Race, Immigration, Sexism, and Writing Novels

 Another contribution found through Los Angeles Review of Books, Write the Book You Want: A Conversation with Angie Cruz by Alex Espinoza

What advice would you offer a young Latina wanting to publish?

First, write the book you want. The story that keeps you up at night. Don’t think about the market and what it may want. What we have learned is that nobody knows what sells or why. So, we might as well just write from our hearts, and read widely so we can be better at telling the story we really want to tell. Then find mentorship and go to places like Kweli, Vona, Macondo, etc., to be read by peers who will hopefully help you write the book you want to write. Once the book is finished, don’t give up on your story. I faced four years of rejections for Dominicana. From small and big presses alike. They all said my book had no market. Or the editors didn’t connect with it. This included a number of POC editors. But I persisted and had a community of friends and an agent who didn’t let me give up. And this is very important — to have a community that steps in when we don’t have the energy to fight for ourselves.

I know the advice is for young Latinas but I wanted to highlight this answer for two reasons:

1. Everyone on the margins of the writing world should take heed to the advice given: keep on writing; and
2. Consider the problems of others who do not look like us to exercise their God-given talents.