General Topics
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You Are Valuable
I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but the world is so much better with you in it. So much more wise and so much more full. So much more flavorful. Has anyone ever told you how tasteless we’d be without you? Without seasoning. No salt. Bland. There is a power in your… Continue reading
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MLK Writing Prompt / Challenge
In our Poetry Business Network community, we are challenging ourselves to create and post a writing prompt to engage our audience. Yesterday’s challenge was an MLK writing prompt, but I missed it so I am posting it today! Writing Prompt / Challenge Yesterday, people worldwide paid homage to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King… Continue reading
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Your Authentic Self
In 2020, I thought TikTok was an app for children doing dances to go viral. That is until I went mini-viral myself. Only I wasn’t dancing, singing, or participating in trends. I was talking about books, poetry, and Black history. The impact of people tuning in for these topics in a world where people read… Continue reading
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Covering My Head: On Grief
2020 was very challenging for me for reasons unrelated to the pandemic. As I reflect, it was difficult not only because of the tragedies themselves but also because of their proximity to one another. I remember when I got jumped on as a teen by a group of girls in Chicago. Another quickly followed each… Continue reading
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We Get Better at Writing by Writing
When I was a child, I always carried a diary, journal, or notebook, and I would write about what was happening in my life each day, with dates and everything. When my cousin got jumped so badly that one side of his face was swollen, I wrote about how terrifying it was to see him… Continue reading
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The Amazon Bestseller Approach: A Warning
In the words of James Baldwin, “If I love you, I have to make you conscious of what you don’t see.” Here’s the Game: Once upon a time, when print-on-demand publishing became more popular thanks to companies like Amazon and Lulu, self-published authors discovered a powerful manipulation tactic: they could reach a higher ranking by… Continue reading
The PBS Blog 