My favorite quote in high school was “Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.” By Salvador Dali. I think we had an assignment due which was to look up quotes and this is what I stumbled across. Of course, my interpretation of it then was a lot different than it is now. Back then I was thinking, “Duh, birds can’t fly without wings and what’s the point of knowing something or having a skill and not using it.” This would be the quote I would submit, and I think I even mentioned it in the quote page of my yearbook. I was going to stick with my decision by any means. I took that class very seriously. This was also the class that allowed my creative mind to… be creative. I would complete my assignments and then work on my own stories. Here’s the thing though, I aced that class. My work was suggested to be kept as examples for incoming students. I took every skill I learned there, every correction and note that was written in red ink and applied it to my own work. Work I would only let 3 people read. After that year I would never let anyone else “take a peek” at my handwritten, front and back, notebook paper with different color ink on it. I became the bird without wings. I had a gift and no confidence or means on sharing it with the world.
3 most asked question about my journey to be an author.
How did you get started? I wrote for fun. I write for fun. Once my friends in high school told me that the stories were good, I thought that anyone could do it and it really wasn’t a big deal. There was no need for me to try and get published. That wasn’t even a thought. Also, it didn’t hold a candle to the urban novels that I was borrowing from the local public library. I simply put a situation in my head and wrote out a solution, in story form. Some of those stories were a page long and some 126 handwritten back and front on yellow and white loose-leaf paper. I would read over my stories when I had nothing to do and each time, I would add a little more action and change the words to match the lingo we used during that year. I would modernize it. I felt silly for creating these stories. In my mind, these stories should have been trashed when I was cleaning out my locker on the last day of school. Instead, I put them into a folder and tucked the folder away, in my closet, until I was bored and ready to read something I wrote. College came around and so did real life. I forgot about writing. It was a silly hobby anyway. I would often think of starting a website called SOLO (Stories Online Like Ours). This website would be where people who had short stories that were not lengthy enough for books or who just wanted someone to read their work and readers could leave a comment or simple reactions. These comments will be openly available to the author. Again, intelligence without ambition. Fast track to 2020. Ideal time becomes me. I opened up my Kindle fire and subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and got busy. I have always been a reader. Since I opened up The Coldest Winter Ever, I have been hooked to reading. The stories were different to me now though. Entertaining? Yes. But there was a burning feeling. “I CAN DO THIS!” My story is just as good. My mind is just as creative. What’s next? I googled publishing companies and held email conversations. Still I felt that it was a silly notion. I was unable to get feedback because I was afraid of letting anyone ready my work. Also, after being scammed in everything I did online at least once, there was no way I was going to send my work out and not get the credit if it was any good. I saw “Big Fat Liar”. I don’t have time for those games. I submitted my synopsis and first 3 paragraphs to a publishing site and as I waited, I finally turned one of my “One page” stories into a Facebook post and the encouragement and calls and comments. “Waiting on the next part.” “What’s next?” “Where is the rest?” The comments were so overwhelming. I got back to the computer and continued the story making a 5 Part Facebook post. It was enough encouragement for me to at least try. I also was connected with real people who actually publish books and could give me some advice on next steps. By this time, it had been weeks and I haven’t heard from the people I sent my work into, and fear took over me thinking that they highjacked my story. Motivation. If I get over my fear and publish my book, then no one else could steal it. It would be mine. Even if my mom, dad and aunt were the only 3 people to purchase. I would be grateful and able to say “I published a book. I’m an author.” I called one of the women I was connected to and took the leap of faith. A month later I was able to bless my supporters with “Tears in A Hurricane” that had to be restocked 3 times!
How do you structure yourself to write an entire book with all the twist and turns? Believe it or not I can write in chaos. I don’t need to be in a quiet space with lights dimmed and jazz music in the backgrounds. The best plot twist and scenarios I’ve had would come to mind in the shower or while I’m out enjoying my life. I’m a “What if?” person. Thinking about what if ,can lead to multiple endings because you just don’t know. The mind will force you to think of the worst possible outcome which causes anxiety and emotions. You can get yourself all worked up over a what if and in reality, the situation would not have even been that eventful. 99% of the things we worry about, doesn’t even happen. When I hear a line that replays in my head or a think of something, I type thoughts into my notes on the phone. I would create an entire situation around that line or thought and the story comes together. That’s the fun part of fiction novels. You can make anything happen and have any ending you want.
I like to dedicate at least 3 hours a day to writing (that never happens). Every day is not a creative day and I took that feeling a lot better than my anxiety lead me to think. I thought that being stuck and not being able to complete a thought or an ending meant that I wasn’t applying myself. This, for me, can last 3 days. But I would take that time to read over what’s written and enhance the work that I have done already.
Do you think you will continue to write? I have always had ideas in my head, scenarios, what if’s. Things I thought I wanted to do. People I thought I wanted to help. Writing has been the least stressful, most fulfilling thing that I have done. I still look at it like I could be doing more. Like I have more stories to tell. I’ve been around people who could play basketball all my life. I even attempted to play however, the injury to my knee had to be God telling me to sit my ass down. I have encountered so many rappers and singers. Talented people. My family has some SANGERS in it AHKAY. Holidays would turn into a full out concert in the Allen household but guess where I was… in the back-lip syncing cause my grandma wouldn’t let me sit it out. I have cousins that have went on and joined singing groups that traveled all over the states. My grandfather is the gospel Al Green around these parts but still that wasn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong. I can hold a note. A note. Just one though so nah, that wasn’t for me. I grew up in a hair salon. My mother owns a hair salon, where I would forever be able to tell a job to kiss… Where I would be able to work with just a cosmology license and I can braid. Like really A.I. on the court braid. But that just didn’t make want to go to the classes and get that certification. So again, so much talent around me. They say talent is a muscle. If you keep at it, you will get better and stronger. If what you’re doing requires talent over skill, it doesn’t feel like work or obligation. You can learn any skill. No one should have to teach you a talent. You have it already. The experience is just added features that you pick up. Cross overs, falsetto, freestyling ya know. My goal is to be a known author. To have someone comment on my promo page Best Selling Author. For my friends and family to say, “I know that author” and not be taking to each other, but to someone who picked up my book from Barnes and Nobel or is raving about the novel they just read or are reading in their book club.
The only way to know if you can do something is to do it. Having a support system helps me as well. A few things that I keep in mind are:
- Everyone is not going to like what you’re doing.
- Support is support.
- Some people look for the mistakes. What you’re doing can be flawless in your eyes, but someone is going to find something imperfect in your perfection. Use it as a tool moving forward. When they tell you what they found wrong with the first 2 projects then surely the 3rd,4th, 5th project will be flawless.
- Stay consistent. I know what type of writing I am good at. I would love to try other genres however urban writing is where I feel comfortable and until I have mastered that or reached my goal, I will stay consistent but, I am open to try others.
- Outlines are the best.
- Start somewhere! Having a story in your head is no good for those walking the earth. I mean unless that person is a mind reader.
Advice I would give an aspiring author. Do not get discourage. Someone somewhere is enjoying your work. Take the feedback and it apply it to your work. The only bad advice you can get is to stop doing what you enjoy doing.
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