Joelle Wellington grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Her love of the written word led her to a B.A. in Creative Writing and International Studies. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading and when she’s not doing that, she’s attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-like pop culture knowledge. Today she is on the podcast to discuss her debut novel, Their Vicious Games...
Nov 01, 2023•55 min
We're talking about character development this week y'all! Because one of the things I get asked a lot as a developmental editor, is to look at how characters are presented on the page, how they come across, and how they grow throughout the story. So, I figured I'd share some tips on how to create believable characters. Book a session with me: https://calendly.com/writteninmelanin/coaching-60-mins *This video originally released on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uIXRJUWUoAQ Support the show - Purchas...
Oct 25, 2023•13 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Jessica Cage is an International Award Winning and USA Today Best-Selling Author of over thirty published books, host of the More Than a Plot Point Podcast, and mentor to indie authors across the world. Born and raised in Chicago, she's always been in love with writing and the art of crafting worlds. And for over a decade, Jessica has a following of readers and writers alike waiting to see what she does next. The Eldritch Tria...
Oct 11, 2023•51 min
Everyone's Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Aleema Omotoni is a British-Nigerian author. She writes novels that center Black teens coming of age, falling in love, and navigating all kinds of contemporary and fantasy worlds. She loves musical theatre, astrophysics and rainy autumn days. https://linktr.ee/aleemawrites https://melaninlibrary.com/books/7851 Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmelanin.c...
Sep 27, 2023•55 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Neka Marie is a speculative fiction author with a love for sugary snacks, too many activities, and is involved with too many fandoms. She is a former army brat, "retired" martial artist, and not-so-former-or-retired horsegirl with an affinity for holding onto random bits of knowledge. Over the years, Neka Marie has worn many hats and you may have spotted her a couple times on your TV screens depending on what streaming service...
Aug 30, 2023•1 hr 11 min
One of the things I've very fortunate to be able to say is that I'm a full time author. It's the dream (and / or goal) for a lot of authors, but I'll be the first to warn (and admit) that working for yourself isn't the easiest thing in the world. With all the time in the world, it becomes difficult to decide how to make the most of it. So, today I'm sharing a few things to keep in mind for managing your time as an author. Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmelani...
Aug 23, 2023•17 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with the author MultiMind. She writes books that are fairly Black, usually queer, and very much embedded in the world of Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror. Her short fiction has previously appeared in Nightlight Podcast. Her works include Dreamer, Kinetics and The Glassman. MultiMind Publishing The Glassman (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/product/w...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 3 min
I was talking with someone recently, and they brought up the idea of judging a book by its cover. And we've all been warned against doing that but, as I've spent more time in this publishing world, I've learned that I disagree with that statement. As controversial as it may sound, I think you should judge a book by its cover and, when necessary, I think you should DNF books too. Especially if you're a self-published author. https://melaninlibrary.com/books/7907 Support the show - Purchase We Are...
Aug 02, 2023•24 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with the author Celeste Harte, who is out here making worlds and taking names. She writes books, does professional illustrating under her alter ego, Becky Brown, and even makes video games. Today, she joins me on the podcast to discuss a controversial topic in the writing world: the use of AI as a tool to write books. Join us as we discuss ChatGPT, what it really does, and how it can be useful for self-publishe...
Jul 19, 2023•53 min
I asked you guys what you'd prefer the next episode of the podcast to be about and y'all chose to break down the differences between Amazon and IngramSpark, so that's what we're here to discuss! It's a question that a lot of authors ask, so I'll tell you guys what I know. But the short answer is this: you need both. Sponsored book: https://melaninlibrary.com/books/8008 ISBN link: https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/isbn/buy-isbn Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin:...
Jul 05, 2023•28 min
Welcome to episode #38. Lately, I've been focused on my own writing and a large part of that for me right now is rewrites. It's the bane of many writer's existence -- why can't our first drafts just be perfect? But, the reality of it is that writing is, essentially, rewriting. But it can also lead down a rabbit hole of never completing a work. So, today we're talking about when, why, and how you should be rewriting your story. - The Wraith (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are ...
Jun 07, 2023•28 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with Michael LaBorn! He is an author, publisher, bookish content creator, and internet thorn in the side of major publishing companies. You may know him from TikTok (that's where our paths crossed!), or from his monthly indie book subscription box, which he uses to fight for indie authors of color by teaching American readers what actual inclusion looks like. - Subscriptions | DYB Publishing Support the show - ...
May 03, 2023•56 min
Welcome to episode #37. I asked on the internet if y'all wanted to know why I had to fire my editor or if y'all wanted me to break down how to differentiate feedback on your story, and y'all chose the topic of feedback! So, here we are. Let's discuss how you can separate your beta reader feedback into useful criticism vs. a reader's personal taste. Heads up! This episode was recorded in the car, so the audio quality may not be as crisp as usual. Apologies in advance! Curse (melaninlibrary.com) S...
Apr 19, 2023•27 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast! Today I am here with Liselle Sambury. She is the author of Blood Like Magic, Blood Like Fate, and the recently released Delicious Monsters. Her work spans multiple genres from fantasy to sci-fi to horror and more. She also a successful YouTuber, sharing helpful tips for upcoming writers and details of her publishing journey on her channel, which is dedicated demystifying the sometimes complicated business of being an author. -...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Welcome to episode #36. I talk about my husband, Ben, all the time and how he is my Primary Feedback Provider (PFP) and a vital part of my author journey. So, in this episode, he joins me on the podcast to talk about what that means, how to find a PFP for yourself, and the rules we have in place to make sure this aspect of our relationship works. Spoiler alert: you need someone who's not afraid to hurt your feelings lol. - Kinetics (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are the Orig...
Mar 15, 2023•29 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today, I am here with Audra Russell. A native Jersey girl living in Maryland, she is a blogger, freelance writer, podcaster and published author. Inspired by the late Gil Noble and his television program, Like It Is, in 2020 her search for fiction books by Black authors led her to create her own talk show in the form of the Between the Reads podcast. And today, she's joining me on the podcast to discuss what it's like to be an...
Mar 01, 2023•57 min
Welcome to episode #35. Since I'm in the midst of my own publishing journey with Book 2 of my Wrath of the Gods series, I figured I'd share a few of my tips for self-publishing your books. These are going to be my less common tips — the things that help but no one ever really talks about. - Welcome to the Sick Mind of a Sane Person (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/product/wato-hardback Purchase We Are the Origin LIMITED EDITION:...
Feb 15, 2023•23 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today, I am here with Antoine Bandele. He is an author who lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend and cat. He is also a YouTuber, producing work for his channel “Antoine Bandele”, an audiobook engineer, and a publisher. Whenever he has the time, he’s writing books inspired by African folklore, mythology, and history. And today, he's joining me on the podcast to discuss Black fantasy, sequels, and what it's like supportin...
Feb 08, 2023•46 min
We have officially crossed the threshold into 2023. And since the new year brings us a fresh 365 days to work with, it generally comes with new resolutions for a lot of people as well -- especially writers. So, if you've decided that this year is the year that you're going to write your book, then now would be a good time to discover -- or Rediscover -- what your productivity looks like. - Kill the Beast (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmel...
Jan 25, 2023•27 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today, I am here with Akindele and Nadine Decker. Akindele is a poet, writer, and historian, while Nadine works for a charity and is studying for her Masters of Science in Organizational Psychology. Together, they have written two children's books that preserve the folktales of their grandfather and share the rich history surrounding it. And today, they are joining me on the podcast to discuss the importance of preserving our ...
Jan 11, 2023•36 min
Welcome to episode #33 If you follow me on TikTok then you'll know that I asked the question: what does success look like for you? It's something that my author friends and I discuss all the time and it's something that I always recommend my clients define for themselves. So, let's talk about it. What does success look like as an indie author? - The Fall of Souls (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/product/wato-hardback Purchase We...
Dec 21, 2022•32 min
Today, I am here with Sheldon Theragood, the author of "Whatever It Takes, Walking Through God's Purpose". After realizing that playing basketball on the collegiate and professional levels was not in God's plan for him, he went on to become a police officer, youth mentor, and advocate. He encourages young people to set goals in their lives, have a plan, and to diligently seek what it is that God has planned for them. His non profit organization, TheraGood Deeds, provides mentoring, counseling, a...
Dec 07, 2022•44 min
In episode 31 I shared with you guys a few tips I had on giving characters, CHARACTER so that they feel real to the reader. I was planning to move on to a different topic for this week's episode, but since I can't stop thinking about it, let's talk some more about it lol. Here are some of my favorite tips on how to differentiate your characters in a story. - Where There is Smoke, There is Fire (melaninlibrary.com) Support the show - Purchase We Are the Origin: https://www.writteninmelanin.com/pr...
Nov 23, 2022•24 min
Today, I am here with Joya Goffney. She is an author from New Waverly, a small town in East Texas. In high school, she challenged herself with to-do lists full of risk-taking items like ‘hug a random boy’ and ‘eat a cricket,’ which later became the inspiration behind her debut novel, Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry. With a passion for Black social psychology, she moved out of the countryside to attend the University of Texas in Austin, where she still resides. And today, she's joining me on the podca...
Nov 09, 2022•37 min
As writers, we are tasked with creating worlds from nothing and that can be overwhelming. In the midst of creating worlds, lore, locations, and cultures, it can be easy to let the characters who live in them become an afterthought. But, they are the heart of the story and it's imperative that they feel real to the reader. So, today, I'm sharing what I've learned about writing characters who are interesting, well-developed, and real. - Mahr: Book One by Erin Wakefield (melaninlibrary.com) Support...
Oct 19, 2022•27 min
Today, I'm here with Morgan Lee, a multi-genre indie author. Her book, Seed Among the Thorns, is the first book in her young adult dark fantasy trilogy. A lover of imaginary worlds, the smell of ink on a page, and spinning in the wind, Morgan has been writing since the age of six and has always dreamed of being an author. You can always find her on her YouTube channel where she hosts productivity streams, shares her writing journey, her life, and anything else that inspires her. And today, she's...
Oct 05, 2022•40 min
Welcome to episode #30. Complete transparency here: today's episode was going to be on a completely different topic. But, it was heavy on my mind to talk about time and being patient with yourself and your process, so here we are. - Links: https://WrittenInMelanin.com/links Purchase We Are the Origin: https://payhip.com/b/osSWm Support Chelsea and the podcast: https://Patreon.com/CMLockhart Check out the Melanin Library: https://MelaninLibrary.com Music by Akia DaGreat Support the show - Purchas...
Sep 21, 2022•22 min
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today, I'm here with the amazingly talented Jennifer Bush-Harris. She is a blogger and an indie author from St. Louis, Missouri. An alumni of University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the mother of 2 teenage daughters. She is currently compiling her portfolio to pursue her MFA, and when she's not writing, she enjoys road trips, baking, and film noir. And I'm also going to throw in that she is the host of the Writer's Block Podcast...
Sep 07, 2022•47 min
Welcome to episode #29. One of the things that I absolutely love about writing fantasy is that you get to create the world. You can imagine a world that is whatever you want it to be, and for me, that is so fun. I'm not going to claim to be a master, but I am incredibly proud of the world I built for my own fantasy novel, We Are the Origin. So, today, I'm sharing a few things to keep in mind if you're starting out with worldbuilding for the first time. - Links: https://WrittenInMelanin.com/links...
Aug 24, 2022•29 min
Welcome to episode #28. So, one of the things I always try to make clear on the podcast and my platforms, in general, is that while I love books, I love writing, I love the written word in general, I don't read as much as I used to. It's not necessarily something I'm either proud or ashamed of -- it's just a fact of my current life. I love to read, but because I read for work, sometimes I just don't have it in me to read for pleasure. That being said, when I do read for pleasure that are certain...
Aug 10, 2022•34 min
