Reed, Write, and Create

The Secret to a Productive and Prolific Literary Life with Jabari Asim

On today’s episode of the podcast, award-winning author, journalist, professor, and poet, Jabari Asim,  joins me on the show, to share his advice and experiences maintaining a productive, prolific, and eclectic literary career for more than thirty years. 

Jabari Asim is the Distinguished Professor of Multi-Disciplinary Letters at Emerson College, where he also directs the MFA Program in Creative Writing. He is the author of 23 books, including Yonder, the essay collection We Can’t Breathe, and Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis. His awards include a Guggenheim fellowship and a Pushcart Prize. Jabari lives in the Boston area and has 5 adult children

 

On the show Jabari shares: 

 

• How an encounter with the poet Gwendolyn Brooks inspired him to be a writer.
• The practical reasons why he is so prolific.
• Why it’s important for writers to write in multiple genres.
• The best education for aspiring and working writers. (Hint: It’s not an MFA)
• How to stay motivated in the face of rejection.
• The  advice he has for BIPOC writers who want to be published by one of the big five publishers. 

 

It’s an inspiring interview full of actionable advice and writing tips. You don’t want to miss it. So press play.

 

“Artists are here to disturb the peace.” -James Baldwin.

 

To learn more about Jabari Asim, visit his website.

 

Jabari’s most recent novel, Yonder should be on your TBR list now. And if you have little people in your life, get them a copy of Whose Knees are These and Whose Toes are Those?

Jabari mentioned the inspiring and instructional example of how the author Ann Napolitano queried 80 agents before finding one who would work with her. You can read her story in this article in The New York Times.

 

I will be teaching a Creative Writing Workshop specifically for BIPOC writers who are looking to develop a creative writing habit, improve their creative writing skills, and share their work in a safe and supportive writing workshop. We will be working with creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry. The class meets Saturdays online from 12:00pm - 1:30pmEST. 

 

You don’t have to be a published writer or be trying to write a book, this class is truly for those who want to engage in the act of writing and develop their skills in a BIPOC centered workshop. The class will meet online from April 15 - June 3. ( (note I accidentally said June 10 on the episode.)  Class size is limited. For more information and to register, visit the classes and workshops page on the Read, Write, and Create website. 

I am also teaching  a one- day intensive workshop on Sunday, May 7,  2023 on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal, open to any and all writers working on a nonfiction book, including memoir.  If you want to sell a nonfiction  book to a mainstream publisher, you have to write a proposal first.  You need a proposal to get an agent, and the proposal is needed to get the book deal. So, if you’re ready to start pitching agents with your nonfiction book, you should register for my workshop. Space is limited so sign up soon. For more information and to register visit the classes and workshops page on the Read, Write, and Create website. 

 

If you haven’t already, you should  sign up for the RWC newsletter so you’ll be the first to know about all of my upcoming workshops, classes, retreats  and other writing opportunities that I share, including writing contests and calls for work from presses all over the world. You can sign up for the newsletter here. 

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, writing prompts and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content on the Read, Write, and Create website. 

 

Thank you for supporting the show with a rating, review or a share on any of your favorite social hangouts.

 

The pen is mightier than the sword. Lessons learned from Ida B. Wells

On today’s episode of the podcast, I’m giving you a pep talk on the power and the potential of the written word to change the world. Yes, the pen is mightier than the sword, and I want all of my BIPOC writers to wield this powerful weapon with intention and agency. And because you know I like to give you role models to emulate, I’ll be sharing the inspiring story of how Ida B. Wells weaponized her words in order to make miracles happen. This is a pep talk you don’t want to miss. 

 

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”  Ida B. Wells

 

To learn more about Ida B. Wells, check out all the resources in the show notes for this episode on the Read, Write and Create blog. 

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, writing prompts and useful resources for your literary life, visit ReadWriteandCreate.com.

 

Sign up for the Read, Write and Create newsletter if you want writing inspiration, resources, and paid writing opportunities to show up in your inbox twice a month. 

 

Thank you for listening, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. 

Should Writers Only ’Write What They Know?”: Mark Twain and Toni Morrison Have the Answers

On episode 5 of the Read, Write and Create podcast, get ready for an epic battle between two literary lions, Mark Twain and Toni Morrison. The battle is over whether writers should write what they know, or write what fascinates them. Mark Twain said, “write what you know.” Toni Morrison said, “please do NOT write what you know.” So who was right? And what useful writing advice can all storytellers take from these two literary legends on this topic? The answers may surprise you, so listen up and take notes. This is a pep-talk and lesson you don’t want to miss. 

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If you crave more words of advice from Saint Toni Morrison on writing, you can find a list of Toni Morrison's best quotes for writers on this post from the Read Write and Create blog.

 

To get a taste of what it takes to research a novel about a topic you “don’t know,” check out this inspiring interview I did with author Lauren Francis Sharma and hear her fascinating journey writing The Book of the Little Axe. 

 

You can buy a copy of Book of the Little Axe from the Read Write and Create Bookshop and support this podcast, Lauren Francis Sharma, and independent bookstores everywhere!

 

And if you want to read a book from an author who successfully 'wrote what she knew' in a novel that did so well it was turned into a popular film, then check out Terry McMillan’s, How Stella Got Her Groove Back. It’s a classic. 

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BIPOC writers, please follow me on Instagram so you can leave me a DM if you’d be interested in participating in a writing retreat with me in the south of Spain later this year. I’m in the planning process now and would love to hear what kind of writing you'd like to do with me in sunny Spain. Gracias!

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, writing prompts and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content on ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, you can also sign up for the Read, Write and Create bimonthly newsletter.

 

Don’t forget to rate and review this podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you!

For Writers: Perseverance is More Important than Talent + Octavia E. Butler

On today’s episode of the podcast, I’m sharing a pep talk about perseverance.  The truth is, perseverance is the most important habit, or superpower, a writer must have, even more than talent. You can be the most talented writer in the room, but if you can’t figure out how to keep writing in the face of hardship and adversity, then you’re not going to succeed in this game. 

 

To help explain the importance of perseverance in a literary life, I’m sharing the incredible true story of how Ms. Octavia Estelle Butler went from being a poor, young, Black girl with a dream, to a multiple-award-winning literary superstar.  More than just a celebrated science-fiction writer though, Octavia Butler’s career is a master class in perseverance and what it can get you.

 

Listen in to hear the extraordinary story behind Octavia Butler’s success as a Black woman writer in a white-male dominated field. Be inspired by her unwavering perseverance. And get actionable ideas to incorporate into your own writing practice to help you stay writing even when life gets in the way. 

 

Links from the Show.

 

Watch Ta-Nehiesi Coates’ short but inspiring video on the importance of perseverance in a writing career. 

 

If you’re looking for a beautiful book about Octavia Butler’s early years, consider  Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler by Ibi Zoboi. Technically it is a middle-grade book, but it is so gorgeous and brings Butler to life through poetry, prose and photographs. If not for yourself, consider getting it for a young person in your life.

 

Please follow me on Instagram so you can leave me a DM if participating in a writing retreat in the South of Spain with me, sounds like fun. There's no obligation if you send a DM, I'm just in the planning process and would like to hear what sounds good to prospective attendees. Let me know what you'd like in a creative writing retreat for BIPOC writers. Gracias!

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, writing prompts and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content on ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for the Read, Write and Create bimonthly newsletter  so you can be the first to know when I'll be hosting my workshops, classes and retreats. 

 

Don't forget to leave a rating or a review of the RWC podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you like to listen. Thank you!

How to Have a Long-Lasting Literary Career with Tracey Lewis-Giggetts

On episode #3 of the podcast, the incredible Tracey Lewis-Giggetts joins me to talk about her literary life and experiences as an African-American writer and author of over 20 books!  Tracey writes fiction, nonfiction, poetry and screenplays.  Her two most recent books are Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration and Then They Came For Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence. Tracey also works as a ghostwriter and has penned best-selling memoirs for several public figures and celebrities including, Tabitha Brown and Yusef Salaam, of the Exonerated Five.

On the show, I’m interviewing Tracey to ask her all about the lessons learned on her literary journey, including how she started, and how she managed to build and sustain a career that has spanned more than 20 years. Tracey has so much wisdom to share – 

• from how she keeps going in the face of rejection, 
• to how she managed to quit her job in academia to write full time
• to why it’s okay to write in more than one genre. 

 

Most importantly, Tracey talks about how and why she is so prolific, why she makes no apology for centering her stories around Black people and Black culture, and why it is so important to stay ready so you can be ready when opportunities arise.

 

Tracey drops some real gems, tips, tricks and actionable advice for writers at all stages of their journey. I hope you find her words inspiring for your own writing practice.

 

To learn more about Tracey, please visit her website.

 

To get a copy of her book, Black Joy, which was recently nominated for an NAACP Image Award, consider purchasing it from the Read Write and Create bookstore. 

 

Tracey mentioned the following useful resources for writers:

 

The Hurston Wright Foundation is an excellent resource for Black writers.

 

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is a book for writers about writing that Tracey recommends. 

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, writing prompts and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content on ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, you can also sign up for the Read, Write and Create bimonthly newsletter.

 

Don't forget to share this episode with other BIPOC writers who might need a creative pep-talk!

 

 

 

Why BIPOC Writers Must Get their Stories Into the World + Zora Neale Hurston

On episode number two of the Read, Write and Create Podcast,  I give BIPOC writers their marching orders for their literary lives I explain why the world needs writers of BIPOC heritage to pick up their pens and write their stories; why we have to write like our lives depend on it; and why we have to write for ourselves.  For inspiration and edification, I’m using the literary life and times of Zora Neale Hurston to help make my case. 

 

 

In the episode I will be sharing:

 

• The grim statistics about the lack of diversity in the books published by mainstream publishers.

 

• Why books are powerful weapons in the fight against white supremacy and oppression.

 

• Who needs more books by and about BIPOC people and why.

 

• Why should we look at the courage and conviction of Zora Neale Hurston when searching for a role model for our writing lives as BIPOC writers. 

 

• What lessons Zora Neale Hurston can teach us about centering Black lives in our work.

Links from the Show

 

If you haven’t listened to the first episode of the show, where I coach writers on how to find the  time to write and talk about the life and times of Phillis Wheatley, do yourself a favor and have a listen. 

 

If you’re interested in learning more about the incredible and inspiring life of Zora Neale Hurston, I highly recommend reading Valerie Boyd’s masterful biography of Zora, titled, Wrapped In Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston. 

 

Also, earlier this month, PBS released a new documentary about Zora Neale Hurston called Zora Neale Hurston Claiming A Space. Check PBS.com to find air times in your city.

The Read Write and Create Podcast is produced by Lori L. Tharps.

Our editor is Brad Linder 

And our theme music is by Wataboi.

 

Be sure to subscribe to the show on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or Audible podcasts, so you won’t miss a single episode. 

 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, writing prompts and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content on ReadWriteandCreate.com. While you’re there, you can also sign up for the Read, Write and Create bimonthly newsletter.

 

Don't forget to keep writing.

 

How to Find the Time to Write + Phillis Wheatley

This is the very first episode of the Read, Write, and Create podcast! 

Each episode of the show will include a pep-talk for BIPOC creative writers, inspired by the lives of our literary foremothers and forefathers of color. These pep talks will be short, sweet, and to the point, so you can get off the couch and back to your desk, writing the masterpiece you were meant to write. 

 

On this first episode of the Read, Write and Create podcast, host Lori L. Tharps tackles an issue that vexes almost every writer: “How do I find the time to write?” Tune in to hear how Lori uses the inspiring life and times of poet and author, Phillis Wheatley to answer that critical question. 

 

If you want to learn more about the life and writings of Phillis Wheatley, a woman whose story deserves a million more podcast episodes, please check out the following books by BIPOC authors:

 

The Age of Phillis by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

The Trials of Phillis Wheatley: America's First Black Poet and Her Encounters with the Founding Fathers by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 

Phillis Wheatley: Complete Writings by Phillis Wheatley

 

If you’re looking for more inspiration, resources and advice for your writing life, check out the Read, Write and Create blog at ReadWriteandCreate.com. Follow Lori L. Tharps on Instagram @LoriLTharps, and/or check out our selection of books on writing at the Read, Write and Create independent online bookstore.

 

The Read, Write, and Create podcast is a biweekly podcast for BIPOC writers. New episodes are released every other Monday. 

The show is hosted and produced  by author, journalist, and creative writing coach, Lori L. Tharps. 

The show is edited by Brad Linder. 

Our theme music is by Wataboi.

 

Introducing the Read, Write & Create Podcast

It's been a while since a new episode of the MAMP podcast dropped, and sadly there won't be anymore new episodes.

However, I am launching a brand new, bimonthly podcast called Read, Write & Create and on this short little episode, I'm going to tell you all about it. Think bite-sized creative pep talks for BIPOC writers.

The new podcast officially launches in January 2023 and I hope if it sounds like something you need in your life, you'll tune in and subscribe. Until then, Write On!

One Last Thing About the Future of the Show

This is the final episode of season six of the podcast and it’s going to be a short one. I have a few important announcements about the future of the show to share, some personal updates, and of course, some multicultural book news.

One of the big announcements I'll be sharing is that I am launching a new podcast called, Meltingpot Stories. Yes, the podcast that will be all about multicultural books.

Please follow me on IG @LoriLTharps and visit the My American Meltingpot website to know when the new show will officially launch. 

Thank you all for listening. I appreciate you!

Author Kaitlyn Greenidge Talks Freedom and "Libertie"

On episode 68 of the podcast, author Kaitlyn Greenidge joins me to talk about freedom and Libertie. Kaitlyn’s debut novel was the critically acclaimed, We Love You, Charlie Freeman. Her writing has also appeared in Vogue, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, Elle.com, Buzzfeed, and the Virginia Quarterly Review. She was a contributing editor for LENNY Letter, is currently a contributing writer for The New York Times and recently became the Features Director of Harper’s Bazaar magazine. 

I invited Kaitlyn to talk about her stunning new novel, Libertie, which was just released on March 30, 2021.  Libertie is a coming-of-age story that begins in the second half of the 19th century in New York. It is about a free-born Black woman named Libertie Sampson, who is the dark-skinned daughter of a light-skinned mother, who also happens to be a doctor. Libertie’s mother raises her daughter expecting her to follow in her footsteps into medicine as well. But after the Civil War is fought and the promises of Reconstruction beckon, Libertie imagines a different future for herself. So, when the opportunity to move to Haiti - where Black people are truly free - comes up, she takes it. 

During our illuminating conversation, where I promise there are no spoilers about the novel, Kaitlyn shares the real story Liberite was inspired by; why she wanted to write Black historical fiction that wasn’t about Black exceptionalism; what she thinks freedom is; and why her female characters are so powerful. We also talk about the writing life; Kaitlyn explains why she doesn’t believe in writer's block, and why she doesn’t think writers should hide from real life. 

This is a wonderfully inspiring episode with a brilliant and down-to-earth author. I hope you love it.

Literary Links from the Show

To learn more about Kaitlyn Greenidge, visit her website.

You can purchase Libertie on bookshop.org or Amazon.

During the episode, Kaitlyn mentioned the book, 100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write by Sarah Ruhl. You might want to check it out.

Both the Well Read Black Girl Book Club and Roxanne Gay have chosen Libertie as their May book read. Maybe you want to read along with them.

If you loved this episode of the podcast, you might also love my interview with author Lauren Francis Scharma, whose historical novel, Book of the Little Axe, is also about a Black woman in search of true freedom.

How to Support the Podcast

1. Subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts.
2. Share a link or our logo with your book-loving friends on social media.
3. If you want to support the podcast financially, please shop for books on the My American Meltingpot online book store. Or you can leave me a tip via Pay Pal on the My American Meltingpot website. Thank you!