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Hello {{ first name | friends}},
Many of you know that my sister Lisa and I co-founded The Introvert Sisters podcast. That's been on extended hiatus (though watch this space) but we've still be able to have plenty of lives together, both on my What Sharon Said show, and on her Space to Exhale podcast. Invariably, given her activism and mine, we end up talking about themes that are relevant to this newsletter. I've shared a couple of those in the past, and here's another one. This time we discussed the experiences, challenges, and opportunities of being a Black woman author. Here are a few of the insights I shared.
On Why Self-Publishing Matters for Black Writers
“I think it is really important if you are a Black writer, a global majority writer, a writer from an oppressed minority or group to consider self-publishing. Who would not take a book deal if offered? But at the same time, there are a lot of advantages. The publishing establishment is very white. It's very male. Even though a lot of books are published every year, people who share our identity are not making up a large proportion of those books. Self-publishing for me was one way to get my words out there without having to worry about the gatekeepers. There are things you need to do to make your book stand out, but it offers a way into the market for voices that are not often heard and that might not get that book deal. I love it when I see one of my Black siblings getting a book deal, but I’m painfully aware that isn’t the norm.”
On Writing as Catharsis
“Writing is catharsis. You and I have written since we were teens. Not that everything we've written has been shared, but it has always been a way for us to process whatever emotions are going on, what situations we're struggling with. Some of that has made its way into poetry, journal entries, blog posts, newsletter articles, and our books. Sometimes not everything you need to process makes the final cut in terms of publication and sometimes it doesn't need to. Sometimes it is enough that it is written and that you've had a chance to reflect back to yourself in your words."
On Refilling Your Cup
"Definitely, writing about racism takes a toll. The cost is emotional. The cost is the pushback, the gaslighting, wondering why you’re still struggling to pay your bills when you’re talking about something so important that people say they believe in. Over time you learn to find ways to refill your cup a little bit. You learn to step back sometimes. You learn to head down to the beach sometimes. You learn to watch Bridgerton sometimes. Take a break. Take a flipping break.”
On the Decision to Self-Publish
"In terms of going the self-publishing route, by the time I came to write “I'm Tired of Racism,” I had already self-published five or six other books. Some were blog post collections from my “Get Paid to Write Online” blog, others were two different editions of a writing workshop I had delivered, and then “Getting Started in Blogging,” which I updated once. At one point, I considered going with a small indie publisher, a new Black-owned imprint, but after some back and forth, for reasons beyond anyone's control, it didn’t happen. At that stage, it never occurred to me to do anything other than return to self-publishing. I thought, “All right, I tried. Let me do my book.”
I had content ready from my newsletter, so I started putting things together. I included some previously unpublished pieces, assembled everything, made a table of contents, and did some editing. I let people know I was working on it. After spending a year trying to make the other option work, I realized I wanted to get the book out—it needed to be out. I couldn’t take the traditional route, as that would mean waiting another year, 18 months, before publication. I decided to do it myself so the book could come out this year. That was an important consideration."
On The Urgency of Publishing Black Voices
"People might not know the relation between what is going on in the world right now and writing or publishing our own stories. But this is actually a prime time because we're seeing that Black and brown voices and marginalised voices in general are being erased. ... And that is why more and more of us need to publish."
How do these excerpts land with you? I'd love to hear your thoughts. You can catch the full episode on YouTube.
Thanks for reading,
Sharon
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I am an anti-racism educator and activist, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast.
© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2025. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).