So I have written this poem. The only problem is that I cannot come up with a good title that fits. A title sometimes can make or break a piece of art. I have forgone seeing a moving based on the title alone. Case in point, "Love and a Bullet." I mean really! What were they thinking with that title. Who would want to see something called Love and a Bullet? Poor Treach. Okay, granted, there were a whole lot of things wrong with that movie, but the title sure did not help. With that said, I am stuck on a title for this poem that I just finished. I really want to publish it but blah. It will have to wait until the appropriate title hits me. It is particularly important to get the title right in a short piece because the title then becomes part of the story itself. So, no title, not poem for me tonight.

Becoming successful at anything takes a level of hard work that is beyond the norm. To be successful in life is reaching far beyond above average as one would personally define it. Whether a person wants to be a writer or a manager of a local grocery store, that person has to produce results above and beyond others. As I writer, I have to write more than someone who only dreams about writing but never puts pen to paper. I have to get my works out there by either publishing them myself or by submitting the work for others to publish it. One of the main attributes that separates those who succeed in life from those who do not is consistency. Continuing to push forward in the face of opposition has presented a great level of difficulty for many people. Nevertheless, remaining steadfast will bring a person that much closer to his or her goals. Of course, this does not mean that if everything around you is falling apart and the plan is not working that you still continue on the same course....

Writing and Publishing Tip # 4: Get Your Networking On It is no secret that networking is the buzz nowadays. With all of these social networking sites climbing to million and million of users, everyone is stopping to take notice. Honestly, networking is nothing new. However, advances in technology have allowed it to take place in the virtual world at a much lesser cost. As wonderful as it is to network in the virtual world, we have to remember to keep up the networking efforts in the real world. Networking amongst writers, publishers, and readers is a great way to keep the momentum going. Other great reasons to network: Meet new people Expose them to your work Make great contacts that may help in the future. You never know Get rejuvenated Get educated Put a name with a face Have fun Get inspired Get motivated Real World Networking Opportunities ~Conferences ~Writers workshops ~Book signings (and I am not talking about your own) ~Festivals (not necessarily writing- movies, music etc) ~B...

So, I am part of a reading and writing discussion group moderated by the owner or www.apooo.org , and sometimes these topics come up that I think are really good. So, I post them. Here is a link to this article What Happened to the Great African American Author? I obviously do not agree with everything this chick had to say. I may be wrong but that is my opinion. You should read the article before looking at my comments below. ----------------------------------------------- "Are we so used to salacious gossip that it has become literature? " -- Uh, yea! Duh. Not only Black folk but everyone everywhere. I'm not saying it is right but it is what it is. "There are few great examples of African American literary authors on bookstore shelves. " --I disagree. There is a variety. It may not be the type of variety some would like but a variety none the less. There are still good books by AA of the shelves. They may not be literary but they are not all street lit either...

Writing & Publishing Tip #3: Read. Please! I am an avid reader and have been since I was eleven years old. Reading not only helped me discover my love of writing but it also helped me become a better student. The year I started reading I went from a C average to a B+ to eventually an A. Of course that all changed when I got to college but that’s a whole other post LOL. As writers, some people may not believe that it is important to read. Believe me, they are out there. That baffles my mind, really. How can a person expect others to pay for your writing if you are not willing to contribute to the industry by way of reading other artist yourself? Nevertheless, there are a number of reasons why, as writers, reading is beneficial and even a necessity. Here are just a few: Learn the art of writing by reading- When you read, you learn grammar and other writing skills by practical application. It is surprising how much the mind absorbs. Find your own voice- Reading different authors can a...

Writing & Publishing Tip #2: Be Prepared for Words that are not yours When you sit down to write a book, poem, short story or whatever, it is a pretty solitary process. There is no one telling you what to say next, how to say it, or when to change the mood of the project. The bottom line is that it is just you and your pen. When you venture out of the box and put it out there for others to read, you are inviting people in to the little world you have created. Be able to take constructive criticism- Don’t be so dogmatic about your writing that you are not able to learn from what others are trying to teach you. Be willing to listen and maybe change things around a little bit. Editors are there to help- Find an editor you feel you can trust. They are there to help you make your writing better. Now it may mean putting something in or taking something out. If you have a good working relationship with your editor this will be a smooth process. Editors are important to you and your work. ...

Background Check That Agent! Does that sound harsh? I know it does when you first hear it. It is almost unthinkable because authors, especially new authors, want to get published so bad that they are coming from an underdog position. Would we dare ask for some background info on an agent that is interested? Well, I am telling you that you better. They are not all what they appear. I remember when I completed my first manuscript. It was one of the best moments of my life. The feeling of accomplishment was euphoric. Not to mention, how excited I was just to be done with the darn thing. Once I got over feeling all proud of myself, I realized that something must be done with it. So, I set off to get the work published. Mind you, at the time, I had no idea what that meant. Honestly, five years later, I am still learning. My lack of knowledge, at the time, left me wide open for all sorts of costly traps and shady characters. I knew that I needed an agent, so I sought out to get one. Copying,...

Why Write? As you all know, I call myself a writer. Yes, I am a starving artist ... well, not technically. I am not really starving. Well, I might be a little hungry right now but that's because I am too lazy to go to the kitchen. I have a pretty good day job that I absolutely love and a hubby who would die before I starve, so I'm good. However, if I were to try to live off of my writing, I would be wasting away in my card board box that I call home, panhandling for my next meal. Yet, I am still a writer and here is why ... It is 2:05 a.m. and instead of sleeping, I crawled out of my bed, turned on my computer and started typing. What is wrong with me? Oh, it gets worse. During the day all I can think about is carving out some time to work on my novel. It is a good thing that people can't peer into my head because they would get really ticked off at me. Everything that happens to me and by extension to the people that are around me is a potential story. It does not matter ...

New Show? I really should be doing another show right about now because there are so many things to discuss like what the heck happened with American Idol , what's going on with General Hospital , the search for the new Pussycat Doll and so many other things. It is such a shame that time is pressing and I can't get to it. It would also be nice to finish the latest book I have been working on. It is the only thing on my mind lately but still I just can't seem to get to it. Not that it is a major big deal because no one is waiting to rush it to the presses, unfortunately. It is something I would like to finish and start editing and eventually submit it to publishers and agents. Yes, I am going to go through that whole process again. Why? Well because I need to. I don't even know if that makes any sense but for me it is something that I have to do. Don't get me wrong. Going through the rejections and waiting will not be fun for me at all but I think I need to face tha...