Ashley, Creator and Contributor of Brown Girl Love, talks about making to time to write her novel

Becca, Featured Artist Manager for Brown Girl Love, talks about her experience finishing a novel.

Though my fiction remains unpublished, I cannot count how many times I’ve been told “But you’ve written a book! That’s amazing!” My immediate response is, “No, it’s not”. But I understand, writing the novel is the first step in getting the novel published and–from personal experience–many writers spend too much time speaking about writing, blogging about writing (*snicker*) and talking about writing that they don’t ever actually write. Writing a novel is HARD WORK. Honestly, depending on the person, writing anything is hard work and for someone who “can’t write”, what writers accomplish–even those of us unpublished–is impressive.

When I wrote my first novel length work, I was sixteen. (It was High Fantasy atrocity) I was impressed with myself then, even after I found out Christopher Paolini was fifteen when he wrote his book and sixteen when he was published. I wrote six more books after that. Back then, I may have been proud. But now, at 23, a degree in writing under my belt, and a job–albeit fun–I only have to support myself, simply writing the book is no longer impressive. Drafts, rewrites, QUERY LETTERS, hook lines, pitches–those are impressive. (Writing a book is work; summarizing your 100k word story in 2-3 sentences? That’s WERK, honey!) I refuse to be impressed until I’ve reached my actual goal; publication.

I don’t find myself remarkable because of my prolificacy and I am not tooting my horn by mentioning the several projects I’ve completed. But I do acknowledge that just because I’m not impressed doesn’t mean other people aren’t or shouldn’t be. So this is mostly to anyone who has ever wanted to write a book, spoken to me and then wondered how I managed to get through hell and on to the other side.

1. Don’t read any further, go write.

I actually gave away my biggest and probably most helpful tip in the beginning of the post. Many writers spend way too much time not writing. How you write is up to you, start from the middle, a scene, with a character; plan the whole thing out; don’t plan at all. No one can tell you what strategy works for you and therefore advice on that becomes irrelevant. When I finished most projects it was before I discovered forums and blogs on the art of writing. I abandoned so many other things; friends, school work (not advised), play time, television (advised) just to write. But now, here I am reading articles on “The dreaded exclamation marks!”, “Is my protagonist too young?”, “Avoid these cliches!”, “Outline or no Outline”. I over did it. I wanted so hard to find a textbook that would give me the answers to what makes good fiction, what sells fastest and what makes people buy your books. I got distracted. I’m most productive when I channel sixteen year old me and just keep the pen to the paper or in this case, the fingertips on the keyboard. I technically should never stop writing. Unless I’m reading.

2. If you’re still reading this, read a book instead

This really is my only other piece of advice. When athletes are not playing their sports they are taking care of their bodies and when a writer is not working on her project(s) she should be reading, feeding her mind with excellent examples of the genre. (or any other genre). It’s important to read EVERYTHING; fiction, non-fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, articles, blog posts (on things other than writing), candy wrappers, milk cartons, cereal boxes, seriously. School isn’t for everyone, and a degree doesn’t make you a better writer so I can’t necessarily push college down anyone’s throat with a good conscience. I think a formal education in art sounds almost oxymoronic and, at the very least, counterintuitive.

Practice makes perfect, thus writing every day will undoubtedly improve your skill and of course the more you write and the more often you write the faster you get the job done!

Still Reading?

Below is my query letter. I update a draft as a I write, along with a list of relevant agents. This keeps my goals in mind without being distracting but it also means I’ll have a polished draft and an extensive list of agents to send it to by the time the book is written.

I used Kasey Mackenzie’s examples as well as instructions found on agentquery.comas references for structure and strategy. But many agents and authors post their “letters that work” all around the web. Don’t bother reading them, though, refer to rules 1 and 2 “

Dear ____________,

With a Demonic Civil Rights movement promising war for mankind, Camille Valentine is one of the Demon Hunting Association’s biggest hopes. Too bad she doesn’t recall ever being a member.

Memories are overrated.

A car accident has left Camille Valentine with two scars on her back and amnesia. Even though her memory of the first fifteen years of her life are hazy, she manages loving friends, a close relationship with her father and a job as a tabloid columnist. But lately Camille has been getting frustrated; her NYU degree should’ve gotten her a sweet job as a biographer by now, her girlfriend is acting batshit crazy, and the medicine she has been taking for years to suppress her night terrors is suddenly not working. What’s stranger, eerie incidents have been happening all over the country; weather, shootings, etc. But mysteriously foggy skies over NYC has nothing do with Camille’s problems…so she thinks.

A run-in with Father Richards, a priest who knows more about her than he should, leads Camille’s father to reveal a huge secret; for the 15 years Camille can’t remember, she was a Demon Hunter for the Vatican. As those around her succumb to mental and physical illness, docile pets become vicious and suicidal, her newest friend reveals she’s a psychic and several attempts are made on her life, Camille joins the DHA. She becomes trapped in a love triangle between Lamir–an old friend who wants more–and Luisa–a femme fatale who would rather kill than kiss. Camille struggles to regain her memory and her lost skill but one by one those closest to her are dying and Camille knows she’s the next and dearest target.

Unholy is complete at _,000 words. It should appeal to both teen and adult readers, from fans of Kim Harrison to Toni Morrison. I’m looking for a hands-on agent who is passionate about my project and its mission; putting a queer character of color in the forefront of a story that isn’t centered around her sexuality. Unholy is the first part of larger story but I don’t consider it a series so much as a project presented in arcs. Therefore, it can be a stand-alone book. Nonetheless, the second arc Godless, is in the works. I have a BA in creative writing, I work in real estate and currently reside in BK. I hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you for your time,

Rebecca Dickerson

Jasmin Michelle Smith is currently a blessed bi-coastal! She lives in
Southern California, when not studying at Sarah Lawrence College, in
Bronxville New York. There she is currently a Junior concentrating in
Education, Psychology, and Poetry. She has dabbled in all of the arts:
performing, visual and written, but lives for music and poetry and
hopes to remain in the presences of creation forever. She is pursuing
a Masters in Education, through Sarah Lawrence’s Art of Teaching
Program, a 5 year Graduate program. With this degree, she intends to
infuse her passion for educating children with her love of the arts,
ultimately hoping to get children expressing themselves and learning
through creation. In addition to writing, studying, and working with
children, Jasmin acts as a co-chair for a Women of Color affinity
group on campus, sings in and manages an all female a cappella group
called Treble in Paradise, and works as a poetry editor for literary
journal Dark Phrases. Her poetry can be found in that same literary
journal, in Volumes 21 & 22.

Belinda is a born and bred “Sucka Free City” (San Francisco Bay Area) native, fourteen-year veteran community organizer, and soon-to-be Sarah Lawrence College alum that has been writing since she was four. She first tried her hand at performance poetry with her high school crew, Sable Vitality. She then began writing, producing, and performing spoken word theater with the Bay Area-based group, Colored Ink. She has been blessed to share the stage with Piri Thomas, Devorah Major, Ise Lyfe, Sonia Sanchez and many other gifted spirits. She was recently awarded a Citation of Excellence for her winning poem “Cherry & Blanton” in the “Roads to Equality” Poetry Prizes as part of Sarah Lawrence College’s Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides of 1961. She is an Aries-Taurus cuspian whose personal interests includes anything that builds transformative justice. When she’s not shining light on the world with her laughter, you can find her trying to spread the fierce essence of the hippie.thug.chic.nerd that she is lyrically through her poems.

Middle Set Seed

I can’t think of the last time I called for my mother. Told her I love her. Asked for her guidance. These things seem mundane to yolk still perfectly placed in shell. Though I feel as if I am grasping for a dream, lost to me by awake. Yet, my tongue tastes the onion and salt pork in her pinto beans as I place red onions and garlic in black beans on the stove. Wonder what it felt like to protect the only person who loved her more than herself. Or so they say. Their love, formed by Baptist monogamy, ransacked by glass pipe and black cherry Cisco. Glued by nine seeds. Nine seeds in sets of three. Middle seed of the middle set would be the riff in nucleus. Or so he said. Or so we believed. Some of us. The rest of us chipped at our own insecurity to reveal the security we provided for them. The lived psychedelic fantasy of a united unit. The others told her he couldn’t be there. Authorities told her lover couldn’t be in the house. Couldn’t be near. She hid him in closets while hiding us from ourselves with lies about their use. Little did she know their abuse would catch up to one of us, one night, when they figured they’d teach us a lesson. The kind of lesson that leaves scars on the veins and nude in light. He left scars on the middle set seed. Asked her to touch. Wonder what my mother imagined when she heard these scars leave my sister’s lips – her beloved man instructing her beloved child to touch her beloved man’s limp.

Little Sally

For Douglas Kearney

Little Sally

watch her

shifting in

sauce her

East moan

connects her

West niggle

rove Sally

rise wipe

those sweepin’

eyes put

hands on

their hips

make back

bones thick

shake that

load off

weep and

rise Sally

shake that

load off

rise and

cling Sally

burn it

to the

one that

you loath

the best.

Ketty Joe Henri writes because her imagination needs a landing platform. She is working on a lot of projects at once and will become successful in all her endeavors because she says so. She went to Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY. One of the most prestigious writing schools in the WORLD!!!! By the grace of god, she graduated and realized that she spent almost her entire time there not writing to her potential because she doesn’t like to be told how and what to write. She’s working on that. She wants to fly off her own wings and land on soft cotton. Sometimes she gets really deep and is afraid that people wont get it, but then she remembers that she actually doesn’t care.

Why we be, How we be.

We are lonely because you refuse to succumb to the ridiculousness that is sand friendships. It takes to much effort to build them up to be something solid and then have nature destroy what wasn’t real in the first place.
We are lonely because, ever since you were a child, you hated to conform and conforming is the best seat in the social theater. You are short in stature and would’ve loved your position.
The people that you want to spend endless giggles with are either far away or haven’t realized how amazing you are until you are far away. By then you could careless.
You are lonely because you don’t have the energy to promote how cool you are.
We are extra lonely because we are sill figuring out who you are. That takes time and solitude.
Did I mention that you are an only child and loneliness is kinda your thing?
The older you get, the more loneliness starts to smell weird.
Scented candles, a nice shower, loud music and some writing should do the trick.
………Shut the fuck up. I don’t need you to tell me why we are lonely. I’m well aware.

photo by rachel eliza griffith

The Cave Canem Fellow is the author of several books including Swag & Dear Twitter: Love Letters Hashed Out On-line, recommended by Small Press Distribution & listed as About.com Best Poetry Books of 2010. She has released five LPs including the live album Sheroshima. As co-founder of the Off Broadway poetry production, Jam On It, and co-producer of NYC’s 1^st Performance Poetry Festival: SoundBites Poetry Festival, Mahogany bridges the gap between lyrical poets and literary emcee. Browne has toured Germany, Amsterdam, England, Canada and recently Australia as 1/3 of the cultural arts exchange project Global Poetics. Her journalism work has been published in magazines Uptown, KING, XXL, The Source, Canada’s The Word and UK’s MOBO. She is an Urban Word NYC mentor, as seen on HBO’s Brave New Voices and facilitates performance poetry and writing workshops throughout the country. She is the publisher of Penmanship Books, a small press for performance artists and owns PoetCD.Com, an on-line marketing and distribution company for poets. Mahogany is currently host and curator of the Friday Night Slam at the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe. 

JP Howard aka Juliet P. Howard is a poet, lawyer, Cave Canem fellow and native New Yorker. She was selected as a Lambda Literary Foundation 2011 Emerging LGBT Voices Fellow, as well as a 2011 Cave Canem Fellow-in-Residence at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA). JP was a finalist in the Astraea Lesbian Writer’s Fund 2009-2010 poetry category and recipient of a Soul Mountain Retreat writing residency in 2010. Her poems are published or forthcoming in Talking Writing, Muzzle Magazine, Connotation Press, TORCH, Queer Convention: A Chapbook of Fierce, Cave Canem Anthology XII: Poems 2008-2009, Cave Canem XI 2007 Anthology, The Portable Lower East Side (Queer City), Promethean Literary Journal and Poetry in Performance. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The City College of New York, as well as a BA from Barnard College and a JD from Brooklyn Law School. She co-founded Women Writers in Bloom Poetry Salon and Blog, a forum offering women writers at all levels a venue to come together in a positive and critically supportive space. http://womenwritersinbloompoetrysalon.blogspot.com/

Phantom Lover

Sexy Self-Portrait