EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL – Writing in Color: The Lessons We’ve Learned

You’ve never read a book about writing and the publishing industry like this! In WRITING IN COLOR: THE LESSONS WE’VE LEARNED, 14 contributors share essays detailing their experiences as marginalized authors in the young adult publishing industry. It’s about craft. It’s about community. It’s about so much more that must not be spoiled, as the anthology releases next summer. But we’re excited to share the cover for the anthology, which is edited by Nafiza Azad and Melanin in YA’s own, Melody Simpson. Check out the synopsis below before scrolling down to the beautiful cover!!!

Release Date: August 22, 2023

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

ISBN-13: 9781665925648

Jacket Design: Sonia Chaghatzbanian

Rethink the way you approach writing in this revolutionary and informative new anthology from fourteen diverse authors that demystifies craft and authorship based on their experiences as writers of color—perfect for fans of Fresh Ink and Our Stories, Our Voices.

So, you’re thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you’ve written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you’re a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there’s a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right place: this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.

Perhaps you’re just getting started. Here you’ll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first draft: what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.

Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.

Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.

Are you ready to see this gorgeous cover? Here it is!