Young, Gifted, Black and British
Enhanced talent
Hi Friends:
Because writer’s block isn’t cured by scribbling a to-do list, this issue includes:
A sip…
Rare is the instance when the muse cannot decide, and that is why there are several Blacklisted options…
“Many times my books are banned by people who never read two sentences.” — Maya Angelou
A shout out…
Apparently, the 31st birthday is significant because it marks a milestone in personal growth, self-reflection, and goal setting. However, some achieve great things before
reaching such milestones; maybe that’s why author, contributing editor, and journalist Yomi Adegoke took a university gap year and started Birthday Magazine.
Named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list (2021) and a GQ Man of the Year honoree, and known for coining the prominent “The Disposable Black Girlfriend” trope, she writes about race, feminism, class, politics, popular culture, and the intersection of these topics –and is the younger sibling of journalist Yemisi Adegoke.
The co-creator and co-host of the wildly successful Slay in Your Lane: The Podcast, she is described as the woman redefining the creative industry. Active since 2013, her writing has been featured in various books and anthologies, and she has been profiled in publications more influential than this space allows.
Her debut, The List, has been translated into eight languages. An instant bestseller, it is being adapted for television, has been nominated for two British Book Awards, and was selected as a Good Morning America book club pick.
A chaser…
About the Authors TV presents, Yomi Adegoke Talks Writing The List
A sentence…
Prompts inspired The List:
“The closer to home, the blinder their eye becomes.”
“But wasn’t that the issue? Why was “not bad” so often good enough?”
“She felt safer when the storm finally arrived than in the calm before it.”
“Would you be okay with other crimes being handled via the court of Twitter?”
“This was what she had always known being with a man to be. Suffering, offset by the pride of having one.”
“It’s just interesting that you’ve been more than happy to talk about the importance of ‘believing women’ until the one time it actually requires personal sacrifice. And by ‘interesting’ I mean ‘total hypocritical fuckery.”
“It was funny, Ola thought briefly, how feminism had swung to now meet patriarchy in the middle, seemingly agreeing that what women wanted was everything to be pink and focused on making them look good.”
“That was the irony; men feared false accusations, but survivors were the ones being wrongly smeared. No matter how much evidence there was to support an allegation, for months afterwards accusers were demanded to #ThinkFirst.”
A snack pairing…
Of Nigerian heritage, Yomi Adegoke was born in East London and raised in Croydon, a borough known for weird dishes, including lamb fries.
A sweet melody…
Known for its varied and rich musical pedigree spanning numerous genres, and venues that have hosted legendary acts, Croydon is also known for the BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology, which nurtured:
A book list…
A few more with psychological thrills:
Yellowface, by R. F. Kuang
One of Our Kind, by Nicola Yoon
One of Us Knows, by Alyssa Cole
The Paris Apartment, by Lucy Foley
All the Sinners Bleed, by S.A. Cosby
The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides
Everyone Here is Lying, by Shari Lapena
The Return of Ellie Black, by Emiko Jean
What a Time to be Alive, by Jade Chang
The Other Black Girl, by Zakiya Dalia Harris
We Are All the Same in the Dark, by Julia Heaberlin
An author freebie…
Magnitude and Bond: A Field Study on Black Literary Organizations
A literary listicle…
Part of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Croydon is the hidden gem hometown of Yomi Adegoke. Its inspiration includes:
The historic Surrey Street Market;
The calendar of diverse events hosted by Boxpark Croydon;
Croydon Palace, the summer residence for the Archbishop of Canterbury;
Whitgift Almshouses, the 16th century remarkable example of Tudor architecture;
The excitement of professional football at Selhurst Park, the home of Crystal Palace F.C.; and
An opportunity to celebrate the history and achievements of Black people in the UK at the Museum of Croydon.
A few useful tips…
On writing psychological thrills:
Distort perception;
Slowly build suspense;
Craft an ordinary protagonist;
End each chapter strategically;
Employ an extremely unreliable narrator;
Logically and unexpectedly twist the plot;
Craft a protagonist prone to internal monologues;
The premise must be life-shattering and presented with a bang;
Moral dilemmas and internal struggles work well with this genre;
Maximize anticipation and dread by slowly building the suspense;
Secondary characters must be believable, flawed, damaged, and interesting; and
The settings must be richly described and can mirror the protagonist's inner turmoil.
A few contests…
Boulevard Short Fiction Contest
Mslexia Women’s Single Poem Competition
A creative reset…
Multi-Date Options
A fee-based accountability/retreat/workshop opportunity…
Single Session
December 7th
It Builds Character: Finding the Heart of Your Story w/ N.K. Jemisin ($50)
Multi-Date Series
November 11th – December 2nd
Dear You: A Generative Series for Love Gushing w/ Melissa Leto & Mayur Chauhan ($175 - $325)
December 6th – December 9th
A few fellowship/grant/scholarship opportunities…
A few freelance opportunities…
American Craft seeks pitches for reported articles, essays, and opinion pieces for the Summer 2026 “Revolution” issue.
Southlands seeks essay and field note pitches on the diverse ways Southerners connect with the natural world.
A few submission opportunities…
AGNI seeks fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art –including translation for Proximity, a Portfolio of Writing and Art by Women of Color.
Current Obsession invites writers to find beauty and (re)generative power in the decaying, slimy, and the grotesque ‘underworld’ that is immensely life-giving.
Foodism seeks features and travel guides.
Solstice Magazine is open to submissions.
Southwest Contemporary is interested in highlighting artists who are examining roads materially and conceptually.
A few sessions & workshops…
November 5th
Contemporary Creative Writing: Nature as a Metaphor for Transformation
November 6th
Fill the Gaps Series #3 - Dialogue and Description Made Simple
Journal of Expressive Writing presents John Muro + Open Mic with 15 Writers
TC Book Talk presents Second Life with Amanda Hess
November 7th
November 9th
Writer Through – Creative Life Writing Workshop w/ Nicola Wren
November 10th
Multi-Date Options
Chinese Writing Workshop 中文寫寫樂
Coping Through Comedy: Biweekly Writing Workshop for BIPOC Femmes
Friday Evening Shut Up & Write! Session
Hope Lives Here! Writing Towards Relief
Journaling Through the Chaos: Own Your Story
National Novel Writing Month Saturday Shut Up & Write! Sessions
Next Chapters Creative Writing Group
A few virtual artist/author/creative events…
November 4th
November 5th
November 6th
November 10th
A few virtual book/script clubs and discussions…
Lattes and Literature: Book Club For Moms
October | Lavender Literary Society: Maia Kobabe x Mey Rude
Reel Reads Collective, Book & Movie Club for Storytellers & Book Lovers
Sip & Flip Book Talks for Women
Spiritual Soul Sisters Book Club
A virtual critical reading group…
Multi-Date Options
November 13th & 17th and December 4th & 11th
And a final thought…
Hi there,
This week marks the beginning of the most expensive time of the year (the holidays), and because it does, this one also includes a plethora of embedded links. If you purchase a book using one or more of them, I will earn a tiny commission.
Take it easy,
