I’m writing a book.
Actually, I’m writing two books: one fiction, one non-fiction.
The fiction one I actually got the idea for when I was 16. I started writing it when I was 20. I was a senior in college, listening to Kirk Franklin in my dorm room, writing longhand even though I had access to a computer. I think I was around 29 or 30 when I last added anything to it. Then that computer crashed, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to get the data off of it. I did the research to show me how, and maybe 7 or 8 years ago I tried with no success. But I don’t think I followed the directions correctly, so I’m going to try again. I’m really interested in reading what I wrote. I still know the story. I could still probably write it, but I don’t know. I hope that I can get it out of me one of these days…one day sooner than later.
The nonfiction book I started writing about four years ago. Funny I don’t recall where I was when I started writing it like I could with my fiction draft. Maybe that’s because from the beginning I typed this one. I guess you can call it a memoir. It’s definitely the type of book I like to read – true stories told in literary language. I still have access to this draft, but I haven’t touched it in about two years.
Then today I was reading this article in the New York Times about Black women in publishing, and it just got me thinking that the publishing world needs this Black woman’s voice in the mix. I think Black writers’ voices are so diverse, but it seems to me that the books that get published are not.
Don’t be too quick to listen to what I have to say about books, however. I’m more of a TV watcher than an avid reader, I like non-fiction better than I like fiction, and I can’t remember most of the books I’ve read because the majority of them came from the library, and they are so few and far between.
I think one of the biggest differences in the books I’m writing is that they don’t focus so much on race, all though they definitely don’t ignore it. A lot of the stuff I’ve read by Black people is either all about race or not at all. I tend to focus more on the human experience and weave in how race plays a role.
Anyway, I think I want to get back to writing books…and I’ll do that.
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