Reed, Write, and Create

How Do You Make a Living as a Writer in Hard Times? Ask Langston Hughes!

On episode #26  of the podcast, I’m using the life of the illustrious Langston Hughes, to give you a pep talk on how to make a living with your writing. Even in hard times.

 

Did you know that Langston Hughes is recognized as the first African-American writer to make a living solely from his writing? Yes, Langston Hughes was definitely the hardest working writer in Harlem, and throughout his life before and after the renaissance. So studying his success and strategies can give us some excellent ideas about crafting a successful writing life.

 

Stay tuned for some innovative, actionable tips and motivation for your writing life. 

 

To learn more about Langston Hughes, especially his life in Spain, enjoy this blog post I wrote for ReedWriteandCreate.com.

 

Read Langston’s wonderful autobiography (the one I read from during the episode) I Wonder as I Wander to stay motivated throughout your writing life. 

 

You might also enjoy this collection of Langston’s short stories called, The Short Stories of Langston Hughes. 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

 

Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.

 

If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community to join, where you’ll find accountability partners, BETA readers for your work, and opportunities to get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. 

 

When you’re buying new books, don’t support a massive online retailer that doesn’t pay authors or publishes their fair share, and puts indie booksellers out of business. Shop indie bookstores like the Reed, Write, & Create Bookstore powered by Bookshop.org. 

How to Bring History's Hidden Figures to Life on the Page with New York Times Bestselling Author, Ilyon Woo

On episode 25 of the podcast, my guest is New York Times Bestselling author, Ilyon Woo.

Ilyon is the author of the new book, Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom and The Great Divorce: A Nineteenth-Century Mother’s Extraordinary Fight Against Her Husband, the Shakers, and Her Times. Her writing has also appeared in The Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal,Time, and The New York Times. 

During our delightful conversation Ilyon shares:

• When she fell in love with storytelling.
• Why she’s obsessed with the Shakers.
• Her secrets to writing thrilling, jump-off-the-page nonfiction.
• How being Korean-American has impacted her career as a writer.
• What the descendants of Willam and Ellen Craft, the subjects of Master, Slave, Husband, Wife, think of her portrayal of their famous relatives. 
• Her advice for other BIPOC writers who want to write beyond their own cultural stories.

It’s another informative, inspiring and fun conversation with an award-winning BIPOC writer. 

I hope you love it!

 

To learn more about Ilyon Woo, visit her website: IlyonWoo.com and/or find her on Instagram @ilyonwooauthor. 

 

Buy a copy of the incredible, Master Slave, Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery  to Freedom from The Reed, Write, & Create Bookshop. 

To learn more about William and Ellen Craft, follow the Instagram account started by their descendants to share their story with the world. @WilliamandEllenCraft

 

If you want to read the book, Woo referenced during the conversation, it was Tiya Miles’ All that She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, A Black Family Keepsake.

 

Check out Ilyon’s first book, the fascinating, The Great Divorce: A 19th Century Mother’s Extraordinary Fight Against Her Husband, The Shakers, and Her Times.

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

 

Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.

 

If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community to join, where you’ll find accountability partners, BETA readers for your work, and opportunities to get published and get paid,  Sign up HERE for more information.

 

Don’t buy your books on Amazon, support indie booksellers and shop online at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop for a list of curated titles by BIPOC authors. 

 

If you’re feeling generous and would like to support this award-winning, Black-woman created podcast, please consider a small, one-time donation via our new Buy Me a Coffee/Book link. Thank you!

 

Art, Activism, and Audre Lorde: How to Use Your Words to Change the World

On episode 24 of the podcast, you’re getting a pep talk about art and activism, using the life and times of the incredible Audre Lorde as our role model. We’re talking about the intersection of identity, writing, and making the world a better place. 

 

Audre Lorde was a Black feminist writer and activist who authored several books of poetry, essays, and memoir. Some of her most popular titles include, Sister Outsider, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, and The Cancer Journals. 

 

This episode will leave all my BIPOC writers motivated and inspired to change the world with their words. So, let’s go!

To Learn More about the Incredible Audre Lorde

 

Visit: The AudreLordeProject.com

Read: Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde by Alexis de Veaux

Read: Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Read: Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde

Read: The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

 

Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.

 

If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community to join, where you’ll find accountability partners, BETA readers for your work, and opportunities to get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. 

 

Don’t buy your books on Amazon, support indie booksellers and shop online at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop for a list of curated titles by BIPOC authors. 

 

 

Writing Romance, Race, and Ricki Wilde with New York Times Best-Selling Author, Tia Williams

 

We’re back with season 3 of the Reed, Write, and Create Podcast!

 

On episode 23 of the podcast, my guest is  New York Times best-selling author, Tia Williams. 

 

Tia is an author of both YA titles and adult fiction. She wrote the bestselling debut novel The Accidental Diva and then penned two young adult novels, It Chicks and Sixteen Candles. Her award-winning novel, The Perfect Find is currently a Netflix movie starring Gabrielle Union. Her next novel, Seven Days in June was a New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, and her new novel, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, will be published by Grand Central on February 6, 2024. 

During the episode, Tia gets real about the challenges of writing while Black in the mainstream publishing industry. She speaks openly and honestly about the obstacles she faced getting her second adult novel published, even after the success of her former titles. She tells us what race had to do it, and most importantly, how and why she never gave up on her writing dreams.

 

In the episode we also cover:

• The fun and not so fun parts about writing romance.
•  How to write a good sex scene.
•  Why BIPOC writers shouldn’t feel obliged to center trauma in their stories. 

 

It’s a great episode to kick off Season 3, Black History Month, and Valentine’s Day. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

 

To learn more about Tia Williams, visit her website, TiaWilliams.net

 

Find Tia on the socials. 

 

On Instagram

On Facebook

On Twitter/X

 

To purchase a copy of Tia's delightful new novel, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, visit the Reed, Write, & Create Online Bookshop and support independent bookstores. 

BIPOC woman writers: We have a supportive and active writing community where we provide you with the resources, accountability, and opportunities you need to get published and get paid. Visit ReedWriteandCreate.com and click on the The Sanctuary to learn more. Emerging and Seasoned writers are welcome.

 

Sign up for the  Reed, Write and Create newsletter

 

Visit ReedWriteandCreate.com for more resources and inspiration on the writing life.

Please leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Thank you!

A Short But Important Announcement about the Podcast!

Lori is taking a break from her winter break to share an update about the future of the podcast. 

The podcast is getting a new name! Find out what it is and what caused the change on this short but important episode. 

 

New Links for all things Reed, Write, & Create.

The Reed, Write, & Create website.

Reed, Write, & Create on Facebook.

Reed, Write, & Create on Twitter @ReedWriteCre8

Reed, Write, & Create on IG @readwritecre8

To learn more about the fascinating history of the Papyrus plant and the origin story of the book, check out the amazing book called, Papyrus: The Invention of the Book in the Ancient World. by Irene Vallejo. 

How to Make a Living Writing YA Fiction: A Conversation with Ibi Zoboi

On episode 22 of the podcast, award-winning author, Ibi Zoboi is my guest. Ibi is the New York Times Bestselling author of the YA novel, American Street, which among other distinctions, was a National Book Award finalist. Ibi is the editor of the anthology Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America. She co-authored the Walter Award and L.A. Times Book Prize-winning novel-in-verse, Punching the Air, written with Exonerated Five member, Yusef Salaam. Her debut picture book, The People Remember, received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award. And  her most recent books include Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler, Okoye to the People: A Black Panther Novel for Marvel, and her new novel, Nigeria Jones. 

 

During our conversation, Ibi shares her unique journey to publishing success, as well as the sacrifices and compromises she had to make in order to get her foot in the door of the mainstream publishing industry. She also shares her experiences writing for a book packaging company early on in her career. 

 

If you’re a fiction writer looking to break into the mainstream publishing industry, this is an important and informative episode to listen to and take notes.

 

Writing Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Ibi mentioned a lot of great resources within this episode. Here are a few you might want to check out.

• Ibi Zoboi’s website
• VONA Writing Workshop
• Clarion Workshop for Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers
• Forbidden Planet Comic Bookstore in New York City
• Nikki Giovanni’s iconic poem Ego Trippin
• Alloy Entertainment
• If you want to learn more about Octavia Butler and her work, listen to our episode of the podcast on Octavia Estelle Butler. It’s really great.

 

BIPOC Writers, We Got You!

If you are a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive and active writing community, where we support and celebrate BIPOC women writers who want to get published and get paid, visit ReadWriteandCreate.com and click on the The Sanctuary tab.

 

You can also sign up for the  Read, Write and Create newsletter, which is the first place where you’ll find out about my latest classes and creative offerings. Sign up on the Read, Write and Create website. 

 

The RWC Gift Guide for BIPOC writers and readers was created for you! There are some really unique gifts listed on the guide that your writer and reader friends will love, plus the guide is not too long so you can quickly find the perfect gift and then get back to writing. 

 

Be sure to visit The Read, Write and Create online bookshop, where you’ll find a whole shelf of books that make great gifts. You will also find the books of all of the guests who have appeared on the podcast highlighted there as well. Remember a purchase from our bookshop goes to support this podcast and independent booksellers everywhere.

 

We’ll be back in February.  Until then, keep writing and keep creating. Happy Holidays!

It’s All About The Sanctuary: A Membership Community for BIPOC Women Writers

On episode 21 of the podcast, I’m taking you on a tour of The Sanctuary, the new private membership community we’re launching at Read, Write, and Create headquarters. The Sanctuary is a private community for BIPOC women writers who want to get their work out into the world and who want to get paid for doing it. 

 

I’m going to share the origin story of The Sanctuary, but I’m also going to share why writing communities are gaining in popularity, even though they are far from a new idea. So, even if you’re not a BIPOC woman writer or The Sanctuary isn’t for you, I urge you to stick around and listen anyway to find out how writing communities can help you optimize your writing life. 

 

And of course we’ll dip back into history for a minute to learn how our literary ancestors used official writing communities to help get their work into the world.

 

On the show, you’ll learn: 

• Why I Created the Sanctuary
• Who Belongs in  The Sanctuary 
• What Goes on Behind the Doors of the Sanctuary and Why it is a Private Community
• How Communities Like the Harlem Writers Guild and the South Side Writers Group Inspired the Creation of The Sanctuary
• Why The Sanctuary is for BIPOC Women only

 

The episode is short and sweet, but I hope it answers all of your questions about The Sanctuary. If you’d like to learn more about our community, including how to apply, visit the new Sanctuary page on the Read, Write, and Create website.

 

For more resources, recommendations and inspiration to help you optimize your writing life, visit ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for the RWC newsletter. 

 

The holidays are coming! Whether you celebrate Hannakah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or all three, you’ll be sure to find a great gift for the literature lovers in your life on the first ever RWC Holiday Gift Guide. Curated specifically for BIPOC readers and writers, there is something for everyone – even you - in our guide. And trust, it’s not an overwhelming list, so you can quickly find just the right gift and then get back to writing!

 

If you prefer to just gift everyone on your shopping list with books, be sure to visit The Read, Write and Create online bookshop, where you’ll find a whole shelf of books that make great gifts. Remember a purchase from our bookshop goes to support this podcast and independent booksellers everywhere.

 

If you enjoyed this episode or any of our other episodes, please be sure to leave a rating or a review on your favorite podcast platform.

 

Keep Writing.

Greenlight Your Own Projects: Self-Publishing Without Apology with Dr. Tamara Pizzoli

On episode #20 of the Read, Write, and Create podcast, my guest is Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, who shares her unconventional success story as an independent children’s book author and publisher.

Dr. Pizzoli is an African-American author, curator, producer and publisher. Originally from Texas, she is the mother of four children and has resided in Rome, Italy for over fifteen years. In 2013, she opened a boutique English-language school for kids in Rome called The English Schoolhouse, which she later converted into an independent publishing house.

In just under a decade, Dr. Pizzoli has published over sixty books, with many more currently in development. Her most popular books include The Ghanaian Goldilocks, Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO, and K is for Kahlo. After gaining international attention in print and media for her diverse children’s books, Dr. Pizzoli was approached by Farrar Straus and Giroux in early 2017 and offered a book deal for Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO which was then released in 2019. Film rights for Tallulah the Tooth Fairy were later acquired by the actress, Gabrielle Union.

During our conversation she shares:

• Her unconventional path to literary success.
• Why she chose to self publish her own books.
• Why she likes to find and contract her own illustrators.
• How she handles publishing deals with major publishers, on her own terms. Not to mention the movies and licensing agreements she’s also negotiating.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you want to learn more about Dr. Tamara Pizzoli or to purchase her books, visit TheEnglishSchoolhouse.com

If you want to follow Dr. Pizzoli on Instagram, follow her @tamarapizzoli and to learn more about her books @theenglishschoolhouse.

Check out the original Kickstarter campaign that launched The Ghanaian Goldilocks.

Dr. Pizzoli referenced KDP as the platform she uses for self-publishing, that is Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing.

If you are enjoying the Read, Write, and Create podcast, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the show on Apple podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform.

For more resources, recommendations and inspiration to help you optimize your writing life, visit ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for the RWC newsletter because I send out a monthly list of opportunities for BIPOC writers that include jobs, open submissions, residencies, grants, fellowships and more.

If you’d like more information about The Sanctuary, the new membership community exclusively  for BIPOC women writers who want to get their work into the world, please use this link to join the "I Want to Know More"  List.

Writing Retreats are Not Bougie: Why Writing Retreats Should be a Part of Your Regular Writing Practice

On episode 19 of the podcast, I’m giving a pep-talk on the importance of writing retreats for your regular writing practice. Yes, I just ran my first writing retreat, so I’m still glowing from that amazing experience, but this pep talk isn’t about me. It’s about you and all the benefits  you will gain from adding writing retreats to your writing life. 

Some of the benefits of attending writing retreats include:

• Increased productivity in your writing
• Improved self-confidence as a writer
• Access to a wider writing network
• Increased creativity energy

Even our literary ancestors knew how beneficial it was to run away and write, so of course I’ll be bringing their perspective to my pep talk as well.

By the way, I’m making a big announcement at the end of the episode, so be sure to listen all the way to the end!

 

Links You Need from the Show

 

Learn more about The Renaissance House and their residence for BIPOC writers.

If you want to read Zora Neale Hurston’s autobiography/memoir that she wrote while on “retreat” consider buying your copy of Dust Tracks on the Road at Bookshop.org so you can support this podcast and independent booksellers everywhere. 

 

If you want to start planning which retreat you’d like to attend in 2024, check out this list of retreats for BIPOC writers I created. It will be updated for 2024 soon. 

 

If you need ideas on how to plan your own writing retreat, check out this post I wrote about the DIY writing retreat. 

 

If you’d like more information about The Sanctuary, the new membership community exclusively  for BIPOC women writers who want to get their work into the world, please use this link to join the I Want to Know More List.

For more resources, recommendations and inspiration to help you optimize your writing life, visit ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for the RWC newsletter because I send out a monthly list of opportunities for BIPOC writers that include jobs, open submissions, residencies, grants, fellowships and more. You know you want some of that good stuff, don't you?

How to Have a 40-Year Literary Career with Award-Winning Author and Literary Activist Marita Golden

On episode 18 of the podcast, the amazing Marita Golden is my guest. 

 

Marita Golden is  an award-winning author of over twenty works of  fiction and nonfiction. Her books include the novels, The Wide Circumference of Love, and After and the memoirs Migrations of the Heart, Saving Our Sons, and Don’t Play in the Sun: One Woman’s Journey Through the Color Complex. Her most recent work of nonfiction is The New Black Woman Loves Herself, Has Boundaries and  Heals Every Day. Marita is also the Co-founder and President Emerita of the Zora Neale Hurston/ Richard Wright Foundation.

 

Over the years, Marita’s life and work as an author and literary activist has served as both personal and professional inspiration to me and countless other writers.

 

During our interview, we discuss:

• The secrets and strategies Marita has used over the years to have a successful, diverse and long-lasting literary career. 
• Time management skills.
• Why writers shouldn’t feel guilty about the need to make money from their writing. 
• The need for self-care for writers and why it’s not just a trending buzzword.
• The importance of community for BIPOC writers.

 

I guarantee this episode with Marita Golden will leave you inspired, well-informed, and ready to write. 

 

To learn more about Marita Golden and to find out about her classes and coaching, visit her website at MaritaGolden.com

 

To buy some of Marita’s most iconic books, visit the Read, Write, and Create bookshop and support Marita, this podcast, and independent bookstores everywhere. 

 

To hear an interview I did with Marita Golden about her anthology and novel on Alzheimer's, have a listen here. 

 

To learn more about the incredible Hurston/ Wright foundation, visit their website at HurstonWright.org.

 

For more literary resources to help you love your writing life, please visit the Read, Write, and Create website and blog.

 

If you’re looking for opportunities to get your work published, to get paid for your writing, and/or retreats and residencies where you can deep dive into the writing world, be sure to subscribe to the Read, Write and Create newsletter. 

 

Follow @ReadWriteandCre8 on Instagram for more lit news, views, tips, tricks, giveaways, and opportunities. 

Please don’t forget to leave a rating and/or a review for the show on Apple podcasts or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. Thank you!