Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant: Whenever we meet aspiring writers or receive mail from them, the thing we emphasize most is sticking with it. Writing requires an enormous amount of discipline and nothing, absolutely NOTHING will ever happen if you don't put the words down on paper or computer screen. Talking about wanting to write won't get you anywhere. Also, our best advice to would-be authors is to read critically. Figure out what you like about the way a story is told, as well as what you don't like, and how it could apply to what you want to create. Reading all kinds of work is the best teacher of how to construct a compelling story.
Monique Morris: I try to encourage black writers every time they call me. I'm participating in a conference about publishing and try to help where I can.
Raymond A. Winbush: I always answer in detail prospective writers who ask me about the ins and outs of publishing. I particularly encourage those who want to write nonfiction since much of what is read now among Africans in America is fiction. Waiting To Exhale was a breakthrough book in that white publishing houses realized that blackfolk really "did" read and rushed out to find the next Terry McMillan. The upside of this is that many of the houses started black imprints, but knew very little about marketing books to blackfolk. They are doing better, but not by much. It is hard for example, to convince them that the chains are not the only place blackfolk buy books, but that black bookstores are popular venues for word-of-mouth advertising about what's hot.
I tell would be authors that the #1 thing they need is a good literary agent who really knows the business and people within the business. Many aspiring black authors are surprised at how difficult it is to just get a MS read by a publishing house. I also "write at least two hours a day," rain or shine, weekends and weekdays. I let them know that you must stay with the craft all the time, and carry around a notebook or organizer to jot down ideas as they come. I also encourage nonfiction writers to "thoroughly" research their topic and leave nothing to chance. Fiction writers should do likewise to add authenticity to whatever they are writing about.
Maryann Reid: Yes, I get countless emails everyday from people asking for advice. I also attend events where people approach me for help. Sometimes, I just take an interest in someone's work and advise them on how they can improve. I am very informal with people and enjoying helping out. It's good karma! The best advice I can give is: Get an agent and making writing fun.
Francis Ray: In the past three days I've been to two colleges to speak on African-Americans in publishing. I have two more engagements before the end of the week. There is a wealth of young black talent out there waiting to be discovered. I'd like to help make that happen. The advice I'd give would-be authors is to know the market, read widely and not just in the genre you wish to publish in, develop a writing schedule and stick to it, learn the business side of writing, be prepared to work hard, never compare yourself to another writer, and if publication is your dream, don't let anything or anyone keep you from reaching your goal.
Tonya Bolden: I do not limit my encouragement to aspiring African-American authors. I have mentored a few people who seemed sincere about being writers (given counsel, recommended them for work). I've also given advice to others who have happened upon me. The main advice I have for would-be writers it to not be so precious. On more than one occasion, I've alerted aspiring writers to a small "assignment" that was admittedly not that glamorous but would have, I thought, helped them get a foot in the door. To my surprise several of these young would-be writers passed on the opportunity not because they were incapable of handling it, but because "It's not what I'm really interested in." I don't understand that kind of thinking.
Natasha Tarpley: I visit a lot of schools, both as a volunteer and as an invited author. I work primarily with elementary school kids, since my books thus far have been for younger readers. I meet kids at every school who like to write, and I think the most important thing I do is to recognize their work as significant, and encourage them to continue. Having my parents and teachers pay attention to my writing and nurture my talent made all the difference in the world. So I would say to teachers, keep an eye out for those kids who like to write and try to expose them to as many opportunities as possible, especially those that validate what they're doing.
For young writers I say, read everything you can. Go to the library and make friends with your librarians. Ask your parents and teachers to take you to see other writers read from their work, join a book group. Write as often as you can!! And, although it sounds corny, have faith in yourself and in your work. Writing is like believing in magic. Because so much of the writing process takes place in your head, often times other people can't see and therefore don't understand what you're trying to do. But you have to believe that it's important and keep doing it. Those people will feel pretty foolish for questioning you when you win the Pulitzer and are talking about your experiences as a young writer --- in which they did not play a favorable part --- on Oprah.
Michael Datcher: I have volunteered for the last 9 years as the director of literary programs at the World Stage Writer's Workshop, in South Los Angeles. My advice to writers is to set aside at least two hours a day to read, and 4 hours a day to write.
Afi Scruggs: Writing a book is not easy! Please take classes and attend workshops before deciding to embark on a project! There is no substitute for practice.
Kayla Perrin: I don't do anything per se, but when aspiring authors contact me, I always answer their questions. I think the best thing an aspiring author can do is join a writer's group in his or her area. Writer's groups provide a wealth of information about the publishing world--as well as much needed support. It helped me when I sought to get published.
Kim McLarin: I try to reach out as much as possible, because I know I wouldn't be here without many, many folks reaching out for me. I speak often at schools and churches and try to give meaningful advice to anyone who asks. I have, in the past, read people's work and given feedback, but this is not always possible to do given the demands of my own life. My general advice for aspiring writers is to take themselves and their writing seriously. Writing is a craft; it needs to be studied and learned, whatever talent you might possess. Some people study by taking classes and workshops. Others study by carefully reading and analyzing great works. Either way is fine, but I think beginning writers especially can benefit from finding a community of serious, intelligent writers. There are good writers groups and workshops in most cities across the country. It just takes legwork to find them. Start with university English departments and libraries and go from there. Magazines such as Poets & Writers are good resources. My other advice is to read, read, read. And to read your work aloud.
Myles Pinkney and Sandra Pinkney: We basically are always open to anyone with questions and tell them as much as we know, which is basically to be persistent in submitting work, and to research publishers before your work is submitted.
Steven Barnes: This is the perfect time to get into the field. All authors should write every day, and read at least ten times as much as they write. Start by writing short stories, and don't move onto novels until you've sold at least five of them.
Marissa Monteilh: On my website, MarissaMonteilh.com, I have a writer's resources section, which includes information for aspiring writers ranging from self-publishing information to finding an agent. I am always happy to answer questions because I too had other authors who helped me along the way. The best advice I have for authors is be persistent, read-read-read, and write everyday, even if it is just one sentence. And, do not expect handouts or special doors to be opened. Writing a novel is hard work. I'm also an advocate of self-publishing, if of course one can afford it. Especially for those writers who have completed works, but are waiting for someone to publish it. Sometimes one can do just that --- wait.
Michele Andrea Bowen: I do most of that in an informal and quiet way. I give out information about publishing, and preparing a manuscript, cover letters, looking for an agent, and what the process is like. But it is usually, as I said in a quiet and informal manner. And the advice I would give --- finish your project, look for a way to get it published, listen to and take critical assessments of your work from those you know mean you well, ignore naysayers, don't worry about a huge advance, and find a publisher who truly wants to work with you.
Alexs Pate: I teach at the University of Minnesota (not a ton of African-American authors there, but some) and last summer I taught at the Hurston/Wright Workshop (which is all African-American writers). As I said earlier it's been a long hard struggle. But I deeply feel that any writer, regardless of what they write, if they work at it long enough, believe in themselves, keep their eyes open, and keeps reading other authors to improve their craft, will eventually have a chance to be successful at it.
Mat Johnson: I’m always trying to hook up other up and coming writers with agents, publishers but it almost never works. This year I’ll be judging the new first fiction prize for the Hurston/Wright Foundation, an amazing organization promoting black writing. I love talking to unpublished writers, passing on essential information to save them time. There are so many dumb little things to learn that help in the long run. Going to an MFA problem helped me get a better understanding of the world of publishing.
Advice: READ. Keep reading. Find out who the best writers are, study them to see how they do it, what they’re not doing. Do not be awed by them, discovery their weakness as well as gifts. WRITE. Just keep writing. Write one book, read some more, then start the next one. EDIT. Be your own harshest critic. Always make sure every sentence, paragraph, page chapter, is the best you can do. Push yourself until you’re so good, so original, so entertaining that no one can say “No.”
Jabari Asim: I occasionally lead workshops, give readings and participate in panel discussions. I gave a talk to aspiring writers last year at the Duke Ellington School for the Arts in Washington, DC, and I've recently agreed to serve as judge in a writers' contest sponsored by Marita Golden's Hurston/Wright Foundation. One panel on which I recently appeared included a well-known black author who said it wasn't necessary to do much reading. I cringed, because actually the opposite is true. No aspiring jazz musician would be taken seriously if he couldn't display intimate knowledge of the oeuvres of Coltrane, Miles, Ellington and Armstrong. No aspiring surgeon would have a chance at pursuing his profession if he couldn't demonstrate sufficient familiarity with surgical techniques pioneered by the giants of medicine. The same applies to writers: One must read, read, read, and read some more. That's why so much of the new poetry is bad: its practitioners have little knowledge of what poets have done before them-they seem to think that the poetic tradition began when they decided to put pen to paper and share their precious thoughts with the world. Gimme a break! If you don't know Brooks, Baraka and Hayden, don't pretend that you're serious about poetry. The same applies for any other category of literature. The other important thing to do is write, write, write and then re-write. I remember reading an article about Wynton Marsalis, around the time he'd been anointed the Next Big Thing in jazz. He responded to all the hype by trying to practice a minimum of six hours a day. You have to be obsessive about your craft by reading several hours a day and writing several hours a day. Mundane concerns such as eating and sleeping have to be secondary priorities.
Phyllis Y. Harris: If I meet people along the way who want to write, I listen to what they want to do, and I offer advice on how they might go about finding resources to help themselves, if they ask. I don't offer advice unless people ask, but what I've found is that everyone wants to write a book, but when they actually realize that it is a lonesome and tedious process in many ways, that is sometimes a deterrent.
