Meet Kay Shanee
Kay Shanee is a devoted wife, mother, and teacher on a mission to create a positive narrative for Black Love. With a passion for fostering healthy relationships, Kay Shanee has authored 50 books, most of which are dedicated to Black Love. Her works promote healthy, loving, sexy, and successful relationships between professional Black men and women. Married to her college sweetheart for over 27 years, Kay Shanee draws inspiration from her own experiences, aiming to showcase that happy and thriving relationships are abundant in the Black community.
Since penning her first book in 2018, Kay Shanee has been steadfast in her mission to change hearts and minds about Black Love. She aims to demonstrate that Black Love is prevalent and thriving within our family homes, among couples, children, siblings, and friends. She asserts, “It’s crucial for me to write these stories to remind, encourage, and inspire those who may have lost hope. Black Love not only exists, but it’s not an anomaly.”
Kay will be teaching “Crafting a Compelling Romance” and “From Idea to Publication: Creating a Children’s Book ,” and participating on the panel “Harness Your Creative Energy” She is also on the manuscript evaluation team.
Learn More About the Conference and Register
All attendees will receive available session materials and have access to the recordings for 90 days following the event
Q&A with Kay
MWW: Romance is the top-selling genre, and I’m thrilled that we’ll have you at the conference to offer our attendees tips on ways to write it. What do you think writers of any genre can learn from crafting a successful romance between characters? 
KS: I think with any genre, the dynamics or relationship between the main characters is the most important. It’s also vital to have great character development and emotional bonds. No relationship is perfect, whether it be romantic, platonic, or professional, so to keep it realistic, show a conflict between the characters and how it’s resolved.
The pace of the story is crucial because it’s what keeps the readers engaged. If the story is too slow, the reader could get bored. If the story moves too fast, the reader feels like something is missing. Pacing could make or break your story.
As much as we love living in a fantasy world, there should be some relatability to different aspects of the story because we want to believe some things can actually happen. If all of these things are included, I believe you’ve crafted a great story.
MWW: What are the most important storytelling elements in a children’s book, and how do you know when you’ve successfully achieved them?
KS: With children’s books, a lot depends on the age of the audience. However, the ability to create engaging characters who captivate your audience is key. Using vibrant colors and detailed illustrations that bring the words to life will help keep children engaged. You want the children to connect with the characters and if possible, see parts of themselves in them.
For older children, it’s important to have a good plot, use descriptive words for your characters and setting, have a clear theme or lesson, and create deep emotional connections. Their attention span is short, so it’s imperative that you grab it quickly, and hold onto it throughout your story.
If the child can remember the story and share their favorite parts afterward, the story is a winner.
MWW: Do you have any tried-and-true methods for getting yourself motivated to write?
KS: Honestly, my brain is filled with untold stories that are dying to be set free, so I’m motivated by the sheer excitement of telling another story. The joy I receive when I read reviews or get messages from readers telling me how much they related to a character, how something I wrote changed their perspective, or how my stories encouraged them is my true motivation.
MWW: What book (or resource) on writing craft or publishing do you recommend most often?
KS: A few good books to use while you’re writing are 5000 Writing Prompts by Bryn Donovan. It’s a master list of plot ideas, creative exercises, and more. Also by Bryn Donovan, there is Master Lists for Writers which is thesauruses plots, character traits, names, and more. Show, Don’t Tell by Sandra Gerth is a great resource as well.
If you’re ever having writer’s block, these book may get the wheels turning again
Learn More About the Conference and Register
All attendees will receive available session materials and have access to the recordings for 90 days following the event
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