Taken from
miladygrey, a list of women sf/fantasy writers. There were quite a few I hadn't heard of, which was kind of surprising. Maybe they write fantasy? I read much more science fiction than fantasy. Also, I added a few writers to the end of the list (I was horrified that Joan Slonczewski wasn't already represented).
Bold the women by whom you own books
Italicize those by whom you’ve read something of (short stories count)
*Star those you don’t recognize
Andre Norton
C. L. Moore
Evangeline Walton
Leigh Brackett
Judith Merril
Joanna Russ
Margaret St. Clair*
Katherine MacLean*
Carol Emshwiller
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Zenna Henderson
Madeline L’Engle
Angela Carter
Ursula LeGuin
Anne McCaffrey
Diana Wynne Jones
Kit Reed
James Tiptree, Jr.
Rachel Pollack
Jane Yolen
Marta Randall
Eleanor Arnason
Ellen Asher*
Patricia A. McKillip
Suzy McKee Charnas
Lisa Tuttle
Nina Kiriki Hoffman*
Tanith Lee
Pamela Sargent
Jayge Carr
Vonda McIntyre
Octavia E. Butler
Kate Wilhelm
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Sheila Finch
Mary Gentle*
Jessica Amanda Salmonson*
C. J. Cherryh
Joan D. Vinge
Teresa Nielsen Hayden
Ellen Kushner*
Ellen Datlow
Nancy Kress
Pat Murphy
Lisa Goldstein*
Elizabeth Ann Scarborough*
Diane Duane*
Mary Turzillo*
Connie Willis
Barbara Hambly*
Nancy Holder*
Sheri S. Tepper
Melissa Scott
Margaret Atwood
Lois McMaster Bujold
Jeanne Cavelos*
Karen Joy Fowler
Leigh Kennedy*
Judith Moffett
Rebecca Ore
Emma Bull
Pat Cadigan
Kathyrn Cramer
Laura Mixon
Eileen Gunn
Elizabeth Hand
Kij Johnson
Delia Sherman
Elizabeth Moon
Michaela Roessner*
Terri Windling*
Sharon Lee*
Sherwood Smith*
Katherine Kurtz
Margo Lanagan*
Laura Resnick
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Sheila Williams
Farah Mendlesohn
Gwyneth Jones
Robin McKinley
Ardath Mayhar*
Esther Friesner*
Debra Doyle*
Nicola Griffith
Amy Thomson
Martha Wells*
Catherine Asaro
Kate Elliott
Kathleen Ann Goonan
Shawna McCarthy*
Caitlin Kiernan
Maureen McHugh
Cheryl Morgan*
Nisi Shawl
Mary Doria Russell
Kage Baker
Kelly Link
Nancy Springer*
J. K. Rowling
Nalo Hopkinson
Ellen Klages*
Tanarive Due
M. Rickert
Theodora Goss
Mary Anne Mohanraj
S. L. Viehl*
Juliet Marillier*
Jo Walton
Kristine Smith*
Deborah Layne*
Cherie Priest
Wen Spencer*
K. J. Bishop
Catherynne M. Valente
Elizabeth Bear
Ekaterina Sedia
Naomi Novik*
Mary Robinette Kowal*
Ann VanderMeer
Joan Slonczewski
M. K. Wren
Carolyn Ives Gilman
Helen Collins
Sarah Zettel
Kay Kenyon
Julian May
Candas Jane Dorsey
Janet Kagan
Naomi Mitchison
Linda Nagata
Severna Park
Alison Sinclair
Karen Traviss