HBO Access Writing Fellowship Submission

 I tried to do the HBO Access Writing Program Submission: But something happened with the site and then all kinds of other complications. So, I was not sad, just looked at it as, it was not meant to be. However it was a great experience because it was a writing exercise to answering their question "How has your background influenced your story telling?" I enjoyed writing about it. Please see below:

How Has Your Background Influenced Your Story Telling?

The question was raised; how has your background influenced your storytelling? The answer is simple, my family and friends, television, elementary school and my imagination. As a child, my family always shared stories of plenty, experiences were many and that was quite exciting to me. Because, if you knew my family, you’d know that no story is boring, for animation and demonstrations play a big part in delivery. It was then I learned that there were different types of fun and intensity when it came to furnishing a narrative.  

So, when I began elementary school, turns out, writing was apart of me, actually it’s who I am. I won a few essay contests and it was there I honed my aptitude of combining my animated yet fun inherited personality with the ability to create pictures with words. An illustrational art form I’d manifest on paper. My own experiences with friends in and out of school while growing up were memorable and as those moments passed I would relive them in my head time and time again to hold onto what it was for me. I would write about them to immortalize my monumental moments and feelings to keep, and you can say that was the beginning of me knowing just how powerful writing could be.

I began to love and cherish everything. Life became my biggest inspiration because I knew I could form my world the way I wanted it to be seen, through my eyes but from my perspective, and how liberating. From the most painful heartbreak, to seeing a beautiful butterfly flutter by, or someone passing away, I’m engulfed by it all. My indulgence is great. I find it astonishing how you could imagine something and make it apparent, or remember a food you tasted years ago and can instantly taste it again and make people feel this with words. Wow! That is strong; what a pinnacle point to arrive at, and when you add reading and writing to the equation, that is truly what made my imagination even more vivid, with a mixture of mild and dramatic, sometimes enhanced with a sweet edge. This is why I always say writers rule the world, because they can make you feel any way they want to, persuade you to think and see differently, they have control and there is nothing anyone can do about it. I’m proud to be apart of that club. As you can see my background is colorful without in depth detail, I still believe I should have resonated with you, at least my writing should have.

(Smile)

Though true enough my background doesn’t reek of many accolades (in society) to solidify being an official writer, however, my passion, imagination, animation, brightness, cleverness and just my love of/for writing; allows me to be open, provides me fast catching ability with the right guidance and direction, makes me a great candidate.

This is how my background influenced my storytelling.

Again - My Way

I love poetry because it's a way to release all of my pain
A way to express all that I've lost and gained

A way of speaking without the need of my lips
To move or my mouth to open

A vocal ink
An emotional sheet

Fast paced hand and fingers
With an adventurous grip
To ride the waves of my fundamental mind
Memories of an era of time

Experienced thoughts,
Imagination mixed with the words and pictures
That create descriptions, elegies, non-fiction,
Fiction, children stories, writing period and last
  but not at all least, poetry

I could never stop writing poetry
For I would surely die
Poetry is my;

Way of livng

Freedom of speech
My way to speak
My way of giving gifts of wisdom
Words of encouragement

My way of discerning
My way of teaching
My way of learning

My way of changing
My way of not blaming
Anyone for what I do

And rationalize; take responsibility
For my actions so I guess you could say

The pen is my knee and the paper is the altar,
The pew,

My poems are the biblical contents of my soul
To express, better yet confess

Ask for forgiveness

With hopes that He'll hear me
And I'll be renewed
Until another sin

That starts me to shed tears
Return to my notebook and pen
To express--better yet confess . . .

All over again my way

**This is a poem published in the book I Just Want to Write, written by Until on page 28. If you would like to purchase the book please visit the website at www.untilnomore.net.

The Day my Book was Published . . . I'm Fulfilled

The cover is beautiful unbeknownst to what you may see
  because what I'm viewing is the soul extension of me
  never believed this day would ever be

My book on the shelves in the company of others
  paper spine faced for all to see
     as it reads: I Just Want to Write!

That's all I've ever wanted to do.
Never saw myself, doing anything else,
 and though I did, it all reverted back to
   me . . . writing.

My feelings and opinions expressed
 the way I set it up to be communicated 
   beautifully, poetically, emotionally and intellectually
quenching your thirst to no longer be dehydrated

As my tears flow in happiness and I reach for my
   dream of fruition to buy 
      and sign it to myself

I think, so this is what it feels like to be an author.
I've been waiting for this moment since I was six years old, wow!!!

Thank you Lord . . .

For seeing that my goal was met
My path was set
  and my dream came true
     and I'm finally fulfilled.

(c) 2011
written by: Until...

#AuthorUntil #BlackSwanPublishing
#UntilSpeak #Ijustwanttowrite

Writing Heals

Psychologically I was depressed
But I've let go of my issues

Therapeutically I was bounded
But I've released with tissue

Words describe
Every tear that I've cried

All the things I needed to face
That without pen and sheet I would have denied

If I never let go
Then I would never grow

Into a lady who's very aware of how she feels
Food for thoughts, are my meals

To write them down is my stamp, my seal
To share all that I've spilled

With my invisible quill
Which, is why, this poem is written in pencil

So that years to come
All on paper that I've poured

In years it will disappear
You'll remember, I'll remember it . . . no more

Until...

#writingheals #ijustwanttowrite
#phylliswheatley  #AuthorUntil
#UntilSpeak #BlackSwanPublishng

(c) 2014

Writing Heals... #AuthorUntil

"I'm Free"

The last few years of my life I had begun to hold grudges and just take in everything that would hurt me. But I realized that if I don't forgive others, God, in turn will not forgive me. So I made amends with myself and to the people who have hurt me.

I learned that by holding it all in you're actually allowing them to control you. So, I wrote it down and let it go. I no longer have any grudges toward anyone anymore. I'm free!


**An excerpt from the poetry edition entitled: "I Just Want to Write!" by Until
To purchase your copy please visit www.untilnomore.net

Writing Struggles (will you overcome) excerpt

"Ever since I laid eyes upon that book and allowed my eyeballs to dance from page to page I've been inspired-stayed inspired, and I kept that book in mind when I came close to completion of my own project. On June 18th of 2005 I called Borders and special ordered that book to have my very own original copy. On June 20th I received my book and I'm happy to have it upon my bookshelf and be able to refer to it whenever I'm in need.

The book is called "For Writers Only" by Sophy Burnham; for it was inspirational, also a guide in my opinion for newly emerged writers such as myself, to pick and choose what's for you and hear about other people's mistakes and opinions of what some of the late greats thought about the lonely profession of writing through quotes from their previous work. That book was something I felt I needed since I was embarking upon an old but new journey, a long awaited dream of mine."


Author Until
Excerpt from her book  "I Just Want to Write!"
wwww.untilnomore.net

Dimensionally Yours: Poet, Writer, Entrepreneur and Now Turned Author, Until...

Hello Everyone:

Thanks for coming to explore my "Entrepreneurial Blog." This new inserted piece that I'm posting today is about me. I wanted to share a little of who I am, what I do, so you can get an idea of what I'm into. Not only that, but to learn more about entrepreneurial gems that you might have been looking for. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce you, to, ME.

A lot of you  may know me for many dimensions, but not quite all of them. As some of you already know the basics. My name is Quanda R. Graves better known by my pseudonym Until and I am the literary columnist and journalist for the California Crusaders Newspaper (CCN), as well as a contributing writer to Brutha Magazine. However, that's not all. Did you know that I was a poet long before all of the articles and other creative missions? Well, I am. I started writing poetry at the tender age of twelve and from there, its been writing poetry, writing since. You can find my poetry and articles on many websites, printed in a few magazines and on a few spoken word Cd's, on itunes.

Being a person that loves creativity, volunteering and indulging in many endeavors, I would say my life is a dream that I am working hard to bring to fruition. That's why you can see me in many places. I am the youth director for an organization called "The Los Angeles Black Book Expo (LABBX), as well as host my very own YouTube channel entitled Until TV; where you can see interviews conducted by yours truly, of celebrities, authors and more. For those who don't know, I also co-host a radio show called Until & Harmony Live which is currently on hiatus but will be back on the air at the end of the year, though I will also began hosting my very own radio show coming to you in the latter, entitled QS Radio.

Furthermore, I host several blogs and Facebook pages and have created a parent company with several businesses under it's umbrella. Yes, that's right, I am an Entrepreneur. The parent company is Quanda'Significance LLC (QS) and the sub businesses are some of the following: QS:Writers Group, a company that specializes in creative writing projects, QS Images is a photography company, U-Press Release is a blog that advertises and hosts press releases, Serious Business is a blog for companies to advertise and hosts their businesses, and Black Swan Publishing is for self publishing authors.  These are some of the same businesses you already see listed on this entity.

Now, back to poetry. Last but not at all least, I have just recently completed a long awaited dream of mine. I am now happy to share, well really announce, that I have now joined the elite of self publishers and can call myself an author of my very first poetry edition. The title of my book, "I Just Want to Write!" The publishing date is July 31st of 2014 and will be available as an e-book as well as printed copies. To pre-order your copy now, please visit  my website at www.untilnomore.net

As much as I've shared with you here, I still have more, but this is all I am ready to allow you to know, right now. *smile* As you can see I've dimensionally invested in myself and working toward more. Now that I'm launching piece by piece of me, I thought it would be a good idea to compress most of what I do in one blog. I hope now you have a clearer understanding of me.

Below this article please see the links to my creative joys. Moreover, let me leave you with this, remember entrepreneurship is a way to create your own lane with the gifts you possess. The more baskets you have for your eggs to be placed in, in the end you'll be ok. I'm building an empire with hopes to leave an imprinted mark of me to be left behind and an income that won't be too shabby when it's time for me to rest these bones, how about you?

Until my fingers meet with the keys again may your entrepreneur spirit live on.

Love always,
Until...


I Just Want to Write!
www.untilnomore.net

U-Press Release
www.u-pressrelease.blogspot.com

Serious Business
www.seriousb.blogspot.com

QS: Writers Group
QS Images
www.quandasignificancellc.blogspot.com

The Newly Turned Author, Until...

Presents her very first poetry edition entitled:

"I Just Want to Write!"

Publishing date July 31, 2014. To pre-order your copy now please visit her website at www.untilnomore.net.

Until's Book Synopsis


"I Just Want to Write!-is a collection of poems and essays created to imprint the journey of my love affair with the three P's; pen, paper, and pencil. Which illustrates my dreams, ambitions and desires; with hopes of inspiring, encouraging and uplifting all who will read it. This is my soul inscribed for all to bear."
              
                                                                                                                  Until...