The Legacy of African-American Writers February 15, 2010
Posted by Carolyn Burns Bass in African-American literature, bestsellers, fiction, multi-cultural fiction, weekly topics, women's fiction.Tags: LitChat, Virginia DeBerry, writers
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February 15-19, 2010
Guest post written by Virginia DeBerry, moderator of LitChat’s African-American Writers week.
Virginia DeBerry
What is African American Literature? Books written by blacks? Books written about blacks? Both? Several years ago publishers concluded that “African American Lit” was a genre, one encompassing all books written by black authors.
The first novel Donna Grant and I wrote two decades ago, Exposures, was published under the pseudonym Marie Joyce, and it had no black characters—zip, zero. The book was about a young Swedish-American heiress pursuing a career as a fashion photographer; our photo was on the back so it was no secret we were black—but what category should the novel go in?
Novels like The Help and The Secret Life of Bees, written by white authors, are largely about black characters and these books are marketed to and read by both blacks and whites, while most of us African American writers struggle to get our work to “crossover” and reach a wider audience. Other than works considered literary fiction, our novels are marketed to and read by people who look like our characters, like us. We know we have white readers because many identify themselves that way in their letters and email. But for the most part, our work rarely crosses the invisible, artificial barrier that keeps our stories separate. Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie spoke eloquently about this kind of literary divide in The Danger of a Single Story at a recent TED.com conference.
Connie Briscoe joins the conversation on Friday as guest host with Virginia DeBerry as moderator. Briscoe is a NY Times bestselling author of eight novels, including SISTERS & HUSBANDS, the recently released follow-up to her 1996 debut novel, SISTERS AND LOVERS. Read more about Briscoe at http://aalbc.com/authors/connie.htm.
Most of the African American writers I know personally are women—and we write contemporary women’s fiction with characters who happen to be black. Ours are stories of struggle and triumph, loss, coping, love, life, lessons learned and not learned—subjects that affect all women. But we are labeled, marginalized by the market, before our books even make it to the shelf of your local bookstore or library. Together we have sold millions of books, but most white readers of women’s fiction have never heard of Connie Briscoe, Donna Hill, Bernice McFadden, Carleen Brice or DeBerry & Grant even though we read Jodi Piccoult, Anne Tyler, Amy Tan, Elizabeth Berg, Adrianna Trigiani and Jennifer Weiner—you get the picture.
Though I must admit to being thrilled in discovering a recent article on Savannahnow.com comparing our last novel, What Doesn’t Kill You (along with half dozen or so other women’s fiction authors) to the work of Anita Shreve. On the flip side, a few weeks ago Chicklit Club listed their Ultimate 100 reads. One novel out of one hundred was by a black writer—Terry McMillan‘s Waiting to Exhale—which was published back in 1992.
What actually comprises diversity in publishing and marketing is a conversation African American authors have been having quietly, among ourselves, for many years. This fall, Bernice McFadden’s piece on Galley Cat Seg-Book-Gation, my written in frustration Open Letter to Oprah Winfrey about the plight of mid-list black authors, the one year anniversary of Carleen Brice‘s blog Welcome White Folks, Rebecca TheBookLadysBlog on An Invitation to Dialogue on Diversity in Media after the Salon.com article about the “whitewashing” of yet another book cover, and young book bloggers like Reading in Color have shed more light on this issue—but not nearly enough. A look at the Publishers’ Weekly cover for their New Books and Trends in African American Publishing issue and the furor it sparked, speaks to the power and influence of perception.
When I first hosted LitChat in March of last year, the topic we selected was Beyond Black and White–Writing in Color. Because I had become somewhat of a LitChat regular at that point and had been a vocal part of many discussions, I was surprised to discover that during that week, attendance dropped significantly and the make up of the chatters changed dramatically—by race. Who knows who’s “lurking” in the chatroom, but usually there are only a handful of black participants who make themselves known. I never mind my minority status, never think it matters, there are very few men in attendance as well. Besides—we who are LitChat regulars are present because we share an interest in books, writing and writers. Right?
That week, however, chats were largely populated by black chatters (many not seen since); there were only a handful of non-African Americans present and accounted for. While our discussions were lively and evocative, we were once again having a conversation among ourselves, about a topic we know all too well—we were preaching to the choir. The following week LitChat returned to its regular demographics—without fanfare or comment. Did the regular LitChat folks think the subject didn’t apply them and their reading habits? Did the blacks who did drop in feel welcome because of the topic but unwelcome/uncomfortable at other times? Is race and racism still on the taboo topic list? Was everybody just busy?
Next week on LitChat let’s discuss possible reasons for this puzzling literary dichotomy, explore African American writers (note I didn’t say “literature”) more fully and see where the conversation takes us.
Virginia DeBerry is the online persona and tweeting half of the writing team of DeBerry & Grant, author of seven novels. Their latest novel, Uptown, will be published by Touchstone/Simon&Schuster in March.
LitChat 
Ms. DeBerry,
Great article. While I certainly know who you are, I didn’t know about Lit-Chat. That young women you mentioned is an active member of Color Online and I am so glad, Ari found me because I had been searching desperately for a POC teen like her. Okay, that may sound off-topic but Ari and our circle of bloggers are committed to having the same kind of discussions you’re having here.
I won’t be a stranger now that I’ve made my way here and I hope you accept my invitation to share your voice with us. I respect and admire what you’ve done.
Wishing you continued success,
LaTonya
Founder
Color Online
Excellent post. That’s sad but I suppose not too suprising, that regular LitChat participants disappeared during the talk you had on race and Black lurkers came out of the shadows. I was told about this week’s LitChat (I hadn’t heard of the organization previously) because the commentator thought I might be interested in this week’s topic. But I think I may stick around even after this topic is done. I completely agree that talking amongst ourselves gets us nowhere because it is preaching to the choir, we are all equally frustrated (although as new teen blogger I’m constantly emailing/Tweeting my astonishment over various comments and posts that scream “RaceFail!”, such as posts that claim to be “color-blind” and don’t get the big deal of whitewashed covers, etc. I’m learning to take it all in stride though.
And I’m so tired of Seg-Book-Gation. Ugh! It’s so frustrating because either all books by African Americans and about AAs need to go in the section or they should just get rid of it (I’m rooting for the latar). Sometimes I will randomely find a YA book in that section, even though it’s marketed to adults (the AA section doesn’t exactly invite teen readers). It’s so frustrating how they limit black authors and white readers who may not think to go to the AA section or just don’t want to.
Thank you for the shoutout 🙂
Thanks so much for the comments LaTonya & Ari. Glad to meet you both and I/we hope for a continued dialogue as we all strive to stop the “RaceFail” posts and see what we can do to enlighten (pun intended) readers of every stripe and hue.
BTW young readers (age range of our readers has been 13-90) have particularly enjoyed two of our books- Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made, and Better Than I Know Myself-because for a good part of each novel, the characters are teens.
Thanks again for the support!
Hey Virginia,
Love both your post and your ongoing presence in LitChat. Why? Not because of anyone’s race, but because you are interesting, as are all writers. That is why, when possible, I show up at LitChat: to discuss the industry with others who roam in it. LitChat=MY PEEPS! LitChat exchanges make me think, knock me for a loop and broaden my horizons. I feel we are an open, affirming and welcoming group, especially to newbies.
I can only speak for me, a quasi LitChat regular (travels and deadlines), but I was both on the road and under deadline that week, unable to attend. Not the first week I’ve missed, and I’m sure not the last. Not all days/weeks have great attendance. Seems we often hear, “Where is everybody?” I know the time I moderated (don’t even remember the topic), I thought, Is it me that kept them away? Sometimes (not all times, but sometimes) it’s just the way things go. Time and tides.
Personally, it always bothers me to have to miss LitChat. Banter is lively, discussions are enlightening and never lack humor (you’re good at that!), and I always feel better informed about my industry. I’m convinced that every time I have to miss, it’s The Best Discussion Ever, which makes me so grateful for the logs. I don’t want to be ill informed on important industry topics.
What is curious to me–more so than that week’s attendance seemed down, because it often is– is your statement that more black voices stepped up that week. YAY! But where have they been? (You wonder too.) Were they only interested in chiming in that week *because of the topic ? I hope not!
All writers do the same thing: butt in chair, head in the outline or air, and we write. We struggle. We chew on topics, indulge in pity parties, fill with elation after writing a good scene, scream with frustration, torment with deadlines, celebrate new releases, and most of us wonder, Where is the money? Still, we can’t help but write. We must.
I’d love to see the Af-Am writers who attended your week of discussion regularly join in the LitChat discussions. We need to stand TOGETHER. Help us get to know you, African American writers. The more I get to know writers, the more I want to read their work. The more we all read, the more we talk about what we read, the more we up *everyone’s audience.
(LitChat costs me. Among others, Uptown and What Doesn’t Kill You are now on my list. The Tsar’s Dwarf is now on my list. Why? Because interesting writers show up and chime in. :))
I agree with you. A good story is a good story. A good book is a good book. A good conversation is a good conversation. Writers UNITE! Perhaps there is a sense of “preaching to the choir” because there’s not enough preaching to (joining in with) the rest of us when we gather? Along with talking, as you said, “quietly, among ourselves,” en mass, join in the greater discussions too. We want and need to hear from you, so speak up–on all topics!
One week might not tell us anything about future possibilities, but oneness can change a lot of things!