Lena Dunham bests ‘Girls’’ Hannah — she’ll publish a short story collection

Actress, writer and director Lena Dunham is best known for her HBO series “Girls,” which she created and stars in as Hannah Horvath, an aspiring writer who briefly attended the famed University of Iowa creative writing program.

In real life, Dunham has bested her fictional counterpart in the literary department. First came the blockbuster essay collection “Not That Kind of Girl,” and on Tuesday she announced that she’ll be publishing a collection of short stories with Random House next year.

Dunham made the announcement in an Instagram post plugging a special issue of Lenny Letter, the weekly newsletter she publishes with the writer and producer Jennifer Konner.

“This issue was also an exciting lil’ way to let you know that I’m at work on my first fiction collection, Best and Always, to be published next year by Random House,” Dunham wrote. “Thrilled to share a hint of it with you.”

The new issue of Lenny Letter contains a short story by Dunham, “The Mechanic,” as well as fiction by Jackie Thomas-Kennedy, Kaitlyn Greenidge and Jessica Grose.

“The Mechanic” isn’t Dunham’s first foray into fiction. She previously published two short stories in Lenny Letter, “Six Sausages” and “I Love You, Natalie.”

Dunham’s first book, “Not That Kind of Girl,” quickly became a bestseller after its release in 2014, and drew praise from critics like Meghan Daum and Roxane Gay.

In May, Dunham surprised her fans by announcing the release of a short chapbook composed of entries from a diary she kept when she was 19. The proceeds from that book, “Is It Evil Not to Be Sure?” went to the New York-based nonprofit Girls Write Now.

“Best and Always” is scheduled to be published in 2017 by Random House.