negression Creative

**“Success is a collection of problems solved.” -I.M. Pei**

Kalisha Buckhanon in University of Chicago magazine — **photo by DeJohn Barnes**

Kalisha Buckhanon, negression Creative Director

I have over 20 years of professional experience as a writer, creative and project help in addition to 20 years of experience in the major publishing industry as a published author of five acclaimed novels. I was born and raised in the small-town America of Kankakee, Illinois.

My formalized media career began as English majored work-study at University of Chicago News Office and University of Chicago Press. I was an editorial assistant. After school, I became what was initially an emergency temp secretary to the Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at University of Chicago Hospitals, however it became my first real adult job. As I rose to the occasion of this crash course in assisting by day, I wrote my first “practice novel” overnight to secure a famous literary agent. This surprise acceptance never led to a book, but it validated me to see my talent was enough to take risks for. My professional career working with words and storytelling began shortly thereafter as a communications assistant at National Black MBA Assocation, Inc. headquartered in Chicago.

I moved to New York City in the early aughts for what would become a published novelist debut at age 26, with a term working at Essence Magazine in its Business Office as support to chairman and publisher emeritus Edward Lewis and his team. Mostly I was a teacher of youth literacy and English enrichment in neighborhoods many wouldn’t approach, let alone love as I did. As I prepared for the debut of my first novel written in appreciation for the Harlem community which embraced me and young people I led within it, I worked under style icon Harriette Cole as her office manager. My author achievement was launched simply by great Black women in books mentoring me or fighting for little my work to be available far beyond my own small world.

I returned to Chicago and entered a PhD program in English at my alma mater. There I found a Black artist family at the remarkable and historical eta Creative Arts Foundation on its South Side. I also continued my love to interview great people for any publication I could do it in, including: longtime JET features Editor Clarence Waldron, contemporary jazz stylist Maggie Brown, tap dancers such as “Chicago Tap King” Bril Barrett and Emmy-winning Jason Samuels-Smith and late vaudeville great Ernest “Brownie” Brown, and Morris Chestnut before he was Morris Chestnut.

My client, freelance and project work overall includes the eta, Random House, The New School, University of Chicago, Tracy Sherrod Literary Services, Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency, UN Women, Accent Society and more private individuals for improvement in their writing, literary or book endeavors. Much was at deadline or crisis level when I entered the pictures to support.

I have Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English from University of Chicago where I graduated into Phi Beta Kappa, with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the New School in New York City where I attended on President’s Scholarship. I have taught extensively in both Chicago and New York from pre-school to college levels, and I work and live between those cities today. Of course, I am always inventing and making my next imagined things, but I enjoy breaking the monotony and solitude of that by helping others do the same in their own ways with their own gifts.

Eclectic Services

Creative Writing & Academic Excellence

I’m most known as a novelist, but I can nearly write whatever else I want if directed and prompted. I edit, feedback, co-write or ghostwrite in many forms including full-length books, short stories, and nonfiction necessities like queries. I played a role in writers finally becoming published by helping them get an agent with contacts or just notes on their queries, sensitivity reading of manuscripts, or pushing their book starts to completion. Beyond anything creative, I’m well-schooled in the Chicago style of writing intellectual and scholarly work- especially concerning Black people, the arts, culture, women and justice. I love college readiness consulting. Each project is different so I have no set pricing. Reach out if you need help.

Dramatic and Film Projects

I’ve adapted my novels into screenplays and pilots as self-taught, and was a finalist in a major script competition for one. Cinema Studies was a college minor with PhD level studies in Black Film as a special visiting student at Northwestern. As a cinephile before I knew the word, I naturally drifted into work for or on screens. I also created my own informal theater work and education in Chicago through community theaters, leading to service as a dramaturg or literary manager, even a Course Assistant for Intro to Acting at University of Chicago. And I’ve had fun being known as one who may pop up on a true-crime TV show as a commentator for the cases. I give notes, coverage and feedback on scripts or plays, most expertly in character and story development areas. I’ve helped with film funding request materials, preparation for serious meetings and artist websites.

Online Branding and Social Media

I took the tech age’s mandate to go digital or go bust as a self-education in web design and maintenance, social media graphic design and best practices, and familiarity with or mastery of all the ancillary platforms and services that go along with that. I’m not a coder, but I do create websites based on Squarespace or WordPress. I also consult on clear brand issues online and how to fix them, for others to implement my advice on their own. For this, I charge $150/hour to consult with extensive notes delivered prior to discuss. Hire for most basic work is $50/hr.

Promotions and PR

I worked in PR, communications, editing and publishing prior to launching my novel career. I started my middle school’s first newspaper with my little typewriter at home. I resurrected the University of Chicago’s former Black student newsletter with a senior student partner who first thought to do it, old age Macs, and gratefully donated access to an admin office copy machine. I write press releases to turn basic information into a real story, articles and interviews of great people and subjects I admire, and any content to help people look credible beyond their basic real persona. I help people show they are real experts or superpower giants others want to book, buy, hear or trust.

Here are negression Creative’s Select Eclectic Current and Past Clients

Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Sandra Jackson-Opoku’s lauded literary and arts careers span 5 decades of versatile works of fiction, theater, journalism and film. negression Creative helped Sandra with further development of a new novel in the cozy mystery space.

Solidarity in Saya Movie

“Soliday in Saya” is a 2012 documentary about the irreplaceable role of Saya music in Bolivia, where it originates. negression Creative helped writing and editing of its DVD liner notes and filmmaker website to respectfully honor the music’s originators.

eta Creative Arts Foundation Chicago

The eta Creative Arts Foundation is one of the world’s oldest and most legendary Black theaters and developers of Black talent. negression Creative provided literary management and promotion with specialized project work for several plays.

Random House

negression Creative provided ghostwriting help for an esteemed Random House author to deliver a new novel.

Patrick Oliver

Patrick Oliver is an NAACP-honored literacy and literary activist as well as acclaimed author of inspiring works for youth. negression Creative helps with editing and publications.

Jonathan Odell

Jonathan Odell is a Mississippi-born novelist who broke ground as a White American creating and speaking to recognize impacts of Southern slavery and racism on Black lives before post-racial America and Black Lives Matter movements. negression Creative sensitivity read his work-in-progess.

Diane Englert

Diane Englert is a formally-trained theater worker and actress now writing fiction novels, specifically in the middle grade space. negression Creative helped with novel revisions and materials to set up search for an agent to publication.

Bayo Ojikutu

Baya Ojikutu is one of America’s foremost writers of urban fiction with African characters and themes. negression Creative helped Bayo with development of new fiction in this area.

THE SAME COUNTRY

THE SAME COUNTRY is a powerful and well-executed portrayal of the Black Lives Matter Movement through a white female journalist’s eyes and was released in the UK in 2023. negression Creative assisted in sensitivity reading and development.