Twenty Practical Lessons From Little Black Book

Ladies, the writer's block has been real! I've been feeling quite uninspired, and the continued travelling for work is not helping much either! Anyhoo, I have been reading Litte Black Book by Otegha Uwagba on and off, and thought I'd share a few lessons I picked up with you.

It's not entirely ground breaking however it is filled with a lot of wisdom to help you navigate through your career as a creative. It covers everything from networking and building relationships, to money management to the wise words of other inspirational women.

Overcoming Writer's Block & Life Lately

You're probably expecting this to be a helpful post detailing how to best overcome writer's block. But it isn't. The truth is I've been struggling with creating content. I have been feeling very uninspired and tired lately, and even for somone who professes to have all the tricks up her sleeve when it comes to finding blog material, my creativity is seriously suffering. 

So I've just decided to share a few updates about what is currently happening in Madeline's world. 

My Biggest Blogging Regrets | A Walk Through My Blogging History

If you've followed me from the beginning, you'd know by now that I have been an on-and-off blogger for the best part of ten years. It's part of my story. Thankfully it has been more on than off in the last three years.

Despite my long expereince as a blogger, I can't help but feel that there are some things I could have done to earn me more success. In as much as I love doing this thing, I haven't always put my all into it. This is probably the most transparent I have been with you so far, but I think it's time I shared my biggest blogging regrets.

Here goes.

Five Inspirational Books by Black Women to Help you Get Ahead in Life.

I was speaking to a friend this weekend  about some of the latest happenings in her office. 

"Madeline, last week was a strange week at work", she said. I asked her to delve deeper, and her summary was that within the course of five days, a few unexpected announcements had quickly been followed by a few 'movements' in her  team. Old faces went. New ones were introduced. Everything turned around in just one week. 

Our conversation printed three major lessons in my mind. 

1. Chase your dreams. At (almost) all cost
2. No one should ever feel so attached to a company to move on.
3. People in authority put their friends on (thus tightening the already narrow access to progress for everyone else).

Book & Event Review | Don't Touch My Hair

One evening last month, I was sat in the basement of  Waterstones in London's Gower Street, having been invited to hear Emma Dabiri speak about her debut book, Don't Touch My Hair. I knew I was in for a treat having previously attended an event at the same venue (for the launch of Michelle Obama's Becoming).

On the evening of the event, a flustered me practically fell through the doors almost twenty minutes late.  But my fraught nerves were quickly soothed by a friendly host. The atmosphere was calm yet engaging. I was offered a glass of wine as I found a seat to settle in. 

What Is Good Record Management?

If there is something I've learned from blogging and freelancing, it's organisation. I remember back in November 2016 when I was a fresher to the copywriting game. I had acquired my first client so went about designing and sending out my first welcome pack, contract, and invoice (before I discovered PayPal invoices). I relied on the fact that all could just be stored on email, until a minor dispute ensued over the terms of the contract. It was only then I learned the value of having all documents properly saved classified by client rather than having to trawl through emails just to prove a point. I also learned a big lesson in confirming by email any agreements made on the phone.

Book Review | Queenie

Meet Queenie Jenkins, the heroine and protagonist of the self-titled, Queenie. She's black British, twenty-something, and hails from South London. She's from a Jamaican family, works as an underpaid journalist, and most pivotal to the story, has just been dumped by her posh white boyfriend, Tom.

If there was ever a protagonist, more flawed, and more f****d up, yet more relatable, she would be Queenie.