With my voracious intake of social media, I can’t remember where I saw it, but someone was talking about how writers can’t be judgmental because of their need to write fully realized characters. This struck me because I’ve learned that I can be very judgmental as a person, which I’m working on, and I surely don’t want to be that way in my writing. There are certain attributes that make great writers. Most are curious, observant, readers, etc. I’m now adding non-judgmental to the list. Or as close as we can get to it, because who am I kidding? I’ll never be all the way there.

the craftAshley M. ColemanJanuary 21, 2024writing craft, writing career, fiction writingComment

the craft. always be observing.

There is an age-old concept in sales, the ABCs, always be closing. It’s all about having multiple irons in the fire. Knowing that you should always be pitching, selling, and ultimately closing deals because sales is a numbers game. Thankfully, we’re not in sales. You can take a deep breath. However, as writers, what I feel is just as valuable, is the idea that you should always be observing.

the craft, processAshley M. ColemanDecember 18, 2023writing, writing craft, observationComment

the craft. journal entries for your characters.

To know me is to know that I’ve been slightly obsessed with the show Swagger lately. It had been on my list of things to watch after hearing such rave reviews about it and unfortunately learning recently that it will not be renewed for a third season. Once I finish a show I like, I’m down a rabbit hole of who the actors are and creators. I’m often looking for additional content. In that, I stumbled upon a recording of an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces where Reggie Bythewood, the show’s creator, talked about how he’d written journal entries at the start of creating the characters of Jace and Crystal.

the craftAshley M. ColemanDecember 11, 2023writing rhythm, writing craft, character developmentComment

the craft. where does your story really start?

Your story might start at about chapter three. Hear me out. I have the privilege of meeting with a group of amazing writers on the monthly basis to read each other’s work and give feedback. This started out as my First Ten Pages class that I taught last fall and most of the participants decided to “keep the party going” so to speak. We’ve been going strong since then.

the craftAshley M. ColemanNovember 12, 2023writing, writing craftComment

the craft. contorting ourselves into spaces.

I’m not sure it was the best idea for my first retreat experience to be all Black women because I don’t know that I can open myself up to anything less than the standard Amanda Johnston, founder of Torch Literary Arts, created for us. For half of the cohort, it was our first retreat experience. The other half warned that the loving, supportive environment present was not necessarily a requirement for others.

the craftAshley M. ColemanAugust 20, 2023writing, writing craft, writing career, residencies, writing retreatsComment

the craft. read like a writer vol. 75

So, I feel like this should just be a series because reading books brings so much to mind when it comes to craft. It’s a skillset to read for enjoyment, yes, but also to be able to dissect the craft of it in the process and bring it back to your own pages to implement. I realize not everyone who reads can assess exactly what the takeaways should be for their own work and so, when the inspiration strikes, I’ll share it.

the craftAshley M. ColemanJanuary 28, 2023Ana Reyes, The House in the Pines, writing, writing craftComment

the craft. raising the stakes.

When I’m on the edge of my seat because Tina Snow is giving Lil Murda all the flavor in front of Uncle Clifford, it’s because I know the stakes. Lil Murda can’t be exposed in his world as a man that likes other men. But he also doesn’t want to blow up what he’s built with Uncle Clifford. This builds tension. Tension and stakes are necessary in any story if you want it to be interesting. Sorry kids if you’re not a fan of P-Valley.

the craftAshley M. ColemanAugust 7, 2022writing, writing craft, Black writers, writers of colorComment