My Writing Process

Participating today in the #ShareTheLove blog tour. I was invited by the sweetest Chicagoan journalist, Emily Miller who I simply refer to as Emmille (pronounced em-meal) because her twitter handle @emmillerrwrites always read to me as Emmille R. Writes. This generous soul spotted me a train pass and a coffee every morning of the Story Conference and I just love her to death!

I digress.

Emmille “tagged” me in the Spread the Love Blog Tour, where bloggers share their writing process and tag two others to share the love and new readers. Without further adieu, my writing process.

///// What are you working on?

I am slowly but surely working on a book proposal for my 1st full length book, a memoir tentatively titled Detroit’s Daughter. Occasionally, I’ll jot down ideas for a novel, or a satire about being biracial or a children’s book but I haven’t allowed myself to indulge the fantasy of starting anything new until I finish the memoir. I LOVE starting writing projects and HATE finishing them, which is why blogging holds such appeal for ragamuffins like moi.

Confession? I’ve started and abandoned at least 5 other blogs (a product review blog, a hair blog, a Happiness Project blog, a photography blog & a writing-nuts-and-bolts blog).

I write monthly as a part of the ADeeperStory.com team. I’d be ecstatic if I could figure out how to write magazine-ish like pieces for publications like The Atlantic or something bomb.com like that.

///// How does your work differ from others of your genre?

Honestly, I’m not exactly sure. Some of had said they truly appreciate my authenticity & ability to say hard truth in a straightforward, slang-laced, laid-back sort of way. I don’t work very hard to try to be different. As a matter of fact, one of my biggest problems is that I tend to play it safe and take cues from others and it’s taken some work over my adult life to cultivate and develop my own sense of identity, including my writerly life. So. If I stand out among the crowd in any way, it’s hard-won and I believe that’s why folks know I’m actually authentic. I just don’t have much to hide. I’m a human. I’m a sinner. I suck. I am loved by God. The end. That’s my genre. My story.

///// Why do you write/create what you do?

I write and share because I can’t not write and share.

I grew up keeping copious journals and salivating over magazine articles and books that captivated my creativity. If I have an idea or a story in my head I literally can’t not write it down or my brain will continue to pester me until I do. I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night more nights than I can’t count to transcribe pages and pages of a blog post, a story, a chapter, a Facebook update, even emails. So. Part of writing for me is an instinctual, bodily need.

Besides all of those middle-of-the-night shenanigans, I write to bring hope and to effect change. As an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse I try hard to offer acceptance and hope through my story. As an advocate, activist & Jesus-follower who loves the poor, I pray my work will lead to change and hope for the poor. As a biracial chick with a fire up under my @$$ for Africans-Americans I write to help people understand how to love and engage one another.

When my work isn’t helping anyone at all, offering hope or affecting change, sit me down and shut me up.

///// How does your writing/creative process work?

When an idea, chapter, blog post or story hits me and I’m unable to write or type it I record myself in my iPhone’s Voice Memo app. I very rarely hand-write anything other than personal journal entries just before dozing off each night. Other than that, I pick a time to write, pop open the lap top and get to it. Sometimes this happens at a coffee shop, but most times the magic happens right on my comfy couch.

I’m a much better writer when I’m reading lots of books and blogs and engaging well with my kids, friends and the world around me. Once I realized that being a better human being made me a better writer I’ve been more alive to allowing my creative process to unfold through living as opposed to trying to live around my writing…which made me sad. And nuts.

Introductions are in order to 3 WOC bloggers…

1. Chante Griffin who writes at Beneath the Surface is an old, old friend of mine and former InterVarsity colleague who lives in works in L.A. as an actress/model/playwright/writer extraordinaire! She writes about how pop culture and current events intersect with the spiritual side of life. This girl is a brave, beautiful spitfire, check her out!

2. Tasia Fields is an IRL (in real life) friend who is launching a shiny new site for teachers called Great Minds Teach Alike.

3. Alicia Crosby who writes over at Chasing The Promise. Alicia describes her blog as a “life-faith blog with social commentary sprinkles.”