Nearly 10 years after the birth of the hashtag #Girlboss, which encouraged women to lean into their careers with confidence, the idea has been met with criticism and backlash as many of us question how such high expectations really serve women. Now, in her wickedly insightful debut, author Noelle Crooks explores the toxic aspects of girlboss culture in a novel that will resonate with anyone exhausted by the notion of trying to have it all. Under the Influence follows protagonist Harper Cruz as her world collides with influencer Charlotte Green and her company’s workplace culture. As she becomes more acclimated, Harper begins to sense that there’s something more sinister in the undertones of the rousing mantras.
Audible: What inspired you to write about the negative side of the #Girlboss movement?
Noelle Crooks: I wanted to write a workplace-centric novel to reveal parts of the #Girlboss movement that were flawed. I think when the term was first coined, it was meant to be an aspirational phrase to refer to ambitious women who aren’t afraid to swim upstream. However, it’s been almost a decade since the word was first used, and it’s evolved from being a compliment to a criticism. This “girlboss” feminism perpetuates a culture where self-worth is defined by your capital productivity. It creates a false image of what “having it all” looks like—the perfect Instagram grid, a growing bank account, a perfect manicure, and this season's trendiest workbag. This mindset only glorifies monetized successes and completely devalues the other aspects of life that can truly bring you a sense of fullness, like emotional growth, spirituality, health, or relationship goals. My goal with Under the Influence is to create conversations around these themes of girlbosses, toxic workplaces, and hustle culture. With Under the Influence, my hope is that readers reflect on the hype that is built around the “work hard, play hard” mantra, question whether it’s productive at work or in life, and consider what it truly means to have it all—especially as a woman.
We were excited to see you listed as one of the narrators for the audiobook! Can you share what part/s you read and any highlights from your experience with recording?
I feel so fortunate to have had the experience of reading a portion of the audiobook! I read the dedication page and acknowledgments because they were so personal. My favorite part of the recording experience was definitely being in the studio! I worked with the most incredible team who made the entire experience so enjoyable. I’m not going to lie—when I first got into the recording booth, I joked with the team that it felt like I was about to start my rap career! We had so much fun during the process, plus they didn’t even flinch when I was a blubbery mess reading the acknowledgments—they are truly the best!
Under the Influence is your authorial debut. Do you have any advice for other aspiring authors, especially women, just starting out?
My best piece of advice for aspiring authors would be to write a story that you would love. I’m sure that sounds extremely obvious, but when you’re writing, it can be easy to get lost in what story could win you an award, what would do best in the market, or what genre gives you the most gravitas. The reality is writing a book is extremely hard. It’s grueling and not always an easy process. It’s a messy bun at 3 AM with your laptop illuminating the oversized sweatshirt you’ve worn for days and a second bag of Sour Patch Kids staring back at you. When you’re in the midst of writing, editing, rewriting, cutting, adding, and editing some more, the thing you’ll need to hang onto in order to maintain your sanity is that you’re truly telling a story from the heart.
