Blog Article

“Now that Yellow Wife is out in the world, what’s next?” I get asked this question several times a week. Of course, I have another story in the queue. I am a writer. I have plenty of stories. It’s just, how am I meant to write a new novel, in the midst of a covid-friendly-zoom-from-home book tour, that has taken me from Canada to Bermuda, San Diego to Dayton, and many book clubs, Facebook and Instagram lives in between? Virtual events have kept me busier than a moth in an attic, and even as a seasoned multi-tasker, I’ve struggled to keep all the balls in the air.

The business of being an author, in all of its bountiful blessings, has taken me away from putting pen to paper. It’s not just the hour that I spend talking about the book on camera, it’s the setting up lights, brushing on make-up, rotating my wardrobe, and the mental energy that it takes to be “on.” In the past four months, I have toed the line of nursing the book baby born in January, while trying to nourish the novel budding inside of my soul. Not to mention my three flesh and blood children, still home for virtual learning who want their equal piece of me, as well as dinner.

I could get up earlier. But I’m tired. I could stay up later. But I’m tired. One day my husband suggested, “maybe you have outgrown your home office,” a small sitting room off of our bedroom. “You might have to go somewhere and write.”

An idealistic thought, but who will take care of our family? I shoved his comment to the back of my mind. A few days later, a fellow writer mentioned that she was at a writing retreat in the Hudson Valley for two weeks, and the thought of leaving home resurfaced.

But I was scared. Scared to give myself permission to leave my family, even though deep down I knew it was the only way. So, after a trip to the grocery store, and leaving an extensive list of meal plans for the week, I hit highway 64 with my laptop, a folding table, and a stack of books. I drove to Norfolk where my sister lives alone and works long hours. She offered me an extra room with a view, a fridge full of food, and peace and quiet.

On the first day, I woke up early and established my rules of engagement. I forbid myself to check email or social media (my biggest distraction) or turn on my cell phone before 6 pm. In an effort to hold myself accountable, I logged my writing hours. Every time I sat down to write I wrote down the time. If I stepped away from the computer, I put down my end time. I even scheduled my lunches, leg stretches, and bathroom breaks, so that there was no room for procrastination.

I admit the first few hours started out wobbly. It was like riding a bike with uneven training wheels, but eventually, my muse settled down, and the door to the novel’s portal swung open. After two days, I got more writing done than I would have in a full week at home. The story started to emerge like a photograph in a dark room. Slowly I could see the features, landscape, and colors, then eventually the heart of the story. I returned home after five days feeling exhausted, but accomplished, confident, and renewed. Writing outside of my home, alone with my muse is what I needed. Now that I know it works, I’ll be doing it again. Soon.

About the Author

Sadeqa Johnson is the award-winning author of four novels. Her accolades include being the recipient of the National Book Club Award, the Phillis Wheatley Award, and the USA Best Book Award for best fiction. She is a Kimbilo Fellow and a Tall Poppy Writer. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and three children.

She is often treated in literature as a product of sin, a whore because of her sex and the actions of others, or a helpless naïve damsel to be saved or dismissed. Her voice is shuttered and her body is abused and mutilated at the hands of the social, economic, and political schisms of her time. But the story of the mulatto woman is much grander than this. She deserves to have her story told with dignity and courage for three reasons.

First, the mulatto woman has historically been represented in 19^th and 20^thCentury literature (and film) as a helpless creature destined for ostracism or to be some man’s whore, property to be disposed of based on the whims of her “creator.” Secondly, secondary and undergrad students are not taught that women did own successful businesses before, during, and after the Civil War: that not all of them were willing to give up their property and what was rightfully theirs because the law of the land said they were women and did not have a voice. And if they should encounter a piece of literature that attempted to show her reaching for power and access, she is annihilated (think, Roxana, by Daniel Defoe, or Nella Larsen’s Passing). Marriage was not to a woman’s advantage in many respects during the 19th Century and well into the 20th. Finally, there is little written on how the Civil War forced people, but mainly women of all colors and classes, to put security and safety over morality and human rights. The “peculiar institution” of slavery and its aftermath forced people to hide and forgo true love (romantic and self) for racial superiority/inferiority. It’s the greatest human tragedy!

In my novel, The Secret Life of Lucy Bosman, I presented another image of the mulatto woman–of women in general–as patriots, entrepreneurs, and realists. It is the story of love, race, entrepreneurship, gender, and war. It is the American woman’s story–black, white, yellow, or brown! I was inspired to write this novel by a story I read in an 1862 archival issue of the local newspaper here in Richmond, Virginia–The Times-Dispatch–while I was doing research for my other historical fiction novel, Murder on Second Street: The Jackson Ward Murders. In the report, a mulatto woman was arrested and accused of not just prostitution but for “corrupting the morals of white men” during the Civil War. The other woman, a white woman, was not arrested for either charge. I found the story fascinating because prostitution was rampant during the war. Prostitutes would follow Union and Confederate troops to different cities to offer their services. “According to the 1860 U.S. Census, Nashville was home to 198 white prostitutes and nine referred to as “mulatto”.… By 1862, though, the number of “public women” in Nashville had increased to nearly 1,500, and they were always busy.” So, to add the charge of moral corruption was hypocrisy at its finest.

And this is the story of the mulatto (and women of color). They are labeled as moral corruptors, Jezebels, in the eyes of the community, the government, and readers. How can we re/write her story? By seeing her as human, not just as a victim. She is/was flesh and blood with dreams and desires that course(d) through her veins. We must dive deeper into the false gender and racial stereotypes and institutionalized belief systems that tell us there is only one reality, one representation of a human being: white and male. The story of woman is complex and varied. She makes for a formidable character in literature because she shows us creative survival and justice… if allowed to.

Think of your grandmothers and mothers and how they managed to provide and take care of your family and the community around them. Imagine the secrets they held onto in order that you might be here. The self-sacrifice. The silent heartache. The spirited joy.

I am currently working on another historical fiction novel about a Haitian and French female pirate name Jaquotte Delahaye who escaped from slavery at the hands of the French in 1791. “Captain Jack” is determined to create her own identity and freedom for herself and other slaves she encounters on her adventures across the seven seas. And guess what? She really did exist! But history denied her existence, her story. Why? Because “History” is male-centered, and thus, so is literature. We must change this. Our current social, economic, and political environment demands this re/writing for women of color, and women in general.

About the Author

Rebekah L. Pierce is an award-winning author, teacher, and veteran. She is also a former board member of James River Writers.

Writing has always felt like a particularly solitary art to me. It demands a great deal of time spent alone, or in your own head, with little assurance that the outcome will be seen by anyone. When I knit a hat, I can put a picture on Instagram and at least some people will see it. But writing can be harder to share with the world, even unprofessionally. There’s more competition. It demands more of a time commitment from the reader. I have writer friends whose work I’ve never read, and ones who have never read my work. And yet, there can be some comfort in that, because it removes the pressure of feeling like I need to prove myself.

This pressure is something that I have had to unlearn. After I first learned about James River Writers, it took at least a few more years before I actually attended an event. Frankly, part of me was worried about not fitting in. Maybe I wasn’t a good enough writer. Maybe I was too much of an amateur. Maybe I didn’t have strong enough professional ambitions. But when I did take the plunge, I found a supportive community where I felt able to contribute regardless of how successful I was.

Before joining JRW, I’d already been navigating writing communities for several years. In the mid-2000s, I started hanging out on online writing forums (a format I often miss in today’s social media-dominated world). I met a lot of wonderful people, and joined a couple online critique groups that gave me valuable experience with giving and receiving feedback. But I also learned that my unhurried, seat-of-my-pants writing style made regular critique group participation difficult depending on the structure of the group.

But there are many different types of writing communities. They can be structured or unstructured. Critique-focused or social. Between 2015 and 2020, I spent most of my Thursday evenings at the Urban Farmhouse restaurant in Midlothian, attending JRW’s weekly Writer’s Farmhouse meetup (which unfortunately had to stop meeting due to the pandemic). It was through this entry point that I started volunteering with JRW and attending other events. I found something specific that I needed: a low-pressure social outlet where I could spend time with other writers and learn from them. Though I’ve worked with critique partners and groups since then, in 2015 this was the farthest thing from my mind. I had graduated with my English degree a couple of years prior, which temporarily sapped my energy for leisurely reading and writing. Furthermore, I’d just started a new job after a lengthy and sometimes demoralizing search. The community I found inspired me and helped me rediscover the joy in writing that I had been missing for a while.

A few years ago, several of us who regularly attended Writer’s Farmhouse decided to put together an informal anthology as an excuse to write short stories and poetry and workshop them together. I have always gravitated toward novels, and this was the first time in years that I’d completed a self-contained short story. Rather than feeling nervous or under pressure, I was excited to take on the challenge and share my efforts.

About the Author

Dae Newman, who also writes as A.D. Newman, is a JRW Board Member and has lived in Virginia since 1996. They write speculative fiction, horror, and essays, and dabble in screenwriting and poetry. They hold a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in education. When not writing, they enjoy knitting, learning the guitar, playing video games, and watching movies. They are a devoted cat dad. They can be found on Twitter at @not_theoretical

After nearly a decade as a freelance writer and journalist, I’ve picked up plenty of dos and don’ts along the way. Here are 10 tips that I’ve found to be helpful at every stage of the journey.

1. Ask Yourself the Big Questions
   How much time do you want to devote to freelance writing? What kind of material do you want to write? How much money do you need to make? Determining the answers to these questions—and re-evaluating them periodically—is key.
2. Do Your Homework
   Maybe you want to write for parenting magazines. Perhaps a byline in National Geographic is your aim. No matter what your goal, research potential clients (publications/outlets) to make sure you have enough expertise to contribute and that you’re on board with their content and mission.
3. Be Proactive 
   For publications that pique your interest, see if you can find “Write for Us” or “Pitch Us” links on their websites. If you can’t, there’s no harm in reaching out to an editor expressing your interest and qualifications to contribute as a freelancer. I’ve “cold emailed” several editors and was surprised to receive assignments within the week.
4. Nurture the Writer-Editor Relationship
   A good rapport between freelance writers and editors requires communication and mutual respect. Be clear about expectations when it comes to what you’ll be writing, deadlines, and payment. Accept constructive criticism and edits, but keep a cautious eye out for editors who make so many changes to your work that your voice is lost. Speak up. Ask questions. Keep in mind that editors are busy and under significant pressure, so be sure to respect their process. Also, remember that this is a two-way street; a good editor will respect you, too.
5. Don’t Work For Peanuts (Know Your Worth)
   In the beginning, you might be willing to accept compensation that’s on the lower end just to get “in” with a publication. Once you’ve established yourself as a reliable and solid contributor (or if you’re earning more elsewhere for work that’s similar in length and style), ask the editor to increase your payment. Some editors’ hands are tied and they’re simply unable to offer more. Others will definitely boost payment once the rapport is built. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Your time and effort are valuable and you should be compensated accordingly.
6. Keep Detailed Records
   This is vital. Get a good Excel spreadsheet going to track clients, deadlines, invoices sent and received, and any pertinent notes.
7. Meet Deadlines and Don’t Flake
   With the exception of a true emergency or extenuating circumstance, this one is non-negotiable. Editors often have content planned out months or years in advance (depending on the type of publication), so if you can’t get the work done on time (or at all), that leaves them in a bind. Of course, if you’re writing a piece that’s due far down the line, there’s no harm in asking your editor whether the deadline is firm or has a bit of wiggle room.
8. Know When to Say No
   To avoid burnout, realize that it’s okay to decline a pitch or a potential assignment. Especially at the beginning of your freelancing career, you may be in a rush to gather as many clients as possible in an effort to get your name and credibility out there. That’s fine, but only take on as much as you can without sacrificing the quality of your work and your sanity.
9. Remember Your Power
   Regardless of what you write, your words will matter to someone out there, whether it’s a new mother seeking prenatal advice from an expert, a military family fielding the challenges of deployment, or a citizen who relies on a digital news outlet to know what’s happening in the community. You’re writing for real people, and your work makes a real difference.
10. Have Plenty of Coffee on Hand
    If you’re reading this, you’re a writer, so you already know this. No elaboration necessary.

About the Author

Laura Adams Boycourt is a freelance writer/journalist with bylines in a number of regional and national publications. As an educator, she is passionate about literacy and helping youth become engaged readers and writers. Laura is actively querying a children’s picture book manuscript and has several other writing projects in the works. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, getting out on the Chesapeake/James, and watching Baltimore Orioles games.