Ep169: Writing as a Black Woman in the Speculative Fiction Genre, with guest Dr. Michele Tracy Berger

Writer Craft Podcast

Main Topic: Writing as a Black Woman in the Speculative Fiction World (Main Topic starts at 28:00.)

PATREON:

Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast.

Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Go to Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.

Segment 1 (Announcements/Author Updates):

• (Accidental Stranger Book 2 out) Print out NOW! On Amazon.
• Write in the Harbor (Erick teaching.) (Valerie will be at Write in the Harbor in Gig Harbor, WA this year, too!
• back from Ghost Story Weekend in Rainbow, OR. (Erick)
• https://wordcrafters.org/unlock-the-heart-of-your-memoir/ (Valerie's teaching a class in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, December 7, 2024; 10am-5pm.)
• EMBODY (fit and intuitive) on Patreon.
• Michele: teaching at NC Writers Network Conference "Bending Reality" (Keynotes: art and creativity unifies and grounds us; What is your Zone of Genius? Create a keynote talk from there.) Book rec: The Big Leap (Hendricks); teaching "Afro-Futurism and the Black Imaginary" class

What are you reading?

• Valerie: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman; The Year of the Puppy (Alexandra Horowitz) Roland Rogers isn't Dead Yet (Samantha Allen); A Happy Pocketful of Money (David Cameron Gikandi)
• Erick: The October Country (Ray Bradbury) The Great When (Alan Moore) (Shout out to local bookstore: Parallel Worlds; NE Portland, OR)
• Michele: Nalo Hopkinson (Jamaica Ginger and Other Concoctions); How to Be Old (Lyn Slater)

• Segment 2 (Resources/Tips/Tidbits):

• Tidbit #1: Invite the Random into your Storytelling. (Roll the dice.)

Tidbit #2: Eat fries before dinner.

Segment 3 (Mindset-Craft-Biz Check):

Segment 4 (Main Topic):

Dr. Michele Tracy Berger is a professor, an award-winning writer, a creativity coach and a pug-lover. Her main love is writing speculative fiction, though she also is known to write poetry and creative nonfiction, too.

1. Spec fiction definition: ideas that are outside the regular laws of the universe; Margaret Atwood (feminist author used ); sci fi, fantasy, paranormal, horror. Toni Morrison's Beloved is a ghost story (literary). Horror is a feeling (also a genre) (elevated horror, social horror). In social horror, Creatives of Color now write systems of power as the monster in the basement.

2. What challenges do you face? Meet reader's expectations; gatekeepers have changed; a decade of rejections for Doll Seed story; understanding African American literary history (more space now, public ready now for more interesting characters); black women were absent or monstrous in horror media from the 70s and 80s, now there's interest in a rebalance, and an appetite for complex characters, indie pubbing lead the way for this. Trad pub catching up.

"This May Hurt a Bit" (horror podcast)

3. Marketing through this lens: finding a press that resonates with you, being authentic and consistent, IG Live, learning as you go, embrace the work of marketer, watch documentary of Jackie Collins (Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story) and Harlan Ellison (Dreams with Sharp Teeth: A Film About a GrandMaster), writers have always had to think about how people find them.

Aunt Lute Press: mood board with intersection of empowered female characters, black readers of spec fiction, how to think about ideal reader ("If you like Octavia Butler, Kelly Link, AND Dean Koontz, you'll love Michele Tracy Berger").

Start with a character, then construct the story and follow the character through. Think about audience in the submission process.

4. Author services:

Write affirmations. Neutral to positive self-talk for writers as a pattern interruptor.

Coaching creatives for 15 years. The Creative Tickle. "Tickle your genius awake."

Specialize in writers interested in mindset work. Online classes. Group coaching.

"More Joy on the Path."

"See the joy in the process."

Next episode:

Find Us:

Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan

Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

Patreons:

https://patreon.com/valerieihsan

https://patreon.com/strangeairmysteries

Tools:

Passion Planner: https://passionplanner.rfrl.co/e86j8 (affiliate link) Discount Code: VALERIE184

ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

Resources:

"How to write an eavesdropping scene" on Erick's blog

Reading Critique Group for Writers FB Group (Jennie Komp's group)

3 Bird View FB page (Jennie Komp's business page)

Author XP (marketing for authors) (bi-monthly promotions)

Raven Publicity (publicity for authors)

The Shades of Orange (Rachel, Book Blogger on YouTube) for book recommendations SF/Fantasy/Horror

Contact Erick for business-starting advice or building a website.

Contact Valerie for author coaching.

Thomas Umstattd Jr, at Novel Marketing Podcast. Ep255: How to Create an Email Onboarding Drip Campaign

Russell P. Nohelty and Monica Leonelle's book, Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter.

Balance meditation app.

• Story Rubric version 1.1 and podcast episode.
• Three Story Method worksheet

Book Recs for writing/creativity/business:

• Thinking in Pictures by John Sayles

• Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker
• Story Hypothesis: A Writer's Guide to Crafting Resonating Stories by JP Rindfleisch IX
• Fast-Draft Your Memoir: Write Your Life Story in 45 Hours by Rachael Herron
• Three Story Method: Foundations in Fiction by J.Thorn and Zach Bohannon
• The Anatomy of a Best Seller by Sacha Black
• Slow Productivity by Cal Newport