Written In Melanin

As indie authors, we wear many hats: author, social media manager, pr team, financial advisor, etc. And in the scheme of keeping our head above water, we sometimes forget to do the most crucial aspect of all of this -- to write. So, this episode is your reminder to actually get the words out and I'll share a few ideas for making time to write that have worked for me. - Website: https://CMLock...

As I've been sharing with you guys I very much feel like I'm in a new season of growth, both as an author and as a person. And one of the things I've been sitting with this past week is releasing myself of the expectations I put on myself as an author. And doing that has been giving me so much more peace of mind and made me more productive. Chelsea's Corner starts at 19:42 **So...

Hello and welcome to everyone listening to the Written in Melanin Podcast, the place where you come to get your weekly dose of melanated creativity. I am your host C. M. Lockhart, an author of fantasy books featuring Black girls who aren't all that nice and the owner of the Melanin Library, an online database of books written by Black authors. And in this space, I offer you full transparency...

Welcome to Episode #16 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. I don't know who needs to hear this today, but I'm definitely going to say this for myself -- believe in yourself. This creative journey is not an easy one, but it's one worth being on, so keep going. Say something positive: http://www.writteninmelanin.com/episode-16 Purchase We Are the Origin:   https://payhip.com/b/KihME OR...

Last week was a really rough one for me. If you listened to episode 14 of the podcast, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. But as the saying goes, "weeping only endures for a night." And I'm feeling much more refreshed than I had before. So, with new decisions on the horizon and previous disappointments behind me, I'm feeling hopeful for what's to co...

Welcome to Episode #14 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. So, I'll be honest -- it's been a rough week for me. I didn't even really feel like recording this episode because I wasn't sure if I wanted to be *this* transparent about my personal struggles, but I started this podcast to share my thoughts and opinions and I don't want to hide from them just because they aren&apo...

Welcome to Episode #12 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. One of the most common things creatives are told, in any medium, is to consume the type of content you're trying to create. If you want to make movies, watch them. If you want to paint, look at paintings. If you want to write, read. Today, I'm here to add to tweak that a bit: if you want to create anything, consume everything. And...

Beta reading is one of the most essential parts of being and/or supporting an indie author. This is the first set of eyes on the story outside of any close confidants and it's where the story starts to get its real makeover -- where you present it to others and ask them, "How do I make this better?" It's nerve wracking, but necessary. And as authors, not only do we ask others t...

Welcome to Episode #10 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. In the last episode of the podcast I talked about marketing yourself as an indie author while being an introvert. This episode, I'm sharing the things I've learned about how to make Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram (ugh) work in your favor. As always, I offer my advice with a grain of salt and remind you guys that this is my unique...

Welcome to Episode #9 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. I'm an introvert. It's something I've known about myself for a long time. I know how to be social, but given the choice, I would much rather prefer to be at home with a book or a good anime to binge, spending my time not being perceived by anyone else. That being said, my personality doesn't negate the necessity of puttin...

Welcome to Episode #8 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. I had this whole idea planned of talking to you about things that Indie authors should quit, and I recorded about 10 versions of that episode before I realized that wasn’t the episode I wanted to put out this week. So, instead, I'm here being honest with you -- no script -- about me and what is going on in my life. If that doesn't...

One of the things that I've always been hesitant to do in the past is offer a negative opinion on a book written by a Black author. Because my platform is all about uplifting Black authors, I felt guilty if I ever wanted to give an author anything less than a glowing review because I know the obstacles they face are enough to deal with without feeling like other Black creators are trying to t...

Welcome to Episode #6 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. On this podcast, I've been doing my best to be as honest and candid with you guys as possible. That being said, in a previous episode when I discussed Paying for Creative Content, I left out a really big part of the discussion because I felt uncomfortable discussing it, and that's monetizing your content as a creator. It's one...

Welcome to Episode #5 of the Written in Melanin Podcast. I've been doing some thinking and planning and the format of the podcast is going to be shifting a bit. There's only going to be one episode a week on Wednesdays. I thought I could do it all you guys, and while I can, I recognize that I really shouldn't. So, I'm giving you guys my thoughts on what it means to carry all th...

Chelsea's Corner is the segment of the podcast where I give you guys a peek into my world of writing and share my writing journey -- the success, the struggles, the setbacks and the triumphs, I'm here to share it all with you guys. So my biggest struggle this week was time management. Support C. M. Lockhart and her books by joining her Patreon at https://Patreon.com/WrittenInMelanin or v...

As an author, I'm always hesitant to say anything along the lines of "this is how this should be done" when it comes to writing. However, as an avid reader, reviewer, and occasional editor, there are some things I've noticed about good storytelling. And one of the biggest things I've noticed is that there is a difference between a complex story and a complicated one. Suppo...

As a content creator, I sometimes feel like discussing monetary support in exchange for creative content is like addressing an elephant in a room -- uncomfortable at best. But, despite that, I think it's important to have the conversation. So, let's talk about it. Support C. M. Lockhart and her books by joining her Patreon at https://Patreon.com/CMLockhart or visiting her website at http...

Chelsea's Corner is the segment of the podcast where I give you guys a peek into my world of writing and share my writing journey -- the successes, the struggles, the setbacks and the triumphs, I'm here to share it all with you guys.  And my biggest struggle this week was keeping myself focused. Support C. M. Lockhart and her books by joining her Patreon at https://Patreon.com/CMLockhart...

One of the hardest things to learn sometimes, is that not everyone is going to support you. But, this isn't a discussion about haters or dealing with trolls and criticism. It's about learning to manage the neutral energy you receive from people -- those who wish you no harm, but aren't there to help either. There's nothing wrong with that, everyone has their own path to walk. A...

The Kindred is a Young Adult, sci-fi romance novel that I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC of. It follows the story of Joy and Felix, who were mentally linked together at birth, as they escape to Earth after Felix is accused of assassinating the members of the royal family. I don't rate books in the traditional sense because one book that wasn't for me might be exactly what you'...

Chelsea's Corner is the segment of the podcast where I give you guys a peek into my world of writing and share my writing journey -- the success, the struggles, the setbacks and the triumphs, I'm here to share it all with you guys. And this week, I'm sharing my struggles with my outline. Support C. M. Lockhart and her books by joining her Patreon at https://Patreon.com/CMLockhart or...

A lot of times as creatives, especially those of us who are new the realm of marketing what we create in exchange for coins, we pour all of our energy into other things until our well runs dry. Sometimes this looks like pouring yourself into family or real-life obligations -- sometimes it's pouring into the business side of our creativity -- social media, email lists, and marketing. But this...