An interesting look at one writer's opinion on the state of African American literary fiction
Can I talk to you for a minute? Lush and fertile imaginations are seeds that allow good fiction to sprout and spread fortuitously. I’m going somewhere with this so bear with me. ‘Lush’ and ‘fertile’ are adjectives alluding to the good life we have as writers when we can effect the aforementioned into our work. But as serious writers of our craft we at times are prone to have lapses and lulls which tend to leave us less than sharp in keeping our nose to the grindstone, even in times like these. To be that all-round writer that we all profess to be, faith in humanity with writing the focal point is apropos. It’s for like this, and the genesis of this piece speaks to a part of me where a few lesson taken from the aesthetics of fiction’s foundation has primed me in a humble sense. Reading and loving literary fiction is having confidence in you, my peers giving me good imaginative stories and such page-turning delight that allows adrenalin to be expected. With that said, reading and loving literary fiction is based on my desire to understand why fiction is an important entity for literary worth. It in my opinion, with implications in position for fiction to be stranger than truth, ways of our readers to be informed through fiction is gaining momentum with the quality and amount of books you’re writing.
The lessons of fiction affect me in all aspects relative to the role I have in this industry, whether it’s reading a manuscript, reviewing a book, or working with a few of the major publishing houses publicizing their authors. These lessons are in the form of the human aspect of writing responsively with style and charisma. As a freelance writer, fiction has always intrigued me. Putting a story together with the right catalysts to propel a plot, enhance settings to drive the subplot amid memorable characters, to me takes skill and knowledge of all the writing acumen to produce a winner. Non-fiction, my forte is a bit different with research taking center stage along with a modicum of experience to drive home points of contention. But getting back to fiction writing...I’m in awe of the many good writers we have writing it across all genres. Across time and history we have seen workshops and literary departments in scores of schools produce writers whose work chronicles stories of the people, places and events that you guys work into your storylines. In many ways this is our journey, this is who we are and our imagination work overtime to have the wherewithal to allow hyperbole and metaphor work for us!
Right now, I’m enjoying all of you and the lessons of fiction are all around me. I hope you agree with me too, that without imaginative verve the stories will not be what we all come to expect. With us as people of color still not taken serious in having other persuasions reading our books, we still find a way to prevail. Does that makes us less talented, or any less creative in our approach to viable fiction? Of course not! We have writers of all proportion, and people ask me all the time who are my favorite writers of fiction, there’s no lamentation on my part with a plethora of talent to choose from. I claim many of you on this site, and feel honored to be part of a wonderful organization committed to writing excellence. It means a lot to be informed through fiction while encouraging optimistically to keep up the good work. Persevering and due diligence will save us from reading mediocre fare.
There’s no need for me to cajole you to find the right outlet to push your product. The real challenge should be met with vociferous odes to the ordinary rhythm to life, with choice words enhancing routines and journeys, bridges to love, and perhaps most poignant, about the possibilities for opportunities to share your work, and talk about African American fiction being vital it is to the community. It’s all about understand ing the human experience in literature. In closing, my overall lessons are being able to fathom what it is to be a good student of your expertise. Ultimately in my opinion, there’s a solidarity of literal humanity contained in every good book you write...just be mindful of the legacy you’re apt to leave behind so that others aspiring the novel experience will learn the lessons of fiction, and how it would affect them!
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