I don’t think of myself as a writer who happens to be black. I think of myself as a black writer.

And when you’re down in the hole， when that moment comes， it’s really okay to feel bad for a little while. Give yourself time to mourn what you think you may have lost but then here’s the key， learn from every mistake because every experience， encounter， and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are. And then figure out what is the next right move.