Belonging: A Black Writers' Convening

Belonging, a convening of brilliant and dedicated Black writers, creates a space for us to connect with, to support, and to invest in one another as human beings and as artists. We strive to dismantle the narrative that only a choice few of us can thrive in this industry, when in fact, we know there is room for all of us. Whether self-published or supported by a major publishing house and everything in between, the convening is an opportunity to share insights on the publishing process, to build a strong network of writers, and to facilitate an environment where mentorship and creative collaborations between writers are fostered and encouraged. Join us for a day filled with thoughtfully curated conversations and panel discussions, and if we may say so, a damn good time.

We can’t wait to see you there.

This event is produced by the Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies. This position honors and draws to campus eminent scholars and practitioners to immerse the university community in debate and scholarship about new media, social change, and power structures. The Chair is an innovative collaboration among the Rutgers Institute for Women’s Leadership, School of Communication and Information, and the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the School of Arts and Sciences.

This event is also produced by The Rumpus and Roxane Gay.

Additional support has been provided by Dr. Brittney Cooper and The RAGE Lab at Rutgers University.

Administrative support is being provided by Nishi Shah and Vanity Gee.

Info: Our opening panel will be a discussion about the current state of Black letters and publishing, as well as the perils and pleasures of writing while Black.

Info: On this panel, writers with publishing ambitions will learn how to go from idea to published book, how to find and work with a literary agent, and how to navigate the process of becoming a debut writer. This session is best for emerging writers and those who have not yet published their first book.

Info: For the mid-career writer, new concerns arise. This panel explores how to sustain a literary career, sell a new book after lackluster performance with a previous book, how to evolve as writer, and how to sustain momentum over the course of what we hope will be a long, vibrant writing career.

Info: In an oversaturated media landscape, finding readers for your book can be a daunting affair. In this session, we’ll discuss the best strategies for marketing and publicizing your book and we’ll also get into what doesn’t work or should be avoided.

Info: Writing is a craft but publishing is a business. In this panel, we’ll be talking about handling the business of publishing, negotiating to be paid what you’re worth, managing new opportunities that come your way when you’ve published a good book, and the challenges of opportunity when our time is finite.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Rutgers Academic Building - East Wing, 15 Seminary Place, New Brunswick, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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