Zane: The hardest working woman in adult fiction

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Trailblazing in the erotic literature arena

Zane mentions the Sex and the City franchise as a prime example of a pioneering sex-filled blockbuster that predates Fifty Shades of Grey.

Plus, “…I hit the New York Times bestseller list for the first time in 2001,” the star author remembers.

Zane is aware of the racial undertones that surface in an analysis of the different levels of success she’s experienced versus the meteoric rise of relative newcomers such as Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James.

“I’ve had a lot of success, but I haven’t been asked to be on Good Morning America, for instance, and it’s not because my writing doesn’t appeal to white readers,” Zane elaborated. “I have had white men come up to me and tell me they love my books.”

Whatever the racial politics governing the publishing and publicity machine may be, Zane chooses to focus on sharing the lessons she’s learned with a new generation of writers and entrepreneurs.

Zane’s words of wisdom for business and writing

“If you really want to be a writer, you need to understand what writing is all about,” Zane told theGrio.

“So many young writers don’t understand the concept of writing a book. They need to study the craft and do a lot of reading. If they’ve already written a book, they need to get it in working order and define their style. What is their purpose in writing?”

In keeping with her business approach to creativity, Zane believes that — as a good practice in writing and life — “people [should] do a SWOT analysis every [6 to 8] months. It’s when you list your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The goal is to move your weaknesses to the strengths column, eliminate your threats, and capitalize on your opportunities.”

Next from Zane: A book on publishing books?

In addition to giving talks on the subject of entrepreneurship and writing, including a speaking appearance at the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, Zane’s advice on both can be found in yet another one of her projects — Infinite Word: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Publishing. She had just slipped it to her publisher the morning of our interview.

“They didn’t even know I was working on it,” Zane said.

“I wrote the book for authors who want longevity in writing,” she further explained. “A lot of writers are lazy, or arrogant. There is a difference between being a writer and being an author. Writers spend time alone, write the book, and are introverted. An author has to have a personality. Someone has to find something interesting about you. Some people are naturally extroverted, but others need to develop those skills. When I meet new writers and consider them for publication, I ask my staff if they would buy a book from the person.”

Zane’s self-expressive ambitions abound

As yet another project, Zane is also the publisher of Strebor Books, an imprint of Atria Books, a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster. But that’s not all.

Among the other items on the author’s long to do list — which might easily be mistaken for steps in a final bid for world domination — you’ll find plans for a line of nutritional supplements for men and women, and her intent to produce a play, an independent film feature, and a reality show that focuses on empowering women.

Be on the lookout for Zane’s lounge wear line for women, and her regular radio gig as well. You heard it here first!

How does Zane do it all?

When asked how she juggles so much, this driven, defiant example of modern black womanhood responded with a girlish laugh.

“People are surprised to hear that my life is pretty normal,” Zane said. “I took my two kids to see Monster, Inc. just this morning.”

Chase Quinn is a freelance writer, art critic, and budding novelist, who has worked with several leading human rights organizations in the U.S. and the U.K., promoting social and economic justice. Follow Chase on Twitter at @chasebquinn.