William Jelani Cobb: I think publishing, like most institutions, operates on certain default settings that have racial or class or gender implications. As long as the "default" reader is considered to be white, middle-aged and middle-class, you run the risk of overlooking everyone else --- as both readers and writers. The funny thing to me is that only in black neighborhoods do I see people setting up a stands on the corner and selling books --- and actually making a living at it.
Jabari Asim: Don't get me started. I think that the publishing world remains astonishingly stupid and narrow-minded regarding the tastes of black readers and the marketing of black writers. Remember, I work in the industry (I'm a book critic in my day job), so I see this stuff all day. Nine-out-of-ten books by black authors that are sent my way are awful --- and nearly always presented as "in the tradition of Terry McMillan." Really, that's not all we want, and that's certainly not all there is. I have not had much difficulty getting published, which is probably due to my relative visibility in the industry and not necessarily a reflection of my talent, although I hope that has something to do with it as well.
Alexs Pate: Let's be honest, there are at least two worlds of publishing (probably more) confronting the African-American author. One tells us our stories are not important and that no one is really all that interested in what we're writing. This is the world of rejection. This is particularly true if your artistic urge is literary and not commercial. Editor after editor rejected Losing Absalom by saying how much they liked the story but implying that they weren't sure there was a readership for it. African-American literary writers are still being limited, if not shut out because the industry doesn't often want to take a chance with African American complexity. I also have to add that as a black man writing literary fiction, essentially about men, the situation is even more difficult.
Tonya Bolden: Publishing companies are most welcoming and supportive of books they believe will be profitable. I don't know that we can talk about the publishing world in one swallow. Some editors, publicists, and sales people are very welcoming and supportive of African-American authors; others are not. The publishing world is no different in context. Black people and other non-white people have a tougher time getting published --- just as, in general, we have a tougher time being heard, seen, and positively recognized in the society at large.
It wasn't terribly difficult for me to get published, only because I entered the writing world as a writer-for-hire. My first few books were "assigned." They were books publishers wanted done and for which they had put out a "call" for a writer. After I made good on these assignments I was able to approach editors with book ideas of my own and get a hearing. Through the assignments I got a foot in the door: I wasn't a total unknown.
Monique Morris: The publishing world seems receptive to books that are romantic or playful in nature. It's a lot harder to get them to pay attention to black work that might not fit the mold or might require people to think outside of the box.
Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant: Now that the publishing world understands "there's gold in them there hills," they have become more supportive than ever before. It has taken much longer than it should have for them to realize that African-Americans are people who died in pursuit of learning to read. Of course we buy books!
Our biggest challenge in getting published, was in finding a publisher who did not find it necessary to categorize our work. We had what we call the Toni-Terry problem. We don't write like Toni Morrison or Terry McMillan so Tryin' To Sleep in the Bed You Made was turned down a few times because it didn't fit the accustomed profile. There were also those editors who wanted to "redo" nearly everything about the story to make it conform to their formula for success. These are problems faced, to some extent, but all writers, but they are particularly acute for Black writers. We were fortunate to find an editor who liked our story and the way we told it and felt TRYIN' would stand on its own.
Myles Pinkney and Sandra Pinkney: I think it is a little more difficult, basically because of a lack of understanding about blacks, as well as having work viewed through "colored" glasses. I think that work is looked at differently, based on skin color. When showing the manuscript of Shades of Black many publishers did not understand the importance or significance of showing various skin colors of blacks in a book. Of course, we eventually did find a publisher, Scholastic Inc. who did understand, but it did take a lot of searching.
Afi Scruggs: I don't know what other authors go through, so I have no basis for comparison. I'm convinced of the need for black editors, who can approve and acquire books, or at the least, whites whose range of experience is broad enough to transcend stereotypical definitions of African-American books and authors.
Steven Barnes: The publishing industry is basically an organism that eats money. If they believe that black writers will make them money, there is support. For quite a while, the science-fiction field would publish black writers --- but only if they could put white people on the covers. Ugh. Sure, it was hard to get published, but probably no harder than for white writers. Earning money is another thing. Black writers are vastly underrepresented, percentage-wise. I've had to find ways to write for black readers in a way that won't turn off white readers. If I had, I'd have starved by now.
Kim McLarin: The publishing industry is like any other industry in America --- it's less about black or white and more about the green. We all know there was a time when publishers thought black folks didn't read and so they didn't bother publishing many books about our experiences. But that time has changed. Publishers now understand the incredible buying power of black readers and they are as welcoming to us as to any one else. Of course publishing is still an overwhelmingly white field, with all of the very real cultural barriers that implies. But I was very, very blessed and found a terrific agent and wonderful publisher pretty early in the game.
Marissa Monteilh: I am very new to the world of publishing. My first title, May December Souls, will be released by Harper Collins this spring. Therefore, I am not yet familiar as to whether or not the publishing world is supportive of African-American authors. I can say that it has been welcoming to me. I am fully aware of the strides that African-Americans have had to make to be perceived as viable novelists with a story to tell that not only other African-Americans will read, but all races will read as well. There is a very large audience out there who read works by African-American authors and I believe that the publishing world is recognizing and seeking to satisfy that wide audience now. Mainly due to the high level of sales of African-American titles by authors who have paved the way.
Natasha Tarpley: I think that the publishing world is becoming more supportive of African-American authors. The number of black writers being published in recent years has definitely increased. And the diversity of voices and stories that are represented is also improving, especially within the field of children's literature. I think that there was a push at some point to publish certain kinds of books, because those books were selling. But I think the spectrum has become wider. I'm very excited about some of the new books I see coming out. We're seeing stories that may not haven been published even five years ago, and some of the new children's book illustrators are amazing!
My own publishing experience, for both my children's and adult books, has been fortunate. I was lucky enough to meet people who introduced me to other people, who introduced me to still other people, who eventually published my work. But it took a lot of legwork at every step. So, it wasn't easy, and I got many rejections, even after I was published. There were some publishers who wanted me to do a certain kind of book and weren't willing to take a chance on something new. But the good news is perseverance does pay off. Eventually the work finds the right home.
Phyllis Y. Harris: It's difficult to say because everyone has a different experience. My experience was positive, from the perspective of finding a publisher. My agent did a great job in distributing the proposal for my book to a sizable number of publishers. Consequently, many wanted it and my book ended up selling in an auction, rather than my having to struggle to sell it. So, for all intents and practical purposes, my experience was very positive, and every publisher I met with was supportive and welcoming.
Mat Johnson: The publishing world isn’t generally good to authors period, regardless of race. Books come out and waste on the shelves without proper promotion, beautiful works often get ignored while the vulgar ones are heralded as greatness. Life’s tough.
At this moment though, there seems to be a feeling that there’s an audience for black subject matters, so I think it’s a good time to be black and writing, certainly if you’re creating more pop oriented works. On the other hand, there’s been so many crappy books published in the last ten years since the McMillan explosion, I think there’s a bit of stigma attached to “black books” now.
Getting published wasn’t that hard, but getting to the point were I was creating work worthy of being published was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. I wrote two books before Drop, got turned down repeatedly, tried to push myself harder every time and now I’m thankful for the experience. Getting to that point artistically took years. Getting published once I was there took days.
Maryann Reid: I think more support can be given in terms of marketing and promoting black authors. I also think promoting black authors to mainstream audiences would help bridge cultural gaps and misunderstandings. My own experience getting published was positive, however that is the easiest part. The most challenging times are between editing and pub date.
Raymond A. Winbush: What was difficult for me in getting published was to find an editor who "really" understood how black writers think and feel. When I first got my two-book deal from Avon, I actually had an editor tell me that I should avoid using the terms "white supremacy" and "racism" because it might "alienate" potential white readers! How can "anyone" write a book about raising black boys without using such terms? The answer is that you can't, and therein lays the dilemma of the black author. I also had a white female agent who simply didn't "get it" relative to black boys, but was willing to learn what I thought and felt, and did so.
Writing comes from the head and the heart, and I feel that white editors involved with black writing projects often emphasize the former. I had to actually write the Senior editor of Avon and "demand" a black editor before the book really started moving. The book is now doing very well in hardback (averaging 2,000 copies per month) but few people at the house thought it would do so well. It was not difficult for me to get published because I had already done so in the scholarly world. What "was" difficult is simply convincing people that black boys have a voice that need to be heard.
Kayla Perrin: I don't find it's difficult for an African-American author to get published now, but I find that's it's harder for us to get publisher support in terms of promotion. It's like they've thrown a bunch of us into a pool and are seeing who will sink and who will swim. One of my publishers recently promoted some of its February authors in a magazine --- but didn't include my book, and my February title is a lead title for this month. I had to take out my own ad. I think that once they see that I'm successful, or other African-American authors are successful, then they'll spend more money promoting me. It's a catch-22, because if they realized that when they promote, it'll help sales, we'd both be better off.
Michael Datcher: Publishing is first and foremost an enterprise to make money. The wild card is that there are always going to be "passion decisions" which involve editors purchasing books that they feel passionate about. Usually, these books reflect the socio-cultural leanings of the editors, few of whom are African American. As a result, black authors have less opportunities to get "a break." I'm writing nonfiction and fiction about non-stereotypical black people, which made me a harder sell. I was consistently told that black people don't want to read about politics, etc.
Francis Ray: Today the publishing world is embracing African-American authors with good advances, smart marketing plans and book tours. As to whether they are being as welcoming and supportive, that's a hard call. Some African-American authors are getting a big push, while others aren't. The same goes for non African-American writers who wonder why Author A got the 12 city tour and Author B was lucky if she received a poster of her cover. You can go crazy trying to figure out why something didn't happen or from comparing yourself to another writer. Your time will be better spent writing the best book you can.
It was very difficult to get published. I began my career in 1989 writing romances. There were no takers until I sold to a small African-American publishing house, Odyssey Books, owned by Letitia People. Fallen Angel was published in September 1992. Unfortunately the company went out of business and I was homeless again. Fortunately, in the latter part of 1993 Kensington Publishing Corp. started a multicultural romance line called Arabesque. My second book, Forever Yours, helped launch the line in June 1994.
Michele Andrea Bowen: My experience with the publishing world is with primarily with Walk Worthy Press. And WWP has been very welcoming and supportive of me. I have had a very good experience as a first time, unknown author. I know that this is not always this case. But this has been my experience. And yes, it was difficult to cross over into the publishing world. But that happens. It takes time to find your foot in the door. I have had to work hard for and be patient with regard to seeing the fruits of my labor in many things that I do both as a writer and in general. So, my perspective is, to keep going, believing, and working until you accomplish what you set out to do. To get published I prayed, kept working on my book, made the recommended changes in the text, and never gave up until I signed my contract.
