I’ve come to the conclusion there’s not a lot of rhyme or reason in the who and what of publishing. Like in anything I’ve tried to do in life, I’m always studying. Trying to learn the ins and outs and nuances of what it takes to be successful in any given industry. Whether it’s music or literature, if I’m going to do something, I want to be the best at it. And the way you do that is studying those that are in the position you want to be in and trying to reverse engineer. Except, every time I have a conversation with someone who I think is a successful writer, I think I’m left more confused than when I started.

publishingAshley M. ColemanAugust 26, 2023writing, publishing, black writersComment

the craft. the editor says yes.

You’ve worked so hard on getting the pitch right. Reading other pieces on the site to ensure that your idea is unique and that your voice matches the tone. You’ve pumped yourself up, hit send and you get that faithful email back that says, “I love it!” What the hell happens after that?

journalismAshley M. ColemanApril 15, 2023writing, pitching, journalism, black writers, writers of color

the craft. challenging yourself.

I have been in the wonderful land of revision for the last few months trying to tie up two different manuscripts. And one thing that has been boggling my mind has been how to describe mundane things in new and exciting ways. I promise you, I have taken offense every time I wrote that someone smiled. It’s like enough with the smiling already. What is it that they’re feeling for real? I’ve also been struggling to describe people’s physical motions which are important to any story. Did they furrow their brows? Click their tongue? Lean their head into their hands? What are they doing with themselves while this scene is happening?

the craftAshley M. ColemanFebruary 26, 2023revision, writing, black writers, writers of color, writing advice

the craft. universal truths.

It’s often discussed in relation to personal essays, but this week, I wanted to talk a little about universal truth and why it matters in all of our writing.

the craftAshley M. ColemanOctober 30, 2022writing, universal truths, black writers, black freelancersComment