Tamika Newhouse is a powerhouse book publisher who has self-published over 100 books. Passionate about writing, Newhouse started her publishing company, Delphine Publications, at 21 and has been publishing full time for seven years.
Inspired to show the more interesting side of reading, she founded the African Americans on the Move Book Club, which caters to avid readers across the nation. This past weekend she hosted The Literary Experience, giving an inside look at publishing and serving as a mixer for readers and authors.
The power-packed panel of female creators and influencers; Koereyelle Dubose, Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista, Deedra Allen and Tamika Newhouse shared the lessons and motivations behind building and maintaining their creative brands.
“I created the Literary Experience to really show that we as Black people do read, and not only do we read, we publish and create literature,” says Newhouse.
In a venue filled with new writers, the ladies shared their experiences with self-publishing and things they wish they had done.
“I am very driven, and being your own boss is all about that,” said women’s empowerment powerhouse, Koereyelle Dubose. “I am able to be a self-starter and remain motivated by breaking my larger goals down into smaller actionable goals. It’s important to be able to hold yourself accountable.”
Many are navigating as new entrepreneurs or transitioning into a new field, and it can be difficult to know exactly what to do, as one panelist attested to.
“I am a decisive and driven person,” said Deedra Allen. “I am an entrepreneur and a hairstylist and writing and publishing is new for me. Unfortunately, I made a costly mistake by hiring a ghostwriter and for 10,000 dollars I only received three chapters. I would have saved a lot of money had I asked questions throughout the process.”
Being in a new era of independence socially and career wise, Newhouse has made it her mission to let creatives know that they don’t need a publishing company to pursue their dreams of authorship.
“It’s important for creatives to know up front that publishing isn’t easy and you have to put in hard work,” said Newhouse. “It’s a full effort and marketing is never-ending in the transition of your new endeavor.”
