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Writing in Color: Fourteen Writers on the Lessons We've Learned
Rethink the way you approach writing in this “honest, useful craft book that all fledgling writers need” ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review) from fourteen diverse authors that demystifies craft and authorship based on their experiences as writers of color—perfect for fans of Fresh Ink and Our Stories, Our Voices .
So, you’re thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you’ve written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you’re a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there’s a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.
Perhaps you’re just getting started. Here you’ll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.
Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.
Contributors Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Méndez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.
So, you’re thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you’ve written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you’re a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there’s a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.
Perhaps you’re just getting started. Here you’ll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.
Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.
Contributors Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Méndez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2023
33 people are currently reading
4616 people want to read
About the author
Nafiza Azad
8 books1,281 followersNafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she currently resides in BC, Canada where she reads too many books, watches too many Kdramas and writes stories about girls taking over the world. Her debut YA fantasy, THE CANDLE AND THE FLAME, was released by Scholastic in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 6, 2025
Actual rating: 4.5
An excellent collection of essays from writers of color! I love how diverse the entries were, ranging from intensely personal accounts to very practical writing advice. This anthology succeeds in demystifying the world of publishing in that it demonstrates that becoming an author isn't a wholly unattainable goal for writers but that long-standing problems with racism and the marginalization of diverse voices are still very much prevalent to this day. Very insightful.
An excellent collection of essays from writers of color! I love how diverse the entries were, ranging from intensely personal accounts to very practical writing advice. This anthology succeeds in demystifying the world of publishing in that it demonstrates that becoming an author isn't a wholly unattainable goal for writers but that long-standing problems with racism and the marginalization of diverse voices are still very much prevalent to this day. Very insightful.
October 14, 2023
Some essays were better written and more impactful than others. It was a good read with some important lessons and takeaways. I will definitely try to reread this book in the future and glean some other takeaways.
June 19, 2025
Writing in Color is beautiful and remarkable journey-covering slash narrative about BIPOC writers and their struggles. And how they convey the challenges to the new writers along with uplifting them. :)
September 21, 2024
4.5 stars.
May 12, 2023
This was a very quick read that I found to be quite interesting. I enjoyed seeing the perspective of all the different authors that contributed to the anthology, and as a writer of colour myself, I found their advice and experience to be really insightful!
3/5 stars and thank you to Simon and Schuster CA for the ARC!
3/5 stars and thank you to Simon and Schuster CA for the ARC!
October 5, 2023
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
This collection of essays on the craft of writing offers insights into how the Young Adult publishing industry has traditionally been a less than welcoming place for writers of color. Acknowledging that this has been an issue, and offering stories of success, is important to young writers who need to be able to see that there are possibilities for them to take up this craft as well. Tips from writers are a great way to start students thinking about their own journeys in the field.
The book is divided into two major sections: "Starting from the blank page", and "Querying, publishing, and beyond". Each entry starts with an overview of the writer, the person's cultural background, works published, and a bit of personal information. This is helpful in any anthology, and I always use this to locate books by an author if I like a particular essay. Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang. Some of these writers also write for the middle grade market.
Like most of the authors, Kosoko Jackson outlines a bit of his personal process in becoming a writer and becoming an author, including being comforted by seeing other authors of color who have already been through the process. Axie Oh tells readers that they will all have their own unique perspective to add to a topic, and this is even more important because writers of color have been historically ignored. Chloe Gong challenges what publishing "allows" writers to do, and Joan He discusses how characters change the story and fit into the plot. Kat Zhang outlines the ways that cultural tales informed her youth and are threaded into her stories. Pohl, who is Brazilian but chose to write in English, offers valuable information about the monetary motivation to write in English for more exposure. Cindy Pon's experiences show how the publishing market has changed since 2009, when she was told that "Asian fantasies don't sell". Villanueva delves into the reasons behind the Filipino bias towards lighter complections, and why it was so important for her characters to have darker ones. Winters addresses imposter syndrome, and Riazi talks about working within a system that has been controlled by white supremacist ideas. Mendez, who is from Argentina, had to learn about US children's literature while raising four children and trying to write, and Little Badger shows us her journey, as an example how how difficult it can be for marginalized writers to be successful. Finally, Dao talks about the difference between writers an authors, which was very interesting to me.
The We Need Diverse Books movement started in 2014, and while the publishing industry still has problems, it's truly amazing how much change there has been. There is a much wider selection of cultures, gender identities, and view points offered in both Young Adult and Middle Grade Literature. This collection did seem to be very heavy on female and Asian voices, but for a small collection like this, I imagine it's hard to get submissions. This is a great choice for the aspiring young author who may have read books on writing craft like Carter's Dear Ally, Hanley's Wild Ink, or Klein's Second Sight, and fills a need to see more diverse voices represented.
This collection of essays on the craft of writing offers insights into how the Young Adult publishing industry has traditionally been a less than welcoming place for writers of color. Acknowledging that this has been an issue, and offering stories of success, is important to young writers who need to be able to see that there are possibilities for them to take up this craft as well. Tips from writers are a great way to start students thinking about their own journeys in the field.
The book is divided into two major sections: "Starting from the blank page", and "Querying, publishing, and beyond". Each entry starts with an overview of the writer, the person's cultural background, works published, and a bit of personal information. This is helpful in any anthology, and I always use this to locate books by an author if I like a particular essay. Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang. Some of these writers also write for the middle grade market.
Like most of the authors, Kosoko Jackson outlines a bit of his personal process in becoming a writer and becoming an author, including being comforted by seeing other authors of color who have already been through the process. Axie Oh tells readers that they will all have their own unique perspective to add to a topic, and this is even more important because writers of color have been historically ignored. Chloe Gong challenges what publishing "allows" writers to do, and Joan He discusses how characters change the story and fit into the plot. Kat Zhang outlines the ways that cultural tales informed her youth and are threaded into her stories. Pohl, who is Brazilian but chose to write in English, offers valuable information about the monetary motivation to write in English for more exposure. Cindy Pon's experiences show how the publishing market has changed since 2009, when she was told that "Asian fantasies don't sell". Villanueva delves into the reasons behind the Filipino bias towards lighter complections, and why it was so important for her characters to have darker ones. Winters addresses imposter syndrome, and Riazi talks about working within a system that has been controlled by white supremacist ideas. Mendez, who is from Argentina, had to learn about US children's literature while raising four children and trying to write, and Little Badger shows us her journey, as an example how how difficult it can be for marginalized writers to be successful. Finally, Dao talks about the difference between writers an authors, which was very interesting to me.
The We Need Diverse Books movement started in 2014, and while the publishing industry still has problems, it's truly amazing how much change there has been. There is a much wider selection of cultures, gender identities, and view points offered in both Young Adult and Middle Grade Literature. This collection did seem to be very heavy on female and Asian voices, but for a small collection like this, I imagine it's hard to get submissions. This is a great choice for the aspiring young author who may have read books on writing craft like Carter's Dear Ally, Hanley's Wild Ink, or Klein's Second Sight, and fills a need to see more diverse voices represented.
September 4, 2023
this book not only gives you tips and tricks to be a writer or tells you the story of their struggles as a writer. it’s more than a struggle just like writer's block or else. this is their struggle as marginalized authors, people of color authors facing white publishing industry. for examples:
pertama, adaa aja alesannya buat reject tulisan author poc. kalo alesannya karena genre tulisan si author kurang laku di pasaran masih make sense ya. kalo di sini casenya genre fantasy sekitar taun 2008 kurang diminati. sementara publisher orientasinya untung, wajar mereka cari aman nggak berani ambil genre yang kurang diminati. TAPI, ada author yang tulisannya ditolak karena genre yang dia tulis udah jenuh. udah kebanyakan yg nulis. ternyata maksud publishernya nolak tuh “itu genre yang biasa ditulis white people. lo nggak usah ikut2an nulis genre itu.” IYA BENER GENRE BUKU BISA DI GATEKEEP SAMA MEREKA.
kedua, krn mereka publishnya di US, memperkenalkan culture atau history negara lain tuh kek “pembaca nggak akan tertarik sama budaya negaramu. ganti aja karakternya jadi white people. pasti lebih laku.” ada salah 1 author seringnya baca buku dgn karakter white people protagonist, pas dia baca buku yg isinya asian protagonist tuh reaksinya “oh, iya ya, asian people juga bisa jadi tokoh utama.” jadi kayak udah saking “kedoktrin” sama white people sebagai pusat dunia, dia sampe “lupa” kalo selain white people juga bisa jadi tokoh utama. kejadian di author lain (she’s brown), tulisan dia dikomen gini “main protagonist should always be white, while secondary characters or love interests can be people of color.” yg lebih bikin emosi lagi, dia dapet rejection gini “Brown people couldn’t be protagonists.”
ketiga, misal publisher A udah publish 1 buku dari black author, terus ada black author lain yg masukin naskahnya ke publisher A, responnya tuh “kita udah pernah publish tulisan dari black author. kenapa kita butuh tulisan dari black author lain?” jadi mereka sendiri ngasih limitasi buat author poc.
selain masalah author bipoc, ada juga salah 1 cerita menarik dari author yg berprofesi sebagai IRT dgn 4 anak. yg bikin gemes tuh semua perjuangan dia buat nulis, belajar dari nol, kuliah lagi, didukung banget sama suami dan anak2nya. suaminya bisa diajak kerjasama dalam urusan rumah tangga selama dia kuliah lagi dan ngejar karirnya. hebatnya lagi selama dia ngejar karir, bukan berarti dia ngelepas kewajibannya sebagai istri dan ibu. dia bener2 ngatur waktu bareng suami supaya semuanya balance.
overall, semua cerita author di sini nggak cuma sekedar nyeritain perjuangan mereka sendiri. it's them vs the world. dengan segala keterbatasan dukungan yg seharusnya mereka dapet, bahkan ini udah taun berapa ya white people supremacy masih jalan tuh kek nggak ngikutin jaman. i was like oh white people ini masih ketinggalan jaman juga ya. udah 2023 masih racism gini disaat udah banyak prestasi yg dibuat orang2 bipoc. mengutip kata salah 1 author yg juga bercerita di buku ini kalo white people supremacy itu the part of their jealousy. ya bener sih. kalo emang mereka lebih baik, kenapa harus repot2 membatasi orang2 bipoc? membatasi kan berarti krn bipoc juga punya sesuatu yg lebih dari white people. and it means, mereka daridulu nggak berkembang. bukannya improve diri malah jeles puluhan taun.
pertama, adaa aja alesannya buat reject tulisan author poc. kalo alesannya karena genre tulisan si author kurang laku di pasaran masih make sense ya. kalo di sini casenya genre fantasy sekitar taun 2008 kurang diminati. sementara publisher orientasinya untung, wajar mereka cari aman nggak berani ambil genre yang kurang diminati. TAPI, ada author yang tulisannya ditolak karena genre yang dia tulis udah jenuh. udah kebanyakan yg nulis. ternyata maksud publishernya nolak tuh “itu genre yang biasa ditulis white people. lo nggak usah ikut2an nulis genre itu.” IYA BENER GENRE BUKU BISA DI GATEKEEP SAMA MEREKA.
kedua, krn mereka publishnya di US, memperkenalkan culture atau history negara lain tuh kek “pembaca nggak akan tertarik sama budaya negaramu. ganti aja karakternya jadi white people. pasti lebih laku.” ada salah 1 author seringnya baca buku dgn karakter white people protagonist, pas dia baca buku yg isinya asian protagonist tuh reaksinya “oh, iya ya, asian people juga bisa jadi tokoh utama.” jadi kayak udah saking “kedoktrin” sama white people sebagai pusat dunia, dia sampe “lupa” kalo selain white people juga bisa jadi tokoh utama. kejadian di author lain (she’s brown), tulisan dia dikomen gini “main protagonist should always be white, while secondary characters or love interests can be people of color.” yg lebih bikin emosi lagi, dia dapet rejection gini “Brown people couldn’t be protagonists.”
ketiga, misal publisher A udah publish 1 buku dari black author, terus ada black author lain yg masukin naskahnya ke publisher A, responnya tuh “kita udah pernah publish tulisan dari black author. kenapa kita butuh tulisan dari black author lain?” jadi mereka sendiri ngasih limitasi buat author poc.
selain masalah author bipoc, ada juga salah 1 cerita menarik dari author yg berprofesi sebagai IRT dgn 4 anak. yg bikin gemes tuh semua perjuangan dia buat nulis, belajar dari nol, kuliah lagi, didukung banget sama suami dan anak2nya. suaminya bisa diajak kerjasama dalam urusan rumah tangga selama dia kuliah lagi dan ngejar karirnya. hebatnya lagi selama dia ngejar karir, bukan berarti dia ngelepas kewajibannya sebagai istri dan ibu. dia bener2 ngatur waktu bareng suami supaya semuanya balance.
overall, semua cerita author di sini nggak cuma sekedar nyeritain perjuangan mereka sendiri. it's them vs the world. dengan segala keterbatasan dukungan yg seharusnya mereka dapet, bahkan ini udah taun berapa ya white people supremacy masih jalan tuh kek nggak ngikutin jaman. i was like oh white people ini masih ketinggalan jaman juga ya. udah 2023 masih racism gini disaat udah banyak prestasi yg dibuat orang2 bipoc. mengutip kata salah 1 author yg juga bercerita di buku ini kalo white people supremacy itu the part of their jealousy. ya bener sih. kalo emang mereka lebih baik, kenapa harus repot2 membatasi orang2 bipoc? membatasi kan berarti krn bipoc juga punya sesuatu yg lebih dari white people. and it means, mereka daridulu nggak berkembang. bukannya improve diri malah jeles puluhan taun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2023
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Writing in Color is a well curated anthology collection of essays on writing and craft by authors of color edited by Nafiza Azad and Melody Simpson. Released 22nd Aug 2023 by Simon & Schuster on their Margaret K. McElderry imprint, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
Finding the way as a writer (which is a somewhat solitary and often fraught occupation) can be difficult. Getting a book to print is almost -always- a long and difficult process. Doing so as a writer with a minority voice can be overwhelming. That's one reason that community strength and experience is even more important.
This is a book for everyone: writers, and women, and people of color, and allies, and readers. Everyone who loves books and wants to understand more of what the challenges are and how to compensate and overcome them.
Diversity is critically important to shaping society and the next generations of readers (and writers). These experienced authors provide a glimpse into their own encounters in the overwhelmingly white-centric, market driven publishing industry.
It's a fast read, and as with any collection, there are essays which resonate more and hit harder. They were all worthwhile to read however.
Five stars. Really interesting viewpoints and valuable information to know, both for writers -and- readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Writing in Color is a well curated anthology collection of essays on writing and craft by authors of color edited by Nafiza Azad and Melody Simpson. Released 22nd Aug 2023 by Simon & Schuster on their Margaret K. McElderry imprint, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
Finding the way as a writer (which is a somewhat solitary and often fraught occupation) can be difficult. Getting a book to print is almost -always- a long and difficult process. Doing so as a writer with a minority voice can be overwhelming. That's one reason that community strength and experience is even more important.
This is a book for everyone: writers, and women, and people of color, and allies, and readers. Everyone who loves books and wants to understand more of what the challenges are and how to compensate and overcome them.
Diversity is critically important to shaping society and the next generations of readers (and writers). These experienced authors provide a glimpse into their own encounters in the overwhelmingly white-centric, market driven publishing industry.
It's a fast read, and as with any collection, there are essays which resonate more and hit harder. They were all worthwhile to read however.
Five stars. Really interesting viewpoints and valuable information to know, both for writers -and- readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
August 25, 2025
4.5
Non so una scrittrice, né aspiro a diventarlo, però questa raccolta di saggi brevi mi interessava per spiare e un po' capire come funziona l'editoria americana. E devo dire che sono stata piacevolmente sorpresa: mi aspettavo un libro che mi avrebbe comunque un po' annoiata e invece ho trovato tanti spunti interessanti e consigli che secondo me sono applicabili in tanti campi diversi non solo la scrittura/pubblicazione di un libro.
Alcuni concetti mi sono sembrati un po' "banali" nel senso che non mi sono sembrati così innovativi perché per me sono interiorizzati e normali, ma potrebbero non esserlo per il pubblico americano, chissà. Ma soprattutto è stato interessante vedere una vasta gamma di esperienze diverse non solo per background dell'autore, ma anche per periodo in cui ha debuttato come tale perché permette di vedere i cambiamenti diacronici dell'editoria americana.
È un libro che consiglierei a tutti gli aspiranti autori, anche se non appartengono a una minoranza o non sono americani, non tanto per i consigli e suggerimenti pratici su come farsi pubblicare un libro negli Stati Uniti, ma piuttosto per le riflessioni generiche sul mondo dell'editoria e su che cosa significa essere scrittori oggi (per esempio di affronta molto il tema dei social media) che penso possano essere uno spunto e un incoraggiamento per tutti.
Non so una scrittrice, né aspiro a diventarlo, però questa raccolta di saggi brevi mi interessava per spiare e un po' capire come funziona l'editoria americana. E devo dire che sono stata piacevolmente sorpresa: mi aspettavo un libro che mi avrebbe comunque un po' annoiata e invece ho trovato tanti spunti interessanti e consigli che secondo me sono applicabili in tanti campi diversi non solo la scrittura/pubblicazione di un libro.
Alcuni concetti mi sono sembrati un po' "banali" nel senso che non mi sono sembrati così innovativi perché per me sono interiorizzati e normali, ma potrebbero non esserlo per il pubblico americano, chissà. Ma soprattutto è stato interessante vedere una vasta gamma di esperienze diverse non solo per background dell'autore, ma anche per periodo in cui ha debuttato come tale perché permette di vedere i cambiamenti diacronici dell'editoria americana.
È un libro che consiglierei a tutti gli aspiranti autori, anche se non appartengono a una minoranza o non sono americani, non tanto per i consigli e suggerimenti pratici su come farsi pubblicare un libro negli Stati Uniti, ma piuttosto per le riflessioni generiche sul mondo dell'editoria e su che cosa significa essere scrittori oggi (per esempio di affronta molto il tema dei social media) che penso possano essere uno spunto e un incoraggiamento per tutti.
October 7, 2023
A quick but thoughtful collection of essays by authors of color that I think would be informative, inspiring, and illuminating for any aspiring writer.
These authors are encouraging to readers - but also honest about the racism they’ve experienced & their uphill battles & other systemic issues within the messy world of publishing.
Though I found some of the content to be repetitive (I would have loved a clearer throughline with more distinct essays from each author), some of them stood out for their thoughtfulness and compassion.
My favorites were “Coping with Imposter Syndrome”, “Untold Rebellions: Character Agency through the Lens of Collectivism”, “Perseverance”, and “The Care and Keeping of Jealousy.”
CW: racism, bullying, discrimination, colorism, xenophobia, panic attacks, death of a parent, cancer, grief, toxic friendship, animal death (briefly mentioned)
Follow me on TikTok for book recommendations!
(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
These authors are encouraging to readers - but also honest about the racism they’ve experienced & their uphill battles & other systemic issues within the messy world of publishing.
Though I found some of the content to be repetitive (I would have loved a clearer throughline with more distinct essays from each author), some of them stood out for their thoughtfulness and compassion.
My favorites were “Coping with Imposter Syndrome”, “Untold Rebellions: Character Agency through the Lens of Collectivism”, “Perseverance”, and “The Care and Keeping of Jealousy.”
CW: racism, bullying, discrimination, colorism, xenophobia, panic attacks, death of a parent, cancer, grief, toxic friendship, animal death (briefly mentioned)
Follow me on TikTok for book recommendations!
(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
September 21, 2023
I won an ARC copy of this anthology in a Goodreads giveaway, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to check this collection out. I have read full-length works by at least half of the authors who have contributed essays to this short anthology, so it was a nice experience to read more about their work process and the behind-the-scenes of what they have faced in the industry before getting their novels out there. Like any anthology, some essays were so impactful and others weren't as much, but altogether I think they represented a lot of voices and make up a good resource for young writers of color who are interested in pursuing their craft, learning about how the industry has been frustratingly old-fashioned in terms of embracing diversity and creative ideas reflecting non-white experiences, and possibly getting published themselves. I physically wrote down notes from a few of the pieces, so there is some great advice to be found within these pages.
August 2, 2023
[arc review]
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Writing in Color releases August 22, 2023
This is a fantastic anthology that’s both inspiring and insightful.
It provides writing advice from the perspective of marginalized authors, though you certainly don’t have to be a writer or from a marginalized community in order to appreciate these essays.
I highly recommend this to both aspiring and well-seasoned writers, those interested in the publishing process, readers looking for a more ‘behind the scenes’ outlook on what makes a story you love, or anyone wanting to support diverse and marginalized voices.
I love literature that makes me think deeper, and this definitely achieved that.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Writing in Color releases August 22, 2023
This is a fantastic anthology that’s both inspiring and insightful.
It provides writing advice from the perspective of marginalized authors, though you certainly don’t have to be a writer or from a marginalized community in order to appreciate these essays.
I highly recommend this to both aspiring and well-seasoned writers, those interested in the publishing process, readers looking for a more ‘behind the scenes’ outlook on what makes a story you love, or anyone wanting to support diverse and marginalized voices.
I love literature that makes me think deeper, and this definitely achieved that.
November 29, 2023
This book is essentially a young writers' version of a craft development/advice book, especially for those with BIPOC/AAPI identities and perspectives to share. It contains insight into writing as well as the modern publishing industry and inspiration for the book's aspiring audience to chase their dreams.
I loved the personal stories and struggles shared. It doesn't matter if the world is ready for you or supportive of you or even outright discouraging you. You go for your stories, because your voice matters. Fight that imposter syndrome with a clear call of, "Stet, intentional," and a steady diet of agency and perseverance!
I loved the personal stories and struggles shared. It doesn't matter if the world is ready for you or supportive of you or even outright discouraging you. You go for your stories, because your voice matters. Fight that imposter syndrome with a clear call of, "Stet, intentional," and a steady diet of agency and perseverance!
August 30, 2023
OH WOW
This anthology consists of stories for aspiring bipoc authors, how to find ideas, stick with your idea, characterization, etc. HOWEVER, as the publishing is white-centred company, these essays also revolved around systemic racism, colorism, selected diversification and unfairness. Thus, making it very very valuable.
As a person of color myself, if not an aspiring writer, I feel seen and understood. This is what I've been dealing with my life the whole time and things I shouldn't be comfortable with. Things about being global south countries🫶🏽
Some of these essays are totally wholesome 😭🥺
It told about affirmation as well as struggles. But it reminded us all the same that we're not doing it alone💗
I love it. Highly highly recommended 👌
This anthology consists of stories for aspiring bipoc authors, how to find ideas, stick with your idea, characterization, etc. HOWEVER, as the publishing is white-centred company, these essays also revolved around systemic racism, colorism, selected diversification and unfairness. Thus, making it very very valuable.
As a person of color myself, if not an aspiring writer, I feel seen and understood. This is what I've been dealing with my life the whole time and things I shouldn't be comfortable with. Things about being global south countries🫶🏽
Some of these essays are totally wholesome 😭🥺
It told about affirmation as well as struggles. But it reminded us all the same that we're not doing it alone💗
I love it. Highly highly recommended 👌
September 5, 2023
Meh. This was a giveaway, and I think it's a pre-print copy so read my review with a grain of salt.
I wanted to read something on multi-cultural book writing because I was trying to write a book at one time from a perspective that is one foot in America and one foot elsewhere. How do you keep the voice true while translating ideas? That was the question I had.
But Writing in Color wasn't really that kind of book. It is an anthology of various perspectives from people who have struggled through the writing process who also are experiencing rejection for various reasons all listed under "racism" (I thought that adding queers to the racism idea was disingenuous, since ethically questionable things should be carefully reviewed by the press for their own reputation's sake). Some of the stories were nice for perspective, others were vanilla writing issues. Idk. Some of the perspectives were nice to read about but that's it. I think the Filipino girl's perspective was most enlightening, followed by the girl who was talking about Mulan.
About half of the perspectives in here seem blatantly woke, so take that for what it is.
I wanted to read something on multi-cultural book writing because I was trying to write a book at one time from a perspective that is one foot in America and one foot elsewhere. How do you keep the voice true while translating ideas? That was the question I had.
But Writing in Color wasn't really that kind of book. It is an anthology of various perspectives from people who have struggled through the writing process who also are experiencing rejection for various reasons all listed under "racism" (I thought that adding queers to the racism idea was disingenuous, since ethically questionable things should be carefully reviewed by the press for their own reputation's sake). Some of the stories were nice for perspective, others were vanilla writing issues. Idk. Some of the perspectives were nice to read about but that's it. I think the Filipino girl's perspective was most enlightening, followed by the girl who was talking about Mulan.
About half of the perspectives in here seem blatantly woke, so take that for what it is.
September 22, 2023
I needed Writing in Color's compilation of essays years ago, especially when I was feeling a certain way about the industry. The essay that hit close to home was about Imposter Syndrome, which is one of the issues I have about writing—wanting to write but feeling as if it's all for naught because who wants to read this. Writing in Color is a great book for beginners to advanced writers who want or need a connection to industry insiders and their experiences.
March 12, 2024
3.5 stars (mostly because I'm not a writer so it didn't speak to me but I bet it's great for those who do)
14 writers of color collaborated on this collection of essays about lessons they have learned about writing and encouraging young writers to find their own unique style and get their words in print. There are some names I immediately recognized as well as some I was not as familiar with but all had valuable advice for young writers.
14 writers of color collaborated on this collection of essays about lessons they have learned about writing and encouraging young writers to find their own unique style and get their words in print. There are some names I immediately recognized as well as some I was not as familiar with but all had valuable advice for young writers.
July 22, 2025
From the fresh voices of writes for children and young adult, the writers share experiences and thoughtful reflections about their writing life, time in publishing, and believing in oneself regarding "being a writer".
The stories that added a little extra weight were the ones where I had read something by that author but all of them had something to say that has value for anyone interested in writing.
The stories that added a little extra weight were the ones where I had read something by that author but all of them had something to say that has value for anyone interested in writing.
Read
September 4, 2023I so wish I had had this book as a young Asian American child getting into writing, but I'm glad it's out now. This book includes insight into the experiences of writing and publishing as a writer of color, including what it's like to write and publish in a language other than your first language, to be told there's no market for your story, and to write in a way that challenges current trends.
August 13, 2023
Interesting stories and thoughts from writers on the writing and publishing process. Honest. Thoughtful. Recommended for all writers, as well as readers - what do we, as readers, have access to? Whose stories are being told and how?
Happy to discover new (to me) authors.
Happy to discover new (to me) authors.
September 14, 2023
Overflowing with insights, tips & moving stories.
It’s a necessary resource for writers, novice or well experienced. Teachers of writing will find this anthology especially meaningful. It lends itself well to workshops and writing instructions.
Grateful to the publisher for my gifted copy.
It’s a necessary resource for writers, novice or well experienced. Teachers of writing will find this anthology especially meaningful. It lends itself well to workshops and writing instructions.
Grateful to the publisher for my gifted copy.
January 5, 2024
Though this book is aimed at upcoming authors, I found this book to be very interesting as a reader. Most of the advice could span any career path but especially those in the arts. Where "no" is a very common word and luck plays more of a role than you would like.
August 21, 2025
A lot wittiness, true facts about this materialistic part of our world, writing is a free will but DO NOT do it in a way that will harm an individual, religion, value, and other prestigious aspects of that person's life; I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING THIS NO MATTER WHO U R OR WHAT UR STATUS IS
October 5, 2023
Nice boost of encouragement, which is much needed if you want to break into an industry that is often unwelcoming to POC.
October 10, 2023
An informative & interesting read. Really establishes a common theme about the publishing industry and hurdles that need to be mounted in general.
Read
June 18, 2024no rating because i only read joan he’s contribution but i think i’m going to come back to this book when i have more time
June 19, 2025
Every essay a banger.
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