For some time now, I’ve been attempting to cultivate writers of color here at Black Girl in Maine. I have had some contributors, but lately, life seems to be interfering, either with other obligations on their part or writer’s block. So, I’m putting out a new call for writers. The more, the merrier (within reason; I’m still a small but scrappy operation).
Best thing (well, one of them anyway): I pay. While I certainly hope you get plenty of exposure, I don’t (as many other sites do) pay in exposure. I don’t pay in hits/page views. I pay you a flat fee when you hand in the post and I deem it appropriate to post on BGIM.
Sure, I pay a small amount right now. As BGIM the blog works its way toward being BGIM Media and I add podcasts and such, I plan to bring in more income, and thus pay more to writers. But again, I do pay something…that exposure won’t buy you any groceries or gas.
Now, I know there are plenty of fine white writers out there, penning stuff on race. And I have one here already, An Average White Guy. That’s important, because this space is for white people and people of color. It is a place of education for both, and support/encouragement of both. I’ve long said that white people need to reach out to other white people, and that’s why I have An Average White Guy.
But beyond that, I need writers of color. Black ones. Latinx ones. Native American ones. You name it. Sure, I’m probably partial to those three mostly and likely in that order, but I am not trying to make this place monochromatic in a non-white fashion. I want to promote many voices of color.
And while anti-Black oppression and systemic racism are my forte around here, I also want to see intersectionality with issues like class, gender, sexuality, religion and more.
UPDATE/CLARIFICATION: No, you don’t have to be a New England-based person to write for BGIM…my readership goes well beyond the Northeastern United States.
Interested? Drop me a line, shoot your best shot and email me at blackgirlinmaine@gmail.com