We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amber Moss a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Amber thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

The biggest challenge to profitability in my industry is really just getting people to read. People read less nowadays and it’s even more difficult to get people to read poetry. If you’re not published under a huge publisher, your work just does not get seen.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

As a poet, I started writing in middle school. It was a way I could express myself. Growing up, I was so shy and didn’t like talking to people. So, people didn’t really know me. They learned about me through my writing.

I’m most proud of my recent book, Some Kind Of Black. I break down stereotypes in the Black community and teach people that there isn’t one way to be Black. I’ve also been able to help other writers by providing editing services and thorough feedback.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I decided to start publishing my work in college, I got so many rejection letters. I think it took me about 100 tries of submitting my work to get published in a small journal. It really broke my confidence, because I started to feel like I was a bad writer. However, I knew it was my passion so I didn’t give up. Eventually, I got more acceptance letters and now I have been published in multiple literary journals and have a publishing contract for my book.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is getting a message or review from someone who says they connect with my poetry. I love hearing that my words helped someone.

Contact Info:

• Website: ambermoss.org
• Instagram: @ambermosswrites
• Twitter: @ambermosswrites