NADIA DAVIS

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

21 YEARS OLD

Romelia: WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR ARTISTIC PROCESS?

Nadia Davis: The most challenging part of the artistic process to me is ensuring that I only include needed information. Knowing what information to have or remove can be difficult when ensuring that you convey your point.  The other thing that I found most difficult was the editing process.  Once I completed the manuscript, which was stressful in itself, rereading from start to finish to make corrections and clarify statements was difficult.

Romelia: DOES YOUR FAMILY SUPPORT YOUR CAREER AS A WRITER?

Nadia Davis: Yes, my family is supportive of my writing career.

Romelia: IF YOU HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY AS A CHILD OR TEENAGER TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER AS AN ADULT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Nadia Davis: In Jr. High and High School, I experienced some incredible English/Language Arts/Literature teachers. Mr. Clark was my first African American male teacher; he told the best stories; I remember that he ate graham crackers and grape jelly. In High School, Mrs.Rambo and Mrs.Coats were relentless.  If I had to do something different, I would be a better student; I would have listened more and talked less, I would have attempted to put fewer coins in Mrs.Rambo’s jar as anytime we used incorrect verbiage or misquoted, we were required to feed the jar. Mrs. Rambo is consistently in my head, walking around the class with the most sarcastic look on her face and the most   defeated tone of voice as she stated, “It’s a saaaaaaad hour.”

Romelia: HOW LONG ON AVERAGE DOES IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE A BOOK?

Nadia Davis: With constant work and a plan, a book can be written in as little as 90 days. However, life happens. For some, it may take years to complete a book.

Romelia: DO YOU BELIEVE IN WRITER’S BLOCK?

Nadia Davis: Yes, I believe that it is possible to have writer’s block just as people can get into a “rut” in any other profession.

Romelia: AT WHAT POINT DO YOU THINK SOMEONE SHOULD CALL THEMSELVES A WRITER?

Nadia Davis: I believe that someone should be able to call themselves a writer whenever they want to. If you write and think that you are a writer, who am I or anyone else to decide that they are not? I believe that the world would be a much happier place if we let people be who they want to be without judgments or criticism, especially if they do not hurt anyone.  

Romelia: WHAT DIFFERENCE DO YOU SEE BETWEEN A WRITER AND AN AUTHOR? 

Nadia Davis: I believe that writers become authors once they are published.

Romelia: HOW DO YOU PROCESS AND DEAL WITH NEGATIVE BOOK REVIEWS?

Nadia Davis: There are very few things that you will do in life that will be liked by everyone.  My grandfather used to say that “If you don’t want people to say nothing, then do nothing!”

Romelia: WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR WRITING PROCESS?

Nadia Davis: The most challenging part of the writing process is gathering my thoughts to make sense to others. 

Romelia: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING OR WHEN DID YOU START?

Nadia Davis: I have been for years; however, I never considered publishing or writing as a career until the 2020  quarantine. 

Romelia: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A WRITER WORKING ON THEIR FIRST BOOK?

Nadia Davis: My advice would be to make a plan, stick to the schedule, and write consistently.  On the days you feel that you have writer’s block, write about your favorite things or something that has been bothering you, you will be surprised how just writing anything helps.  In some cases, reading helps, even if it’s just short stories. Always jot down your thoughts. If you are walking in a store and have an idea, go to your notes on your phone and write the thought to have it when you get home.

Romelia: WHAT, TO YOU, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING?

Nadia Davis: A few critical writing elements know your audience and subject matter, correct grammar, and punctuation.  Another important feature is writing with clarity. 

Romelia: WHAT COMES FIRST FOR YOU – THE PLOT OR THE CHARACTERS – AND WHY?

Nadia Davis: For me, the plot and subject matter comes first.  My writing is mostly nonfiction;  the project’s objective and overall point that I am trying to make is what comes to me first. 

Romelia: HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUR PLOT AND CHARACTERS?

Nadia Davis: Writing nonfiction, I usually try to use the most relevant, unknown, and exciting information about the subject and the characters/people I have decided to include.

Romelia: WHEN DID YOU FIRST CALL YOURSELF A WRITER?

Nadia Davis: I only considered myself to be a writer when My book was published.

Romelia: HOW DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN AUTHOR?

Nadia Davis: I use social media for marketing the book, network with other authors, and learn about events for authors.

Romelia: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE PART OF PUBLISHING?

Nadia Davis: The favorite part was learning the publishing process and designing the book cover, and my least favorite was the editing process.

Romelia: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO AN AUTHOR WHO WANTED TO DESIGN THEIR OWN COVER?

Nadia Davis: Have fun and take your time.

Romelia: HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN AND WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE?

Nadia Davis: This is the first.

Romelia: WHAT PART OF THE BOOK DID YOU HAVE THE HARDEST TIME WRITING?

Nadia Davis: The introduction because I did not want to give away the contents of the book.

Romelia: WHAT PART OF THE BOOK WAS THE MOST FUN TO WRITE?

Nadia Davis: The whole book was a joy to me being my first.

Romelia: WHICH OF THE CHARACTERS DO YOU RELATE TO THE MOST AND WHY?

Nadia Davis: My book is a nonfiction book. I relate to all of the People of Color mentioned in the book because I have experienced discrimination. I have also seen first hand how the Criminal Justice System treats people of color.

Romelia: IF YOU’RE PLANNING A SEQUEL. CAN YOU SHARE A TINY BIT ABOUT YOUR PLANS FOR IT?

Nadia Davis: The sequel will include more insight into the criminal justice system and the biases in the system.

Romelia: TELL US SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT YOUR ADULT LIFE.

Nadia Davis: As good as I am at helping people figure out their own messes, I sometimes have no idea how to deal with my own. 

Romelia: describe yourself in a few sentences. Tell us something we do not know about you and something you hate about the world.

Nadia Davis: I have worked hard to become the person that I am.  I try to limit the amount of influence that outside forces have on my life.  I am passionate about advocating for people to create their sense of self. I enjoy helping clients cultivate their  happiness and not limit themselves by the boundaries created by others. Something you don’t know is that I’m a wanderlust. What I hate about the world is people’s need to criticize, judge, limit, and control others. I also hate discrimination as this is criticism and judgment at it’s absolute worst.