 'On my own two feet' by Manisha Thokor share tips on how to safely navigate the financial world as a woman.
Much of the financial advice is also being shared by 'finfluencers', finance influencers on social media. Many of them even share these books on their sites, reviewing the books for their topical value and accuracy of information. Younger women tend to inhabit the social media spaces, so such reviews lead to increased sales of traditional books on finance as well.
Another important category of books targeted at women are those relating to mental health. According to the World Economic Forum, the balancing of careers and personal lives takes a heavy toll on women who are also traditionally less accustomed to take external help for emotional problems.
Again, books on self-help and ensuring mental health has seen an upward slide in the last decade. Books like 'Mind over mood' by Christine Padesky and 'Anxiety: How to overcome it' by Sonali Gupta combine memoir and clinical explanations to normalise mental health conditions and offer constructive advice to overcome fears.
Of course, social media is a major cause of mental stress, especially among younger women, but it can also be a supportive space for women struggling with mental peace. Studies have shown that, with all its challenges, social media also offers a community and sense of purpose for those looking for support.
Women speaking about their own challenges in established media platforms like Ted talks or in their own channels help others to see beyond themselves and learn to cope with the world without the fear of being judged.
Books are always being re-invented in order to keep up with rising trends and needs. While reading itself is seen to be on a downward spiral, this is not always the case, particularly in certain genres where there are gaps which still need to be filled.
Keeping women at the centre of their focus, the publishing industry can do well to offer a variety of books that will cater to their rising demands and needs.
