Forums » How do you feel about the current state of the Black Lit. World?

• @JoinBBC Staff

  

  • 15 posts
   

  October 18, 2011 12:13:14 AM EDT

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  Black literature is constantly changing. What are your feelings about the current course of Black literature?

   

  
  This post was edited by @JoinBBC Staff at October 18, 2011 12:13:14 AM EDT
• Denise Turney

  

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  October 19, 2011 1:27:06 PM EDT

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  The numbers of Black authors is increasing. I love how Black writers took matters in our own hands and wrote our own books, got those books professionally edited, covers professionally designed, published our own titles then went out and marketed and promoted like a pro until we landed on bestseller lists!
  
  Denise
  www.chistell.com
• Wonder Woman

  

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  October 20, 2011 2:09:43 PM EDT

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  I am sad that our older writers are not promoting the new generation as they could be or doing more to sustain this field. I see way too many techincal subjects and far too few books for enjoyment. We don't always want to be in the revolution. We sometimes want to relax and kindle without stress. I find less Black authored books in the variety of the writing world. Especially I notice writers not using daily language as if they have to prove themselves. Why? I am taking suggestions...
• Jaz Gray

  

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  October 20, 2011 5:05:43 PM EDT

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  I would have to agree with Wonder Woman. I feel like a lot of seasoned writers don't really help promote and that's crazy to me because they've all at one point and time been in our shoes as.
• Wonder Woman

  

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  October 20, 2011 7:39:47 PM EDT

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  Thanks I will check Derek out! I am always on the look out for up and coming!
• April D. Byrd

  

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  December 2, 2011 12:44:38 PM EST

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  I feel like current black lit has just become a dramatized, grimy reflection of the street, hood, and ghetto life. It's putting out an image of personalities that should not be subscribed to. Passion has been displaced with lust, filth and Ignorance. Whenever I turn the pages of Black Expressions all I mostly see is something about sex, and drug dealers, and just ghetto drama ugh. *Disgusted as I type*. Just venting a little, but I know all is not lost. I've heard rave reviews about Ernessa T. Carter's "32 Candles" Has anybody read it?
• Monique Jeanty

  

  • 24 posts
   

  January 29, 2012 5:22:14 PM EST

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  The Memoir is the most popular style of writing now; but I have a hard time time finding memoirs by modern writers. I read Fantasia's Life is not a Fairy Tale. Aside from Maya Angelou, I can't think of too many. Any ideas out there?
• TheBook Look

  

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  March 1, 2012 9:59:29 PM EST

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  @April Byrd... We created The Book Look for that very reason. We intend to shine a spotlight on great content. Check us out.... www.theBookLook.com
• April D. Byrd

  

  • 33 posts
   

  March 1, 2012 11:50:14 PM EST

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  @Booklook Wonderful!! Thanks! will do!
• Web Prospector

  

  • 14 posts
   

  March 6, 2012 11:14:21 AM EST

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  Personally I used to read a lot but now most of my reading is done online and consists of either scanning, mostly Black blogs and web sites or researching the amazing amount of historical data regarding Africa and the diaspora that is beginning to become available. All is not lost though, I am also finding and using audio books by Black authors which I can download from my local library onto my Ipod and listen to whenever I would otherwise be not able to, for example walking the dog, driving - long distance or in traffic jams or in waiting situations. The most recent audio book I listened to was, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable. This is pretty amazing considering the fact that, I can remember when only 2 people in my town had TVs. I think we have to be sure to keep pressure on our libraries to supply this new media and we have to be sure to use these when they become available.
• Sable Femme

  

  • 5 posts
   

  June 21, 2012 4:21:39 PM EDT

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  April Byrd said:
  I feel like current black lit has just become a dramatized, grimy reflection of the street, hood, and ghetto life. It's putting out an image of personalities that should not be subscribed to. Passion has been displaced with lust, filth and Ignorance. Whenever I turn the pages of Black Expressions all I mostly see is something about sex, and drug dealers, and just ghetto drama ugh. *Disgusted as I type*. Just venting a little, but I know all is not lost. I've heard rave reviews about Ernessa T. Carter's "32 Candles" Has anybody read it?

  
  You are so right!  I hate going into my local bookstore and walking over to the African American Lit section only to find Toni Morrison hidden behind 80000 copies of "Candy Licker" and "Welfare Wifeys".

• Krystal milton

  

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  January 25, 2013 2:42:22 PM EST

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  I think the reason so many Black authors are not being recognized is the fact that everyone believes our writing is generally written on "statistic" type behavior, negative stereotypes about our culture that has held us back for so long.
  
  I am a writer, in fact I have several books that could be characterized in that same light. However, the reason why we don’t see as many diverse black authors around is because well, you have to write what you know. What you see, what you and your readers can relate to. Believe it or not the rap culture/hip-hop/R&B drives our culture nowadays. What comes along with that is violence, sex and drugs. That’s the “it” scene.
  
  So how come you don’t see many diverse black authors with intellectually stimulating stories- frankly because people by what they know. What they can relate to. Why wont you see a woman in the hood walking around with a book written about a highly educated black man driving a Mercedes Benz earning his living the honest way and going through the everyday life of an employee working for a fortune 500 company on wall street? Because all she knows is poverty, struggle, violence and gang activity she can see on a street corner around her block.
  
  Everyone wants change for the better but the fact is this is our culture. This is what they typically read. Hey I may be right and I may be wrong. I am just getting into this world of publishing/blogging what have you. But from what I have seen so far, black writers need support- we need a better outlet to expose our talents, get the attention for our works that we do deserve. And give the readers a chance to see what we have to offer, whether is street lit, intellectual/ self discovery or reading about a thug selling dope and going to jail. This is life. Sorry for the long dialogue but we can’t run from life. That’s why we read.
  
• Neicy Jones

  

  • 6 posts
   

  May 18, 2013 8:49:59 AM EDT

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  It's kind of hard to take some of it seriously when non interchangeable words are used, like "No/Know or They're/Their and There. When I come across blatant spelling errors and speak up, the first thing that happens from others perspective is instantaneous anger. From my standpoint, how can you take a writer seriously if he or she can't seem to grasp or get a decent handle on the English language. But again, that's just my *humble* opinion.
• Neicy Jones

  

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  May 18, 2013 8:54:38 AM EDT

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  Cancel TripleA said:
  It's kind of hard to take some of it seriously when non interchangeable words are used, like "No/Know or They're/Their and There. When I come across blatant spelling errors and speak up, the first thing that happens from others perspective is instantaneous anger. From my standpoint, how can you take a writer seriously if he or she can't seem to grasp or get a decent handle on the English language? Another erroneous error I am seeing are those who put a question mark at the end of a (period) ending statement. Where in the world did that mess ever come from? Why is it that we have a (very) hard time with constructive criticism? No harm, no foul. This is just my *humble* opinion.  

• Neicy Jones

  

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  May 18, 2013 9:22:41 PM EDT

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  Amen!@ Krystal. Totally agree.
• Neicy Jones

  

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  May 18, 2013 9:24:15 PM EDT

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  April D. Byrd said:
  I feel like current black lit has just become a dramatized, grimy reflection of the street, hood, and ghetto life. It's putting out an image of personalities that should not be subscribed to. Passion has been displaced with lust, filth and Ignorance. Whenever I turn the pages of Black Expressions all I mostly see is something about sex, and drug dealers, and just ghetto drama ugh. *Disgusted as I type*. Just venting a little, but I know all is not lost. I've heard rave reviews about Ernessa T. Carter's "32 Candles" Has anybody read it?

   

  ^5@ April!

• Neicy Jones

  

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  May 18, 2013 9:25:09 PM EDT

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  Sable Femme said:
  

  April Byrd said:
  I feel like current black lit has just become a dramatized, grimy reflection of the street, hood, and ghetto life. It's putting out an image of personalities that should not be subscribed to. Passion has been displaced with lust, filth and Ignorance. Whenever I turn the pages of Black Expressions all I mostly see is something about sex, and drug dealers, and just ghetto drama ugh. *Disgusted as I type*. Just venting a little, but I know all is not lost. I've heard rave reviews about Ernessa T. Carter's "32 Candles" Has anybody read it?

  
  You are so right!  I hate going into my local bookstore and walking over to the African American Lit section only to find Toni Morrison hidden behind 80000 copies of "Candy Licker" and "Welfare Wifeys".

   

  Rotflmao! Touche'!