Busy Blogger

When I was approached by Dakota Knight to serve as a regular columnist for Blogging in Black, it occured to me, this is the cycle of life.

Busy people stay busy because...they keep taking on new projects.

No doubt in my mind when someone wants something done, they look around to see who's more likely to do it. Are they going to ask the person playing solitaire on their PC or the one running by like their pants are on fire, talking into their cell phone as they rush into a meeting?

Not in spite of my already full plate did I agree to join the blog but because of it. I was honored that Dakota approached me because it made me stop for a second and realize 1) just how busy I actually am.

I know, it sounds weird. I should know how busy I am. After all, I'm me!

2) I'm not just busy for the sake of doing. I am seriously on my grind when it comes to this writing thing. Most days, I'm just too deep in it to recognize.

Truthfully, I keep thinking I'm not doing enough!

But Dakota's email, very casually saying, Hey we're ready to do this thing and thought maybe you'd like to play a part was literally like someone tapping my shoulder and sheepishly asking if I'd mind helping out on Project X as I sprinted past, phone in ear, feet moving a mile a minute so I won't be late for my next engagement.

Oh my God, I'm the pants on fire, cell in ear, rushing to the meeting girl!

Even though I've pared down my obligations quite a bit in the last year since snagging my book deal with Kensington, I've also increased my writing obligations in the name of promotion and staying nimble.

Blogging is among my favorite creative writing exercises. So joining the BIB, a community of literary professionals talking about, what else, the ins and outs of publishing: being published, getting published, and staying published, was a no-brainer.

Be sure to check me out every third of the month.

However, my committment to BIB is more than a promotional outlet. Being a columnist for a collective that shares the African American perspective on writing is important to me.

I think it has something to do with that "each one, teach one," philosophy. It's good karma to reach back and help someone get where you are.

There are definitely some issues that I look forward to seeing addressed by my fellow columnists, perhaps hear a perspective I've not yet thought about or heard. But in its debut BIB has proven what I've known all along: writing is writing is writing, no matter what color you do it in.