Writing Tips From Famous Black Authors

I refer to Dr. Maya Angelou as, Maya. Not because I have personally had a sit-down conversation with her, but because she has so often told me stories, let words of inspiration flow and admonished me for silly behavior through her writings that I feel it would be an insult to refer to her in such a formal manner.

Read any of one of her books and you'll know by page five that she was born in St. Louis Missouri and raised in Stamps, Arkansas. By page 10 you'll know that she has a brother, Bailey, whom she loves about as much as the sun loves the sky. You'll also know that she has a son, Guy, who renamed himself and stole her heart before he was old enough to know what a heart is. What you'll have to sit back, read through and take your time to find is the knowledge that Maya had her hand "in many pots" before she became known as the writer that you and I know her as today. As a matter of fact, her major publication opportunities were made available to her after she had raised a son from a boy to a young man, traveled the world, and was on her way to being a woman in her 40's. But here's the sweet part--Maya was asked to write about what she knew.

The way that you describe how you lost weight, trained your dog, learned how to drive or whatever, is what ultimately decides if your work is worth reading. Quit writing about hip replacement surgeries that you've never had, how to earn a million dollars (if you haven't) and focus on what you know. Like Maya, you'll be surprised at the type of audience you'll draw just by writing from your personal experiences.

Learn Your Writing Niche And Perfect It

Alex Haley was by all accounts a black man who didn't mind work, enjoyed adventure and found interest in the lives of others. Haley was also a man who knew that he had to write. He dabbled in works that ranged from short stories to love letters. If there was a current event that caught his attention, Haley would even write a commentary about it. Writing was something that seemed to be ingrained in him and had a way of following him where ever he went.

Then something special happened, Haley was asked to interview Miles Davis for Playboy Magazine. As Miles sat across from Haley and told his story, something in Haley was sparked. Without even being consciously aware his niche was brought forth and every reader that picked up that issue knew it. This first assignment was written with such a clear, accurate and vivid retelling that Playboy commissioned him to do several other black interviews. As if the writing heavens had opened up, job after job opportunity came falling Haley's way. By the end of his lifetime he had not only wrote hundreds of historical articles and interviews, he had successfully told the story of Malcolm X, Kunta Kinte and Queen.

Every writer has a special seed. It may be the seed of Journalism, Poetry, Mystery Fiction or Romance--but it's a specific seed that you have to find and cultivate. Once you discover your specific writing genre take it and run with it. Make it your determination to ensure that the world knows that you are not just a writer, you're THE writer of that genre.

Zora Neale Hurston is by far one one of the most memorable story-tellers of all time. Her depictions of people, places and circumstances are written flawlessly. Hurston's writing voice dared you to either like or dislike her stories, but by all means admit that you did finish it.

There's a picture of Zora wearing a fashionable hat, pretty necklace and a million dollar look on her face. I guess that's why I would have never guessed that her house was completely furnished by the hand-outs of her friends. In her 30 year writing career Hurston had wrote dozens of articles and plays, an impressive number of short stories and essays, an autobiography, four novels and two folklore books. Yet, Hurston was rarely paid if at all for her writings. By the time Hurston had passed her days of note-worthy beauty, vibrant personality and the strength to take another breath, she left only her works and little to no money. Hurston had earned such a meager pay as an author that her neighbors had to come together and pay for her funeral. From 1960 to 1973 her grave was unmarked because she nor anyone who knew her had the money to pay for a headstone. It was Alice Walker who found a spot in the cemetery she was buried in, assumed it to be Hurston's placement and paid to have a headstone placed.

I'm telling you this because I want you to know that great writings don't always bring in great recognition or even great amounts of money. The tragedy, gamble and spectacle of a writing career is that millions will take the path but only so many will shine upon it. The question to ask yourself is, "Do I know how to write for free?" Do you know how to flesh out your best works for hours on days and days upon weeks without a guaranteed pay, commission or earning? Because if you don't, writing should not compel you to give up your day job.

Today, Zora Hurston is world renowned. Her books are found in every library and major bookstore across the country. If she were alive she'd probably be rich and if not rich definitely well off. But had she refused to write another sentence or create another story until she got paid we would be robbed of some of the best literary works known.