Writing in Color: Fourteen Writers on the Lessons We've Learned

Rethink the way you approach writing in this revolutionary and informative new anthology from fourteen diverse authors that demystifies craft and authorship based on their experiences as writers of color--perfect for fans of Fresh Ink and Our Stories, Our Voices.

So, you're thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you've written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you're a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there's a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you're in the right place: this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.

Perhaps you're just getting started. Here you'll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first draft: what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.

Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.

Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.

Author: Nafiza Azad, Julie C. Dao
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: 08/22/2023
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.77lbs
Size: 8.46h x 5.87w x 0.97d
ISBN: 9781665925648
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2023
Booklist 06/01/2023 pg. 56
School Library Journal 08/01/2023 pg. 102

About the Author
Nafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she currently resides in British Columbia, Canada, where she reads too many books, watches too many K-dramas, and writes stories about girls taking over the world. Nafiza is the coeditor of the young adult anthology Writing in Color and author of The Candle and the Flame, which was nominated for the William C. Morris Award, The Wild Ones, and Road of the Lost. Learn more at NafizaAzad.com.

Melody Simpson is the founder of Melanin in YA, a database for all things Black in traditional young adult publishing. Her short story, "The Guardrail Disappears" can be seen in the feminist horror anthology Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy edited by Mindy McGinnis, Demetria Lunetta, and Kate Karyus Quinn. Melody is also the coeditor of the young adult anthology Writing in Color. She's from New Jersey and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Visit her at MelodyLSimpson.com.

Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Secret Shanghai novels, as well as the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Her books have been published in over twenty countries and have been featured in The New York Times, People, Forbes, and more. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and international relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York City, pretending to be a real adult.

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix, which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by Booklist, and one of 2009's Best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. Serpentine and Sacrifice were both Junior Library Guild selections and received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews, respectively. She also wrote Want, which is a Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention and Ruse. She is the cofounder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Learn more about her books and art at CindyPon.com.

Karuna Riazi is a born and raised New Yorker, with a loving, large extended family and the rather trying experience of being the eldest sibling in her particular clan. Besides pursuing a BA in English literature from Hofstra University, she is an online diversity advocate, blogger, and publishing intern. Karuna is fond of tea, baking new delectable treats for friends and family to relish, Korean dramas, and writing about tough girls forging their own paths toward their destinies. She is the author of The Gauntlet and The Battle.

Kat Zhang loves traveling to places both real and fictional--the former have better souvenirs, but the latter allow for dragons, so it's a tough choice. A writer of books for teens and children, she spends her free time scribbling poetry, taking photographs, and climbing atop things she shouldn't. You can learn more about her at KatZhang.com.