Photo Description: Two books are stacked on top of each other. The bottom book is Reframing Organizations by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal in orange and black lettering with a white background. The top book is Leagay: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine by Uche Blackstock, M.D. which is in white lettering with a black background.
Week Two
I really wish I was a morning writer. Instead, I am a morning runner who thinks about writing and then writes at night. One of my favorite podcasts is The Stacks and the host always asks each author she interviews about their writing practice. She’s mostly interested in their snack choices. I’m interested in if I will find someone who writes at night. Over 90% have an early morning practice. I just can’t do it. On another podcast (I listen to a lot of them) the host mentioned the concept of your “5-9” before your “9-5.” I certainly have a 5-9 but those hours are not made up of writing.
Although I doubt I will ever exchange AM exercise for writing having my Fridays to focus on just writing is a new and welcomed experience. By 9 am, I’m in front of my computer and focused on my book, and get to do that for the WHOLE day. It’s only been 2 weeks but let me tell you…it’s pretty fantastic! Yes, I’ve had meetings both weeks and have to do some Mom stuff as well but the uninterrupted time is still precious.
So besides not writing in the morning what did I do this week?
I have research questions-YEAH!!!
I’ve often been asked if my first book was from my dissertation. I wish it were but the structure was taken from three long years of writing my dissertation. Those structures cemented into my brain from my USC (fight on!) professors are difficult to shake. I always start any type of research-based article with some guiding questions.
I also developed my request for interviews.
There are five perspectives (superintendent, principal, teacher, student, parent/guardian) that I want to make sure are included in this book and I want to make sure I have a variety of backgrounds and locations represented so I have crafted a request for interviews that I will be sending around to start interviewing.
Finally, I have also been intentional about my reading. I have often heard writers say that they don’t like to read while writing because they worry about unintentionally copying the other author’s work. I get that but it’s not my worry. During the writing of my first book, I read a lot of creative non-fiction. I was influenced by how historical facts mingled with elements of memoirs and interviews. In my mind no one does this better right now than Imani Perry (QUEEN!) with Kiese Layman right behind her. So I read anything that either of them put out. This week I started reading Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine by Uche Blackstock, MD to see how another author does a similar blending. It’s my favorite type of writing. Roxane Gay also does it well. And these modern-day writers were influenced by bell hooks, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and others.
It’s a wrap on week two!