Lena Dunham is Turning ‘Lenny Letter’ into a Publishing Imprint

Image by Getty Images

By JTA April 7, 2016

(JTA) — Lena Dunham and writing partner Jenni Konner have signed a deal with Random House to turn their lifestyle newsletter Lenny into a publishing imprint.

Dunham and Konner will oversee a line of books featuring “exciting, emerging voices in fiction and nonfiction,” Random House announced Wednesday. Both women are Jewish.

“Working with Lena, Jenni and the editors of Lenny, we plan to publish a select number of titles each year to build a varied, compelling, and voice-driven list,” Random House said in a statement. “Drawing on their eye for talent and love of books, we see this as a perfect opportunity to broaden what we do at Random House, while staying true to our mission: to work with writers we love and to publish them well.”

The publisher called it a “natural extension” of its relationship with Dunham. Random House published Dunham’s best-selling memoir, “Not That Kind of Girl” in 2014.

“Lenny books will aspire to push the ball forward on the issues that matter to our audience, with wit and style,” Dunham told Buzzfeed. “We hope to see them sticking out of purses and riding public transportation everywhere.

After the announcement, Dunham tweeted: “It’s true! We’re gonna make some books 4 u.”

Lenny launched last September and covers topics such as feminism, politics, fashion and current events.

Dunham is the creator and star of the HBO series “Girls,” which is set to end after its sixth season in 2017. She also writes the show with Konner.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO