Writing In the Margins

Showing up as the most unapologetically fill-in-the-______ writer you know yourself to be.

Nov 12, 2024

"Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me."
— Zora Neale Hurston

If there is any doubt about what goes down in Marginal Moments, let this quote serve as the welcome or this may-not-be-for-you salutation.

Not everything is for everybody and I’m fine with that truth.

Although Southern Momentum Publishing House, LLC will always be a free newsletter, this and other segments will not be. This is the only time someone will be able to use their one-time free pass to access the tender heart of this newsletter.

What Paid Subscribers Receive

1. Exclusive Access to Marginal Moments Monthly Newsletter

In-depth articles and essays that confront and dismantle the South’s polished narrative.
First-look access to bold, challenging content designed to empower marginalized voices and reshape Southern storytelling.

2. Interactive Monthly Features for Writers and Creatives

Rotating Segments that invite paid subscribers to engage directly, like “Reclaiming Roots” (focusing on vernacular art reclamation), “Southern Blasphemy,” and “Revolutionary Reckonings,” provide insights they can weave into their own writing.
Monthly Prompts and Challenges that inspire new creative work, with themes based on Southern resistance, reclamation, and cultural complexity.

3. Cultural and Historical Research Support

Unique insights and historical context for developing authentic Southern settings, characters, and themes, making it easier for writers to embed rich, true-to-life narratives in their work.
Curated historical events, vernacular art stories, and reclaimed Southern idioms to add depth and cultural relevance to creative projects.

4. Community of Like-minded Creatives and Industry Connections

Subscriber-only Q&A and discussion threads for sharing ideas, brainstorming, and feedback on using the themes and content in their writing.
Access to a network of writers, readers, and Southern cultural enthusiasts who are equally passionate about dismantling stereotypes and reimagining Southern literature.

5. Creative Exercises Rooted in Marginalized Southern Culture

Monthly exercises based on folklore, vernacular art, and regional traditions that help writers explore Southern heritage while creating original works.
Story prompts and creative challenges rooted in marginalized Southern histories and aesthetics encourage fresh storytelling and authentic narrative perspectives.

6. Priority Access to SOMO’s Events, Workshops, and Publications

Discounts and early access to SOMO Publishing events (virtual and in-person), like workshops on writing against stereotypes, courses on Southern Gothic storytelling, or panels with Southern authors breaking ground in literary circles.
Invitations to SOMO’s online community gatherings for networking, collaboration, and learning with other creators dedicated to changing the Southern literary landscape.

7. Behind-the-Scenes Insights from Marginal Moments Editorial Team

Monthly editorial commentary that dives into the creative process behind each newsletter issue, providing exclusive insight into how the SOMO team selects topics and stories.
Access to editorial and cultural insights on the research and choices that shape the narratives in Marginal Moments—useful for writers wanting to improve their craft and storytelling authenticity.

8. Platform for Storytelling and Advocacy

Opportunities to submit subscriber stories, articles, or reflections for potential inclusion in future issues, giving a voice to the community and supporting underrepresented Southern perspectives.
Quarterly subscriber spotlight featuring selected writings, profiles, or creative works that align with Marginal Moments’ mission to disrupt the status quo in Southern storytelling. However, I’m excited to share the structural layout and the kind of content paid subscribers can expect to get for their contributions.

Segment One

Southern Blasphemy: Saints, Sinners, and the South They Don’t Want You to See

This segment counters the traditional Southern mythos and addresses the dark underbelly of the “Southern values” rhetoric. From exploring the intersections of faith, oppression, and regional denialism to exposing the hypocrisy embedded in “family values” politics, Southern Blasphemy is designed to spark outrage and ignite authentic discourse.

Purpose: To deconstruct and lay bare the layers of Southern cultural myths, particularly those tied to evangelical religion, race, and identity, by showcasing the reality often kept in the shadows.
Example Topics:
- America the Hypocrite: Exposing the South’s obsession with purity culture and its violent undercurrents.
- God and the White Savior Complex: How Southern Christian rhetoric bolsters extremist ideologies.
- Redemption Reimagined: Highlighting Southern Black writers who reclaim faith narratives for liberation, not oppression.
Tone: Aggressively honest, sacrilegious to some, and fearless in challenging the weaponization of Southern identity.

Segment Two

Revolutionary Reckonings: The South Beyond a Whitewashed History

Revolutionary Reckonings will tear apart the glossy narratives and comfortable lies that have shaped the South’s mainstream history, bringing to light the hidden, painful truths. This segment doesn’t just address the past but redefines what it means to be Southern today, turning the focus on current leaders, activists, and creatives who are reclaiming and reshaping the region’s identity.

Purpose: To challenge and reconstruct the historical narratives that extremists distort, and illuminate the South’s radical and often forgotten history.
Focus Topics:
- The Erased Revolutionaries: Profiling Southern Activists of Color Whose Stories Have Been Buried.
- Breaking the Lost Cause Illusion: Dissecting the persistence of Confederate nostalgia and its toxic influence.
- Power from the Margins: Elevating the voices reshaping Southern identity beyond whitewashed “heritage.”
Tone: Bold, relentless, and ready to upend comfort zones, forcing readers to confront the South’s true history and its ongoing legacies.

Segment Three

Raw Reclamation: Writing for Liberation in a Southern War Zone

This segment is where writers and artists turn creativity into a liberating force, treating their work as both a battleground and a means of resistance. Raw Reclamation will explore how Southern artists, particularly Black women, and other marginalized creators, navigate and survive in a region hostile to their truths, using their writing as weapons of defiance and resilience.

Purpose: To empower marginalized voices in the South to use their stories as a radical act of self-assertion and liberation, unapologetically challenging the white literary landscape.
Focus Topics:
- Writing as Warfare: Techniques and inspirations for writers whose stories stand against a culture of suppression.
- The Femme Rebellion: How Southern women writers confront patriarchy with every pen stroke.
- Decolonizing the Canon: What it Means to Reclaim the Southern Literary Tradition with Originality and Disruptive Creativity.
Tone: Furiously empowering, unapologetic, and an explicit challenge to the Southern literary gatekeepers who uphold a homogenous narrative.

The following segments will appear on monthly rotations to acquaint paid subscribers with the nine Southern US states Southern Momentum Publishing House, LLC Serves. Pull out your Farmer’s Almanac, although it probably won’t do much good.

1. On This Day in Southern Resistance

Each month, select a single date with significance for one of the nine states of Southern Momentum Publishing services. This could highlight a pivotal moment in civil rights history, an unsung activist’s birthday, or a cultural milestone that challenges mainstream narratives.

Example: “On this day in 1961, civil rights activists in Mississippi took their final steps on the Freedom Ride, facing mobs, jail time, and defiance. This is the resilience of the real South.”

2. Southern Lexicon Challenge

Each month, introduce a unique or lesser-known Southern word, phrase, or saying. Invite subscribers to play with it—use it in their writing, create a flash fiction piece around it, or even “translate” it into modern-day lingo.

Example: “Lexicon Challenge: ‘High cotton’—a phrase meaning good times or prosperity. How would you use it in a sentence today? Tag us with your ideas!”

3. Lost Stories of the South

Spotlight a lesser-known historical figure, a location with a hidden story, or a banned book that reshaped Southern perspectives. This segment can be quick, offering just enough to spark curiosity and inspire readers to explore further.

Example: “Did you know that in Charleston, SC, the __ library quietly kept books on anti-slavery long before the Civil War? The books were confiscated, and the building burned—but the legacy of rebellion lives on.”

4. Southern Wordsmith: Remix This Phrase

Choose a Southern saying and invite readers to “remix” it. How can they turn it into something fresh? This gives them a chance to inject their perspective into Southern expressions.

Example: “Remix This: ‘Ain’t no spring chicken’—usually means someone is no longer young. What does it mean to you?”

5. The Peculiar Southern Find

Highlight a quirky Southern artifact, from obscure laws to unique foods. This is a fun way to introduce subscribers to the region’s lesser-known sides and create a light-hearted space amid heavier content.

Example: “Peculiar Find: Did you know it’s illegal to keep an ice cream cone in your back pocket in Alabama? How would you work this oddball law into a story?”

6. Question of the Month

Invite readers to share their perspectives on provocative questions about Southern identity, culture, or literature. Compile standout responses for the next issue, encouraging a sense of community and ongoing dialogue.

Example: “Question of the Month: Which Southern stereotype do you most want to see dismantled in literature?”

7. Speculative History: Leveling the Playing Field

Each month, share a summary of a historical event or story with an open-ended twist, then invite readers to rewrite the ending. This gives them creative freedom while encouraging deeper reflection on Southern history.

Example: “In 1955, ___ marched alone into a segregated courthouse in ___. What if they’d had allies? Rewrite the ending as you see it.”

8. Reclaiming Roots: Vernacular Arts and Cultural Resurrection

In this segment, we'll spotlight vernacular art forms of marginalized Southern groups that were appropriated and commodified—often sold at high prices without benefiting the original creators. Now, these communities are reclaiming their stolen heritage. This segment educates readers about cultural appropriation while celebrating the resilience and resurgence of these art forms within their rightful communities.

Example: “This month, we delve into the story of the Gee’s Bend quilts. Originating from a small Black community in Alabama, these quilts were once appropriated and sold by outsiders, fetching high prices while the original quilters saw little to no profit. Today, the women of Gee’s Bend are reclaiming their craft, ensuring their stories and earnings stay within the community. How does this journey from exploitation to empowerment resonate with your own creative path?”