A Ruined Masterpiece?

Ralph Ellison's Three Days Before the Shooting... was released earlier this year by Random House. This book is an extended version of Juneteenth which was published posthumously in 1999. According to the February 2010 Ebony article entitled, "Visible Again," written by Monique Fields, literary executors John Callahan and Adam Bradley assembled the book together by piecing together "handwritten notes, typewritten pages, and computer files." It took Callahan and Bradley roughly 14 years to arrange the novel. Having said all of that, I wonder if it's ethical to "try" to figure out what an author intended for his manuscript. Truthfully, I think Ellison would be disappointed that his work that was not completed became published. It took Ellison roughly 7 years to complete Invisible Man; he was a very meticulous writer who wanted to fine-tuned every sentence. But in defense of Callahan and Bradley, Ellison's widow, Fanny, asked them to assemble the manuscript into an actual book. What do you think about this situation?

To Whom much is Given, Much is Expected

What duty does a fiction writer have? For some writers, writing is an act of self-indulgence, and for others it is an act of defiance. For myself, I see writing as a tool for change. Writing has the ability to transform minds' and the culture of our society. Look at Upton Sinclair's The Jungle (1906) and Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852). Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man (1952) fostered meaningful dialogue about race in the United States. Words have the power to heal, reform, and rebuild communities. So to answer my own question, writers have a huge responsibility.

Thank you for the Love, Ms. Clifton

I was shocked to discover that Lucille Clifton, former Maryland Poet Laureate, passed away on February 13, 2010. I learned about Clifton's passing yesterday in an email. I guess the big news around the time of Clifton's death was the historic snowstorm in Baltimore, MD. I am bummed that I will never have a chance to meet Ms. Clifton, but her work is here to stay.

I'll admit I was introduced to Clifton's work rather late. It was in 2007. My father handed me a news article from The Baltimore Sun, which profiled Clifton, because she won the 2007 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize; she became the first African-American woman to win the award. It was inspiring to see an African-American woman be praised for her literary contributions, and that's why I say, "Thank you, Ms. Clifton."

Tale from the Streets of Harlem

My favorite book of all time is Ann Petry's The Street. It was published in 1946, and Petry became the first African-American author to sell over a million books. If you want to feel like you're a witness to the characters' lives, then I suggest that you pick up this book ASAP. The beginning of the novel grabs you:

There was a cold November wind blowing through 116th Street. It rattled the tops of garbage cans, sucked window shades out through the top of opened windows and set them flapping back against the windows; and it drove most of the people off the street in the block between Seventh and Eighth Avenues except for a few hurried pedestrians who bent double in an effort to offer the least possible exposed surface to its violent assault.

The Art of Fiction Writing

To be a writer is a commitment. Sometimes, when you are alone and writing, you ask yourself whether the work is worth it. Writing is an interesting profession, especially fiction writing. Often you have to have produced a final product, in order to get a verdict. It is possible to have worked on a novel for five years, and not have it be picked up by a literary agent, let alone sold to a publishing house. Although being a writer is hard, it can also be rewarding. So, I'll keep writing and, maybe one day I'll see my book in a bookstore.

Roots: 33 Years Later

Yesterday I watched two documentaries about Roots, the television mini-series that aired in January 1977. The documentaries are Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated an Entire Nation (2007) and Roots: One Year Later (1978). In Crossing Over, I found it surprising when the white producer, David Wolper, said that Alex Haley, the Black author of Roots (1976), did not want any Black writers to contribute to the television adaptation, because Haley felt that Black writers would begin to tell their stories instead of his. I found Haley's statement to be a bit shocking. Was that a form of reverse discrimination? Or was Haley justified? If Black writers had contributed to the television adaptation, would Roots have been different? Would it lose its universal appeal? Let's discuss.

I Wish Upon a Writing Star

Every writer has his favorite dream publication that he would die to get published in. Truthfully, I'd be grateful to have my work featured in any notable literary magazine, but I'd be lying if I said I don't have a wish list. Here are mine: The New Yorker and Ploughshares. Give a shout out to your dream publications. You know, dreams do come true.

Welcome to Heartbreak Motel

For all of you emerging writers, you need to be prepared to have your heart broken at least a hundred times. You will receive short impersonal rejections letters that refer to you as "Dear Writer." The letters usually begin with, "Thank you for submitting your work to our publication, but..."

It can be demoralizing to hear multiple nos in a row, but that is life as a writer. You can't let rejections put a damper on your writing.

When your work is rejected, I suggest that you do the following:

1. Objectively look at your work. Is it really your best? Could it be improved?
2. Next, look at the style of the publication. Does the publication usually publish literary fiction, experimental, character-driven narratives? Try submitting your work to publications that value and appreciate literary aesthetics that are similar to your work.
3. And the most important rule, keep writing!

Where's the Love? Part II

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. It's the day where lovers profess their undying love to one another or it's the day that you feel like crap, because you don't have anyone to call honey.

Anyway, what is your favorite story or novel about love? I know that Oprah is in love with Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), a novel written by Zora Neale Hurston, a Southern black writer and anthropologist. I remember when I first read that book in high school, I was lost in the sauce. For me, the dialect was hard to understand.

For those of you who have read the book, do you think the love between Janie and Teacake was real? Or was Teacake just the likeable bad boy who would have eventually broken Janie's heart? Tell me what you think.

How to Market Yourself as a Writer

If you want to know how to market yourself as I writer, I recommend that you check out Kalisha Buckhanon's website, www.kalisha.com. Buckhanon has written two successful books, Upstate (2006) and Conception (2008). She received her MFA at the New School and was taught by Sapphire, the author of Push. I love the sleek and contemporary look of her website--the sans-serif font and the black, red, and white color scheme are great aesthetic choices. Buckhanon uses her website as platform to promote herself as a writer, speaker, and educator. The website has links to Buckhanon's videos on You Tube, which include Buckhanon reading an excerpt from her book, Conception, and giving sound and useful advice to writers.

Another website that is worth checking out is Marita Golden's website, www.maritagolden.com. Golden is best known for her fiction, non-fiction, and anthologies. She wrote the memoir, Migrations of the Heart: An Autobiography (1983). She is also the founder of The Hurston/Wright Foundation. I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of the greenish-blue background, but other than that, the website is a great model as to what a writer's website should accomplish: inform the audience about upcoming events, information about your work, and the services you provide other than writing.

Okay, now I'm going to talk about a website that isn't that effective. Can you guess? Junot Diaz's website, www.junotdiaz.com. Gasp. I know there will be some people out there who are mad that I wrote that, but it's the truth. For those of you who aren't familiar, Diaz won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Literature for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007). And I'm by no means, a hater. I stood in a long line to get my book signed by Diaz, and I can honestly say he seems humble and down-to-earth. Having said that, I think Diaz' website doesn't reflect how dynamic a writer he is. Diaz's work is fun, experimental, and daring, yet his website doesn't reflect that. Even though I found Diaz's site to be a bit dull, I will say that if you want to know where to meet Diaz, there is a list of upcoming events. Other than that, I didn't learn anything new about him on his website, but hey, no one's website is perfect, right?

Where's the Love?

What happened to short stories that explore the wide range of that crazy thing called love? Love is such a complicated emotion-- sometimes you feel angry, happy, invincible, vulnerable, and everything in-between. Yesterday at Barnes and Noble, I stumbled across a book called The History of Love (2005) written by Nicole Krauss. The arrangement of the narrative is experimental. Apparently, the book is a best-seller; it has been translated in 13 languages and shortlisted for the 2006 Orange Prize. This thought just occurred to me. If you could give a title to your current or last relationship what would it be?