Dr. Maya Angelou Wednesday In today’s writing prompt, we focus on an interesting turn of events that leads Dr. Maya Angelou to a unique business venture. We already know that Dr. Angelou has done a great deal of writing. She’s a published author, an accomplished public speaker, a champion within the civil rights movement, and a general inspirational person for…
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When I wrote my first book proposal, I relied on three books about how to actually write the all-important document that helps you land a contract with a literary agent and with a publisher. One of those books was agent Sheree Bykofsky’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting Published, which is now in its fifth edition. Sheree was also one…
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Funky Language Monday There is no better way to tackle the topic of funky language than with rap music. Let me loosely define rap as “a tiny bit of history of words with a little bit of pop culture and music mixed in for good measure.” Also referred to as hip hop music or MCing, rap music originated as a…
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This post is a blogged draft excerpt from The Author Training Manual (Writer’s Digest Books, March 2014). Read the previous blogged excerpt, here. So you want to write and publish a successful book. Do you even know what that means to you—or to a publisher? Before you begin writing your book or publish it, it’s important to: Come up with…
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History Friday Today, we go back in time to 1869, the date when Howard University School of Law (HUSL) was founded. This is an important fact in the history of African Americans because it marks the creation of the first law school intended for black people. It is also important to me; Howard University School of Law will forever hold…
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