Writing in Color: Fourteen Writers on the Lessons We've Learned
by Julie C Dao (Author)
So, you’re thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you’ve written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you’re a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there’s a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right place: this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.
Perhaps you’re just getting started. Here you’ll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first draft: what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.
Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.
Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.
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Gr 6 Up--A selection of contemporary authors of color--including Chloe Gong, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and more--relays their experiences in the writing world, infusing personal stories with advice on craft and breaking into the publishing world. Featuring 16 essays, the collection is broken into two sections, the first focusing on craft and the latter on industry specifics. The authors echo a history as avid readers and the need to draw from the greater world around them. Additionally, the themes of authenticity and agency, the ability to tell one's own story on one's own terms, weave throughout the narratives. While the advice and recommendations can be vague at times, there are a plethora of questions for young writers to ask themselves and get them started in writing. The second half of the book focuses on the somewhat dismal publishing world, frequently unkind and negligent to writers, particularly writers of color. The essays do not sugarcoat the grueling process, but offer hope and inspiration for aspiring writers with the message that marginalized voices desperately need to be heard. Scattered throughout the shop-talk are intriguing and warming stories from the authors' own lives, almost like mini-memoirs. VERDICT Never patronizing or minimizing, the authors' guidance offers young writers a solid road map for entering the publishing world. This how-to collection by writers of color is a necessity in the genre, and may likely appeal to non-writers who are fans of the authors for insight into their craft.--Kaitlin Malixi
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JNF029010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Language Arts | Composition & Creative Writing
JNF015000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Crafts & Hobbies | General
Minority authors
