Tiffany D. Jackson is the author of ALLEGEDLY (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books).
TV professional by day, novelist by night, awkward black girl 24/7. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Film from Howard University and her Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School University. A Brooklyn native, she is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves with her adorable chihuahua Oscar, most likely multitasking.
Some Thoughts with Tiffany D Jackson
In ways, Tiffany feels like she tripped and fell into this career. But she wanted to be an author since she was four years old. She said she wanted to make books because she didn't know the word author. When she shared this with people as she got older, people discouraged her. This lead her into the direction of film, but even through school, she didn't forget that four-year old-dream. She kept tinkering with her writing.
When Tiffany entered the job force after college, she was still writing. And in 2012 a news story about a teen convicted of murdering a baby sparked her attention, and she started writing. After receiving many rejections in the adult world of commercial fiction, Tiffany was ready to hang it up, feeling all the rejection was too much.
That's when a friend told her words that would change her life: "It sounds like you wrote a young adult novel."
This opened the world of young adult books to Tiffany that she din't know. She hired a development editor, and she create a list of 100 of agents. Out it went, and the rest of history. That book became her debut Allegedly, and Tiffany has been writing full time ever since.
Tiffany tells us all to be obedient to the call and dream because it will never leave you alone.
1. Find a lane and stick to it for a minimum of 2 books
2. Before you start writing, nail your elevator pitch
3. Keep writing, your next book will sell your last book
Tiffany's book Monday's Not Coming is one of the 50 most banned books in America. But she shares she would walk through fire to save one more black child. Banning is just closing the pages the books that kids need.
"Don't we want to arm our kids with knowledge that we were not afforded?"
Tiffany still has hope for us. So here are four things to keep the hope alive:
1. Write books for kids not adults who lack reading comprehension.
2. Do not let the chance of being banned keep you from creating your next masterpiece.
3. "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." -Mr. Rogers
"Your decision to write for children is an honorable one...The books that you write will save lives, so you must write them..You are unshakeable if you are a children's book author."
A standing ovation for powerful words!
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