“Write What You Feel Compelled to Write”

It’s less about me giving you my path because my path might not be yours

Wake Up and Write is an advice column from Moms Don’t Have Time to Write. Today, we have Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts— professor and New York Times bestselling author of eighteen books, including Black Joy— who shared writing advice on the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, hosted by Zibby Owens.

“Don’t take advice.”

“I have been writing for twenty years, independent and then mainstream. I just realized: write your story. Write what you feel compelled to write. Definitely, study the craft. If you need to take a class, do so. Tell the story you feel led to tell.

Over the years, I’ve gotten so much advice. Do you write every day? Some people say yes. I can’t because I have kids. Just constant opposing viewpoints. I think it’s less about advice. I would just tell a writer: write. Please, just write.

The biggest part of writing is rewriting. It’s not like you’re going to write something and put it out next week. Utilize the resources around you to be able to make that story the best it can be. I tell my students that. I tell anyone who’s interested. It’s less about me giving you my path because my path might not be yours.”

Listen to the episode:

https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/tracey-michael-lewis-giggetts-black-joy

Buy the book:

https://bookshop.org/books/black-joy-stories-of-resistance-resilience-and-restoration/9781982176556