ARCHULETACHISOLM

It’s a Sunday morning. I’m drinking coffee from one of my infamous mugs, enjoying the sun beaming through the window, and waiting for church service to start – on Facebook Live. It’s been the same routine for over a year now, thanks to a global pandemic. I've grown to not complain. The couch has become the place I go to for commune with myself about writing, self-reflection, being a Black woman, and what I am offering to the world. I’ve always wanted to inspire people to find

Being a writer means being able to create even when you’re not inspired. As I always say, inspiration is fleeting. It’s a reaction to something that happens. But if nothing is happening to get you inspired, where does that leave you? With that being said, we can’t sit around waiting for inspiration to hit us over the head. We have to go after inspiration; generate it, harness it, and then make it work on the page. Here are 5 ways that I get inspired to write. Free Write I mak

As an author, one of the most satisfying things is holding your finished book in hand. It never gets old. Many authors simply want to print their book to have a copy of their own, or to share with family. But if you intend to turn your book into a side hustle or a full-time career, understand that it takes another level of commitment. After you’ve poured every ounce of yourself into that manuscript, don’t lose the momentum! Writing your book is just the start of the journey.

I have always loved writing but also perfecting my handwriting. As a kid, I practiced handwriting religiously on endless sheets of loose-leaf paper. The paper had to be free of creases, wrinkles, or any type of imperfection. My pencils had to be sharpened to a fierce point. It was a serious situation! I didn’t realize at that time the amount of solace handwriting gave to me. Handwriting allows me to keep my thoughts flowing and it allows me to process my thoughts and emotions

The difference between good writing and bad writing has nothing to do with skill.

Not all of us writers have the luxury of quitting our day jobs just yet. Here's how to balance your time!

We are writing in challenging times. Sharing some tips on how to keep writing effectively.

When it comes to self-care, writers need to practice it too. Here are 5 ways to care for yourself as a writer.

Have you ever thought about your pen game? Let's talk about pens!

Writers write. The time spent in quarantine has given me a different perspective.

The hard truth about why we fail at our goals.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a fascination with paper and pens. In the beginning, it was loose-leaf, narrow-ruled notebooks. The paper couldn’t have any creases and my pencils had to be extra sharp. Later, I began to write in diaries which I used up pretty quickly. All of my adult life, I’ve collected journals which eventually get written in. In the meantime, they perch quietly on the bookshelf awaiting their turn. Some will get ideas and plans, while others will overf

In 2005, I finally mustered the courage to send my poetry manuscript to a publishing company. I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that I couldn’t put it off any longer. I had been so scared to share my work with anyone other than family. But it was time. After three weeks, I received an email offering me a book contract. I paid a considerable amount of money and eight months later Heaven Knows Your Existence was in my hand. For the next year, my publishing company

Growing up, my Nana wrote the most beautiful poetry. It reflected her unwavering faith in God and belief in all things good. She also wrote speeches that she’d recite in church for various functions. I was about 7 or 8 years old when she bought me a black and white composition book, along with several pencils. Nana told me I could write about anything I wanted. It didn’t take long for me to write poems and stories about family and my beloved stuff animals. My writing was youn

I attended St. Francis Xavier Catholic School from kindergarten through second grade. The adjoining church was shaped like a fish but you could only see it from an aerial view. We trusted that it was the truth and photos later confirmed. Although my mother attended Catholic school as a kid, she didn’t know a lot about the Catholic faith. My parents just wanted the best possible education for me. Can’t blame them for that. My mother bought my shoes from Steve’s and all my whit

Sometimes, when you sit down to write, ideas and words flow – you find yourself in the zone. Other times, it can feel as if you have absolutely nothing to say, and all creativity has left your body. All you want to do is get it back! You search for inspiration in people you love, nature, your favorite books, and even eavesdropping at the coffee shop. Truth is, inspiration rarely comes from the outside world. The muse lives and breathes inside you, inside each of us and you ca

I didn’t realize that I was a writer until I was in my 30’s. Even though I had been writing since I was a child, it was something I did for personal enjoyment. I also thought I had to be published in order to call myself a real writer. So, I continued to look at it as a hobby. What I knew for sure was that writing was something I could not stop doing. It brought joy, peace, and spoke to my spirit unlike anything else ever could. By 2006, I had a collection of poems that spann

I receive many emails from aspiring authors about the publishing process. It can be overwhelming your first time around and there is a lot of information to take in. These days, you can do a Google search and various publishers will come up. Some of them – known as vanity publishers - will promise to do everything for you but won’t divulge many details about price or promotion. Unfortunately, I have been duped by one of these vanity publishers. My hope is to share my story so

Whether you're fed up with what you're doing now or you really want to improve a mediocre existence, you can make an instant decision to change now so that you can enjoy a better, more rewarding life. Sometimes, you just need to act first and reflect later instead of continuing to pile up dreams without doing anything more about them. Changing your life around is a journey, but you can handle it. I suggest writing out what you'd like to change. Think about what's working w