How To Find Your Writer’s Voice When you’re Black and Weird

Stay true to yourself and write your truth

Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

“I’ve never looked at myself and said that I need to be a certain way to be around a certain sort of people. I’ve always wanted to stay true to myself, and I’ve managed to do that. People have to accept that.”

Quoted by Jay Z during a 2010 interview with Men’s Health

I'm an alien, plain and simple.

I’m a walking contradiction. I’m too proper (Too white, too extra, insert dumbass term here) for many black people so I became an outcast amongst my own. At the same time, I’m too dark-skinned to fit in with the white community. I like nerdy topics, I’m eccentric and I’m a walking paradox. It’s easier for people to call you weird when you don’t fit an obvious stereotype.

But most of all, I know how to write and speak well — most people don’t see that coming.

Originally born in Longview, Texas, my southern accent is often masked by my proper speak. Not intentionally. I just have bad perfectionism when it comes to my personal writing. I scan over every mistake and error and as a…