"The Art world can be lonely throughout the creating process and its easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, but you have to keep going."
Sade’ Norwood, Chocolate Chip Cookie Connoisseur, Virgo and Long Island Native. Sade graduated from Virginia State University with a BA in English.
B: How did you begin your journey into writing and what was your first ever published piece of work?
S: I had a very vivid imagination as a child, but in the 5th grade, I was tasked with a final project assignment for my English class, where the students had to create a short story. My peers and students were very impressed, and that was the first time I thought about venturing into Creative Writing. In Junior High, and Highschool I would create stories in a notebook, 1-2 Chapters at a time and pass them around. People were excited to read to see what would happen next. I started to feel that I had a gift.
I was first published in Hysteria 3, after winning a Flash Fiction Competition for my piece, Adrift
B: What is the most exciting part of your work?
S: Honestly, the most exciting part are the responses that I get from my pieces. As a Writer, connecting with people is my goal. I want readers to feel something, to become enlightened, after reading my work. When someone tells me that the words that I wrote have impacted them, or they have felt similar to a character I created , is everything to me.
B:Did you choose writing or did writing choose you?
S: I was chosen. I truly believe writing is a Divine Gift. In high school, though my peers knew that I was a writer and was pretty good at it, my teachers had no idea. I was going to school for Medicine, I wanted to become a Dermatologist. I was accepted to Virginia State University for Biology. I went to a Christian HS, where they pray over the Seniors at graduation. One of the Pastors—who did not know me that well—prayed and said, “Your words will be heard all over the world.” When I started College in the August, I immediately changed my major.
B: If there was one thing that you could change about your work, what would it be and why?
S: Editing is my least favorite part. It’s crucial, but if readers accepted the grammatical errors and misuse of commas, completing bodies of work would be a breeze.
B: Any advice for people who want to be an author?
S: Write constantly. Read as much as you can and read various genres. Have confidence and perseverance. The Art world can be lonely throughout the creating process and its easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, but you have to keep going. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
B: What is one tip that you would share with up and coming writers?
S:Write constantly. Read as much as you can and read various genres. Have confidence and perseverance. The Art world can be lonely throughout the creating process and its easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, but you have to keep going. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
B: Outside of writing, what are some things that you do for fun?
S: Movies, I actually enjoy going to the theater alone. Spending time with my toddler and traveling with friends and family.
B: What are topics that you write about, how would you describe your writing style?
S: Love, heartbreak, and self-identity. I don’t subscribe to structure; I love to free write. The Poet, William Wordsworth, describes Poetry as a ‘spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’
My work is true to that definition. My poems are expressions of my feelings, emotions, and imagination.
B: Do you have any pieces of work debuting soon?
S:1st Collection of Poetry – Side Pieces, May1st on Amazon
B:Do you offer classes? (in person or virtually?)
S:November of 2019, I created The Writers Block Cure Workshop. This workshop is a way to cultivate inspiration for content. I instruct the students on ways to find inspiration and how to build content using those techniques.
I will be offering virtual classes. This week, Thursday April 23rd at 4PM through a Creative Collective—ODDFLEX.
April 27- May1st, a local Visual Artist and I, along with the assistance of the Huntington Arts Council and Minority Millennials will be offering free virtual Creative Writing and Art Workshops centered on Mental Health
If people are interested in learning more about you and your work, how can they contact you? Drop email, website and social media links.
Writer's Block Cure Workshop
Sade’ Norwood is a Poet, Fiction Writer, Personal Essayist, and Curator. She was first published in Hysteria 3, after winning a Flash Fiction writing competition, for her piece Adrift. The following year, she was asked to be a Judge for the same competition. She has personal essays published in 21Ninety and Medium. Several poems published in Harness Magazine. Sade’ Self-published Section 1 of a 3-part Short Fiction Collection, Love & Other Miseries available on Amazon.
Her work explores intimate tales of Motherhood, loss, heartbreak, self-identity and love.
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