Kisha Green
What challenges have you faced breaking into Critiquing gets me in the mood to write. So, after
American romance?
I’ve read someone else’s work, it makes me eager to
settle into mine and pick up where I left off. We’re told
not to edit while we write, but I always read what I
It’s been an interesting journey. When I was first
wrote last time. In doing that, I catch the rhythm of the
published, nobody knew who I was and too late,
story, plus my characters’ voices, and the mood and
I realized the importance of a platform. I didn’t
tone of the previous scene.
understand then, that I’d be handling much of the
publicity my book. In my inexperience, I thought the
publisher would have done more.
What has been your proudest literary
achievement?
At the time, I had no advertising budget to attract
readers so I had no choice other than to learn the
ropes. Social media was very helpful in getting me
connected with readers and more experienced writers,
who helped me understand the business. Being part of
online reading groups helped big time, plus reading
oodles of articles on book marketing and promotion.
Over the years, I’ve won several awards for short
stories entered in the Jamaica Cultural Development
Commission’s Creative Writing Competition.
However, I’m really proud of Dissolution, the second
book I sold.
My stories are mainly set in Jamaica, so I looked at I got back the rights and republished it in 2015 and
that as an advantage. Once people tried my books and it continues to sell well. The comments and reviews
realized they could identify with the stories, I gained have let me know my time was well spent on this story
more readers.
about a family thrown in crisis due to infidelity on the
part of the husband. The novel appealed to people in
Describe your writing life. Day or night, quiet or a way I didn’t anticipate and sometimes I think, yeah,
I did that.
noisy and etc.
I write any time of day and developed that habit How has social media helped you in your literary
before I was published. The stories came hard and career?
fast, so I used every available minute—before work,
during lunch, and in the evenings. Now, I still write I’ve learned that social media isn’t the be all and
any time of day, especially when I have a pressing end all of marketing and promotion. It’s a start, but
deadline.
shouldn’t be the only way a writer sustains his or her
Music is a no-no and I also don’t concentrate well career. Being on various networks has been a great
with people talking around me. The odd thing is, way to connect with both readers and writers. I never
with the television running as background noise I get would have met as many people as I’m now connected
plenty of writing done.
to, were it not for the internet and various networks.
NKLC Magazine | 7