Novelist Octavia Butler wrote, “First, forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable… Habit will help you finish and polish your stories.” In this craft talk and interactive workshop, writers will reckon with their writing habits and writing goals, reflecting on what works and what needs updating. We’ll share approaches and tools to help us (re)design and (re)commit to our creative practice with sustainability and accountability in mind. Workshop includes writing prompts, discussion, and resources for writers.
The workshop, Octavia Taught Me, invites writers to think about their approaches to craft, but also to their writing goals and systems of accountability, which encourages exploration of career and community as a Black literary artist. (Re)visiting the inimitable Octavia E. Butler’s work as a portal into how we can better commit to personal, professional, and creative elevation in our own work speaks directly to the themes of entrepreneurship, Black joy/wellness (as we want to design approaches that uplift and affirm us as artists, individuals, and community members), and Black writing legacy.
