Yep, I’m stepping up. I’m a volunteer junkie and yes, leadership doesn’t make my knees shake. I’ve been around RWA all of my pre-professional life and now booming (snort) writing career.

I’ve seen RWA transform. I’ve seen it take a couple steps back. But the vision of recent and, mostly, current leadership has inspired me to put on the thick skin and step up.

And let me tell you - 9,800 opiniated people is pretty daunting. Nothing like being called out on the Internet. Yet, there aren’t too many writing organizations that can say they have a headquarters, can go to bat on an author’s behalf for royalties, and make a social and financial stand with literacy. Hey, stop snickering, I’m practicing sounding presidential.

Of course, just because I declared early doesn’t mean that others won’t step up to either challenge me or right a perceived wrong that RWA has done to them or their careers. But you have to have a big-picture vision or you won’t be able to lead a board of almost 20 women. And thankfully, mentors like past presidents - Shirley Hailstock, Maggie Osbourne, Gayle Wilson, Jill Limber, and current board member Linda Howard (and my fellow board member pals) stepped up and said those words - Michelle for president, and so I’m planning to take the baton later this year.

There’s no electoral college in this game, it surely is all about the individual votes.

Michelle

Michelle, GOOD for you. If you win…I…I’m writing romantic suspense, so I guess I’ll…sheesh, rejoin. But you’ve got to protect me from the rampaging romance hordes!

What do you think about an org for black women’s fiction?  I know some don’t think it’s necessary, but we are completely separate from romance in a practical way (such as Wa–Mart and sharing readers).  I will never step up on that leadership plank again, but it’s the only separate but unequal genre that has no org, no representation, no nothing. Not that I can’t see why. In my experience, folks bogged down with slave mentality can’t pull together. Some might be too busy trying to stab each other in the back and pull each other down to move forward.

But we don’t even have representation WITHIN RWA. I know the history, but damn. We might as well crowd back on the plantation and call it a day.

Monica, if you rejoin, make RWA work for you. It’s an organization of resources that you can go into like shopping at a grocery store, picking and choosing what you use, add to, ignore, and sample to your advantage.

I do agree that black women’s fiction is a different kettle of fish. But (and there is always is a caveat), I would use the resources of the Published Author Network (PAN), rather than the general member services to create such a platform. The group is more concentrated because of its focus, the networks and alliances are in place or can be in place because of its collective power, and frankly, this is the purpose of its creation.

However, if we are not on the PAN Steering Committee or taking an active part when we are there, then it’s easy to be considered out of sight, out of mind. When the workshops are created, but no one shows up, then the question is easily raised - why bother? And I do understand that it may take some time to get ex-members to trust that there is an air of inclusiveness or attempts to be inclusive.

But sadly, Monica, you’ve got to look out for you. Trying to unionize, in the liberal sense of the word, to break down barriers for all is noble, but drains you more than uplifts you. And I’ve been stabbed (by my own) in the back many times before I got a clue. I’ll work for all members, I will make sure that AA needs, which are unique, are given attention, but at the end of the day, each person is responsible for his/her own journey. Under the umbrella of the black diaspora, we are too fragmented in our expectations and our tolerance for what we accept to make sweeping inroads. And when we do, I’m not sure it’s appreciated - not even a “thanks heifer, for paving the way” is expressed.

So that I can end in an upbeat tone - I’m keeping (my) hope alive.

Michelle

You definitely got a point. You have put it all in a very wise nutshell

we are too fragmented in our expectations and our tolerance for what we accept to make sweeping inroads

RWA does have many resources to help the individual author (as does MWA and other orgs).

And networking with the majority can be very fruitful. There is that TNRQ hope too, dang, the MONEY! An aspiration that will have to be done on one’s own, ’cause the sistahs would as soon stab ya as give you the finger on that one.