writing | The Skinny Black Girl

Skinny Bits 2.24.12

Feb 24 2012 Published by Skinny Black Girl under Skinny Bits

People who frequent my blog know that I’m not big on explaining or defending myself in my comment section. I’ve only recently been able to articulate why: The work for me is in the writing. While it’s always subjective, it’s also always honest and always respectful of the people in my life. When the post is done, my work is done. How it’s received is up to the reader. Of course, I prefer when readers see things the way I think I’ve explained them, but I’m not here for a debate if that doesn’t happen. People are going to see and believe what they want.

I heard a Hemingway quote in class the other day: “If I have to explain what the book is about, the explainers are out of a job.” Hov said “I’ll just write it in rhyme/and let you feel me/and if you don’t like it/then fine.”

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Less Whitney/Mariah, More Mary

Jan 07 2011 Published by Skinny Black Girl under A Writer & a Rider, Life & Times

I ended my last post noting that my priorities were a little screwed up. So I took a break from thinking of peen, fantasizing about Charlie Hunnam and posting on the blog to work on my MFA application. With the first half of my writing sample finished and the second half being edited by a trusted writer buddy, the last item on the checklist was my personal statement. I dreaded writing the damn thing, hence why I waited until less than 30 days before my application deadline to put any serious thought into what I would say.

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A Writer?

Nov 17 2010 Published by Skinny Black Girl under A Writer & a Rider

Supposedly, I am a writer.

At least, that’s what I’ve been telling myself since that faithful morning in therapy two and a half years ago when I screamed: “I don’t want to be a DAMN college administrator! I’M A WRITER!” onto a piece of scrap paper.

The title of “writer” is one that haunts me more than I embrace it. When I tell people (myself included) that I’m a writer, I usually mean it by calling, not by profession. By profession, I’m an administrative assistant. Even as I pursue admission into an Master of Fine Arts creative writing program, I wonder if being a full-blown professional writer is in my future. Not because I doubt my abilities, but because I rather enjoy the balance that comes with a structured 9-5 and writing as a hobby.

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We Talkin About Practice?

Sep 13 2010 Published by Skinny Black Girl under A Writer & a Rider

“…early work is practice work, work that will lead us, if we continue to write, to the real work.” – Monica Wood, “The Pocket Muse.”

Saturday, I woke up determined to get some writing work done. Unfortunately, Mama SBG (also known as “Don’t take my laptop out of this house [despite the fact that laptops are meant to be mobile]”) was home and so really getting into hardcore portfolio editing/writing was not going to happen. But I figured I could at least hit the bookstore with my notebook and do some serious journaling that would turn into good blogging and/or good personal essays to use as writing samples for my graduate school applications. I ended up at a table surrounded by writing books. One in particular was “The Pocket Muse” by Monica Wood, a wonderful little book full of tips, writing prompts, quotes and reflections on writing. As I skimmed through its pages, I realized just how much of a novice I am when it comes to my craft. I always thought that since I’d been putting pen to paper (and fingers to keyboard) for the last seventeen years that I was actually an experienced writer. On the World Wide Web, with the amount of writing I’ve produced, I should have a steady column on someone’s website, or be someone’s editor, or a critically acclaimed blogger. It’s so easy, right? Get a URL, grow your brand through networking and social media and make it happen. But in those pages I read about techniques I’d never used and skills I hadn’t developed and it hit me: I’m nowhere near a great writer. Yet.

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