I Had to Choose What Art Would Come First When Writing My Novel

A novel about hip-hop means the raps must come before the narrative. A view into my creative process.

A screenshot of the Scrivner file I’m using to write “Rei’s Reign.’ The photo is a picture of my Macbook screen.

Last year, I announced to Medium that I would be writing a novel. I have made approximately three pages of progress.

I’m Writing a Novel, Y’all

During that time, I conducted research on the setting of the novel (1990’s Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn; the Farragut Projects in particular), left my old job of three years that allowed me to work remote and raise my toddler during the pandemic, quickly realized my new job was the most toxic environment I’ve ever worked at, upped my dose of citalopram to survive it, got another job with the local school district and had to endure reprisals from a boss frustrated that I was leaving. I’ve lost 30 pounds not due to a structured diet or exercise plan, but from the sheer stress and sleeplessness my soon-to-be old job entailed.

White life be maiming me

They are division