Q: What Are You Reading? A: Antiracism Books

(Racism Scale: Where do you fall? source: https://racismscale.weebly.com/)

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." –Stephen King

It is vital for writers to read. The best writing advice I have ever received was to read everything I could. One hundred books of what I wanted to write.

It is important in these times to educate ourselves on the meaning of words. What is individual racism? What is systemic racism? Are we using these words correctly? Do we truly understand what these words mean? Click here for more information on racism definitions and explanations. 

I am still learning, and as a writer, editor, and reader, I read to learn. What are you reading today? Currently on my nightstand are: White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism  by Robin DiAngelo, So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo, and Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad.

There are articles online, book lists, and sources available here to find book titles, authors, and more to learn about #WeNeedDiverseBooks and how to be antiracist. Here are a few.

 

The Antiracist Reading List

35 Must-Read Books About Racism

5 Black Children’s Authors and Illustrators You Should Know

A Diverse #SummerReading List For Kids

1000 Black Girl Books Resource Guide

Black Books Matter

AICL’s Best Books of 2018

Revisions to Racism in Books

28 great Black History Month books for kids

24 Children’s Books to Read to Your Kids In Honor Of Black History Month

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

158 Resources to Understand Racism in America

Books by or About People of African Descent

 

Check out OA’s recent blog posts on how you can support #WeNeedDiverseBooks

 

Authors and Videos of Support #WeNeedDiverseBooks 

Support Black Lives Matter

This blog post is part of a series called Q: What Are You Reading? by Suzanna Anderson on Operation Awesome. Please note that this book list is not comprehensive. This list is a starting point, an introduction to Antiracism titles. Suzanna reads a book and usually finds at least ten more books to read. Use this list as inspiration to check out titles at your local library, support your local bookstores with purchases, or wherever you get your books. Please do read, share, and write reviews (if you want to). Comment below what you’ve read and what you’re excited to read next!

What are you reading?

Have You Turned Off Your Writing Brain?

Source: http://namelessbrowngirl.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/wish-i-could-turn-my-brain-off-sometime/

I love reading. My TBR pile is huge. Getting lost in an amazing story with fabulous characters is always a win. 

While I can do this most of the time, I sometimes find that if I'm deep in writing a WIP then my writing head start to creep in as I read. "Reader brain" is enjoying the story, but then "Writer brain" switches on. This is when I start to think things like:

"Hmm, I'm not sure I'd use that word there."

"What's this character thinking?"

"I'd like a bit more/less detail."

Then I might start to think about the structure of the story. Or about the themes. The voice. Plot threads and how they might weave together. 

And my weird brain goes on. 

I'll admit having these thoughts sometimes makes me feel a bit guilty. I know how flipping hard the author has worked to get the story out in the first place. Still, I sometimes wonder if this is part of my writing brain trying to stay in the zone? They do say that you learn to be a better writer by reading more. 

Or maybe, just maybe, I need to quiet my brain a bit more and just enjoy the story :) 

How about you? Do you sometimes find your writing brain switching on while reading?