Writing Co-Lab

For writers entering the industry on the margins or that struggle with social media as “platform", it’s important to talk about how we can create effective narratives around our career/practice, which becomes “marketing ourselves.” This craft talk will look at numerous ways that writers can authentically talk about and market their work online; whether it be finding the right beats to pitch to editors for essay and article ideas, applying to residencies with more ease, creating content for newsletters or videos about the writing life, and how to be attractive to literary agents. By the time writers leave this talk, they will have a set number of resources to effectively market themselves authentically.

About the Instructor

Prince Shakur – author, journalist, podcast host, video maker, and educator – is an unapologetic force in today's literary and cultural landscape. With his thought-provoking articles in prominent publications such as Teen Vogue, Afropunk, Catapult, and Vice, Prince explores the intricacies of queer culture, the impact of police and prison systems, diasporic representations in film, and the captivating inner lives of black icons. Notably, his career has been widely celebrated and recognized by GLAAD, The Hurston/Wright Foundation, and the Society for Features Journalism for his impactful media work.

Student Testimonials

“I didn't know what to expect from this memoir course with Prince Shakur and feel blessed that he gave of his time, attention, and energy to make the course work. He provided detailed feedback that's helping me understand not just why I need to write my story, but also how. He gave generously of his expertise and I witnessed him do the same with other students. Prince is wonderful and I highly rate him for continued courses.” - Joanna F.

“Prince was a pleasure to work with. I have been studying and writing memoir for years. I wasn't expecting anything different than previous training. My expectations were wrong. Prince took us on a journey from our inner workings and thoughts to our responsibility as artists. He helped draw me out of a perspective I'd been stuck on for years and look at my experience through the lens of societal trends and events. I was able to find new ways to build scenes and put a memoir together thanks to Prince.” - Sharon P.