How High the Price of Success?

Literary writers in search of publication often find themselves stuck between paying the bills and honestly representing their artistic vision and their skill as writers. This proves especially true for writers of color. Preconceived notions, regarding what various ethnic and racial groups should be, cloud the issue as editors determine which books could or would sell successfully.

I'm not a fan of street lit;I think that most of it is trash. Then again, critics said the same of Shakespear and Alexandre Dumas in their day. I don't believe in literacy at any cost, and I'm pretty flexible; I'm more concerned with content than genre or format, sci-fi, graphic novel, fantasy, novella, romance....all acceptable as long as a solid plot and well developed characters are present, and the rules of English grammar are mostly observed (gotta leave room for creative license).

I believe that there is room for vernacular narratives and campy writing, but street lit makes me cringe. It lacks context. Where one may pickup a Zebra paperback and acknowledge that they are about to indulge in some over the top escapist reading--street lit too often receives a stamp of authenticity, that proves problematic when the genre reinforces negative stereotypes of African Americans and women. If we are what we eat--meaning consume--what are the consumers of street lit doing for their mental health?



Colorlines.com
May/June 2008


The Rise of Street Literature

By Almah LaVon Rice


Gia-Bao Tran

IN PERCIVAL EVERETT’S NOVEL Erasure, Thelonious Ellison is a college professor who writes novels that are more praised than read. His work’s engagement with French post-structuralists and ancient Greek literature impresses and baffles reviewers, who wonder what those subjects have to do with the African-American experience. Frustrated by his latest novel’s seventh rejection and angered by the success of the street-lit hit We’s Lives in Da Ghetto, Ellison dashes off a novella parodying the “true, gritty real stories of [B]lack life” that he has been advised to write. This satiric tale, which is included in Erasure in its entirety, is peopled with stock characters like the perennially scowling thug and the vapid baby mama. It is sent to Random House as a protest, but to Ellison’s amazement and chagrin he is offered a $600,000 advance for his “magnificently raw and honest” account. Compromised, disgusted and rich, Ellison creates a reclusive, ex-con writer persona that the literary world celebrates as a “real! live! scary! Black male!” writer in their midst. Read more>>>>

Poetry, Poesie, Verse & Line....

If Only It Could Be National Poetry Month All of the Time!




If you're looking for a one stop internet resource to help you celebrate National Poetry Month, the Academy of American Poets have you covered. Poems, biographies of well loved verse technicians, poetry writing instruction, essays on the craft and other articles are just some of the poetic offerings available at Poets.org.

More NPM fun:

Farrar, Straus and Giroux's National Poetry Month blog:

• Of course, we had to bring you a new ringtone, recorded just for you by one of FSG's most illustrious poets;
• More audio of some of greatest poets, including a long-time FSGer who somehow managed to escape recording for us last year, even though he had a new book out;
• A whole week devoted exclusively to poetry in translation;
• All-new downloadable posters (guaranteed to brighten up even the saddest cubicle), guest bloggers, and giveaways.

April Poem-A-Day Challenge with Robert Lee Brewer

• Prompts
• Poems
• Fun

(You can view my daily poetry posts in honor of National Poetry Month at Chocolate and Other Poems. Wish me luck and fortitude, better yet, post a poem of your own in the comments section.)

Help Save RIF!: Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) Funding Cut From Government Budget

My mother read to me from an early age. She grew up in a household of teachers; she understood the importance of introducing literacy early and reinforcing it often. She deserves most, but not all of the credit for my love of a good book. The Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program sealed the deal.

When I was in kindergarten RIF visited my school and scattered books on, under and around a large table positioned center stage in our auditorium. I selected my book then as I do now, with great patience and consideration. I was one of the last to leave. A RIF sticker saying, "This book belongs to Desiré," was centered in the front cover of the book completing the exchange. It was the first time that I chose the story; that day, my reading life became my own, and I became a writer in the making.

Stories like mine are being jeopardized by recent budget cuts. Given the successful 42 year history of the program and the consistent lament regarding the state of literacy in the U. S., a state of decline, how can this budget cut have been supported? If you believe in RIF's Mission, write your Congress person and let them know that you want funding returned to this successful and necessary program.

Celebrate Women's History Month 2008: Women's Art: Women's Vision

Creative Energy Moving and Shaping History

From quilt's to photograpy, women's art provides beauty and function to the environments, in which we live. This year's Women's History Month theme acknowledges the creative and aesthetic contributions of women to our world. Visit the National Women's History Project website to learn why they chose this year's theme and whom, they've chosen to honor.

Take a Literary Approach to Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day recognizes the special bond between lovers. The holiday's roots can be traced to a pagan celebration, the Roman fertility rites of Lupercalia, and to possibly two Christian martyrs named St. Valentine, a perfect irony given the two opposing potentials of human love; it can be exceptionally self-centered and exceptionally self-sacrificing.

Traditions observed on this day vary between cultures, but they share a common thread. Tokens of affection, flowers, candies, and love notes, are exchanged between lovers.

If you're still stumped about what to give your valentine on Thursday, here are a few suggestions:

• Buy or rent a copy of the film, Love Jones. He's trying to finish his great novel; she's a photographer in the wrong gig. Poetry brings them together; their bad timing and immaturity keep them apart, but they've got a jones, so they keep coming back for more... Watch it over dinner or if things really go well brunch.



• Write them a love letter (If you need help, learn how here: Part I & Part II). This will win earn you more romantic capital than a store bought card, even if the card quotes Shakespear. It's the one gift that is a triple threat; a letter is an investment of time, energy and emotion . Throw in any favorite, chocolate, flowers, a book, or picture (framed of course), and your love will crown you king.



• For the truly starving artists, here's a no cost valentine: Grab a collection of love poems (go to the library), mark your favorites, then take turns reading them to one another, over dinner, over brunch, in the tub...make a long weekend of it.

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Make Your Black History Month A Memorable Writing Opportunity

Our nation's bad habit, over departmentalizing and compartmentalizing information and history, can work to a writer's advantage. For the next, 27 days, thank God for leap years, we celebrate the survival, contributions and triumphs of Black people in American History, and to think, it all began with one week. Below, you'll find some resources to help you learn more about African-American History and the contemporary African American experience. As you peruse the links, consider the wealth of stories and subject matter available for a writer to use in their work. You may have a contribution to make to the legacy.

Happy Writing.








The Root is a daily online magazine that provides thought-provoking commentary on today's news from a variety of black perspectives. The site also hosts an interactive genealogical section to trace one's ancestry through AfricanDNA.com, a DNA testing site co-founded by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who is also The Root's Editor-In-Chief. The Root aims to be an unprecedented departure from traditional American journalism, raising the profile of black voices in mainstream media and engaging anyone interested in black culture around the world.




2008 Black History Month Theme from ASALH the Founding Institution of Black History Month: Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism

From its inception, America has been a landscape peopled by diverse ethnic and racial groups, and today virtually all peoples are represented. If America has always been racially and ethnically diverse, the nation's self-image has not always recognized its multicultural history. Until the last decades of the twentieth century, America has seen itself largely as the flowering of Anglo-Saxon culture and prided itself on allowing immigrants to adopt the American way.

During the early years of the twentieth century, a small number of intellectuals began to question whether America was simply a transplant of English civilization. W. E. B. Du Bois, Theodore Herzel, and Randolph Bourne believed that modern America should embrace the cultural differences that newcomers brought with them to America. Democracy, they believed, required tolerance of difference and could sustain those differences in harmony.

Among those intellectuals of the Progressive era, Carter G. Woodson did most to forge an intellectual movement to educate Americans about cultural diversity and democracy.(Read the full text here)

Amistad Digital Resource

Starting February 1, teachers across the country will have free accessto http://www.amistadresource.org/ <http://www.amistadresource.org/> , wherethey can download maps of civil-rights riots and demonstrations, FBIdocuments, rare photos and film clips, personal correspondence, oralhistory interviews, and songs that chronicle the Civil Rights and BlackPower movements. Several states, including the New York StateDepartment of Education, have enacted legislation requiring the integration of African-American history in K-12 social studies curricula.

Columbia's Amistad Digital Resource, accessible to users at no cost,will provide a much-needed solution that helps teachers fulfill thisnew curricular requirement and be a resource for secondary school teachers to enhance their knowledge and ability to teach African-American history to students.

PictureHistory.com
License digital images illustrating more than two hundred years of American history

Click on this link to PictureHisory.com to view pictures highlighting African-American history.

Do you know of any other resources? Feel free to add them in the comments section.

Turn Your New Year's Resolutions into Writing Goals

Happy New Year!

Tomorrow brings the first day of the New Year, and for many the downward spriral of failing resolutions. As the year marches forward, the good intentions of January 1st become daily afterthoughts, or postponed tasks. How do you keep this from happening to the list of resolutions you selected after a solid investment of time and reflection?

You don't....unless those resolutions go through a conversion and become goals. Goals are accomplished in measurable increments and have deadlines or due dates. Take a look at your list. Then, for each of your resolutions, write the steps required to accomplish them. Next, go through your calendar and select a due date for each step, followed by a deadline for completion of the actual goal. It's a little more work upfront, but the odds of success go up exponentially.

Here are a few suggested goals for the writing life in 2008:

1. Improve your current organizational systems, or if you don't have any, get some.
2. Get a planner and use it. I'm trying out the Franklin Covey 365 system from Target.
3. Learn how to sell yourself. In this competitive publishing world, auhtors have to be their own best publicist--just the way it is.
4. Get more and better sleep.
5. Get fit. Writing is not only about genius;it's about longevity--outlive the competition. You'll up your chances of large scale, long term publishing success.


Suggestions anyone?