This question was asked by a good literary friend of mine Marc Lacy, http://www.facebook.com/marclacy
http://www.twitter.com/marc_lacy
Make sure you check out his work. He is a true talent and when you hear him lay down his flow you'll understand why he is successful.
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I felt the need to re-post this because it struck a cord in me in where do we see ourselves in the paths we set out to travel.
My literary journey has been interesting to say the least. I know the Lord has plenty more surprises for me. Here are my answers to the question. Please consider your own response and post them here or on your page.
Shout out again to Brother Lacy.
Are you where you anticipated you'd be in your literary career at this point? What are some high points? Disappointments?
Actually I am further a long than my original dreams had allowed me to venture, which tells me I kept a chain around my thoughts and dreams like a dog one tries to keep close to home. However God has pushed me forward because other than being an author, I never saw myself assisting other authors to become self published or speaking at the venues I do.
I have come to meet some tremendous talents in the field of writing, to whom money is only a tool used to get them further along the path they choose. Who offer assistance without a invoice. Plus, I have to tip my cap, to the people from many different faiths who have been open enough to share with me because I share my own beliefs with the world. I have learned so much about my own faith listening and learning from others outside my spiritual walk.
My disappointments;
not listening to others who spoke of personal mistakes and problems in this industry. Not truly learning as much as I could about the business, along with some of the people in it before heading out to sell my wares. I ended up in places where the only one making money was the event promoters while the authors traded books. Equally as disappointing has been the "Hollywood" type behavior from authors of color who seem to act as if they have the game on lock but when you pick up the national papers our names still are not in the New York Times and many other mainstream media yet "We Fancy Huh?"
Viewing such behavior has caused me to shrink down my circles and learn by watching and speaking with a select few of authors and publishers who truly care about assisting others who are coming up behind them, passing them, or who happen to be in front at the moment.
Finally, the last disappointment for me is how poorly genres outside Urban Literature and Urban Erotica are excepted from a culture of people who use to dominate many different art forms. Why do those who don't look like us understand the power of the different genres and even support with purchases and kind words, but our own people seem to have tunnel vision? It saddens me when readers of color will fight harder in debate or flat out refusal to read faith based, educational based, true romantic (non sexual) based or a deep poetic based works, but will support brothers or sisters selling sex or violence blindly? Lord forgive us all.
