Stories that Inspire!

I love to write; it gives me a deep sense of fulfilment. I did not want to be a terrific writer, I just wanted to put into writing the contents of my imagination.  I was inspired to take my creative writing skills serious when I discovered that the extract I had written effortlessly gained approval from almost all the people I showed it to and they all wanted to know what happened next. Also, whenever I posted some of my poems on my social media platforms, I got responses from my readers, so I felt, perhaps I should also give thought to creative writing.

The major challenge I faced as a creative writer was consistency. Some days, I wrote quite a lot, then there were certain times that I had to go for days and even weeks without engaging in any form of creative writing; I struggled to concentrate on it as there were several other things that begged for my attention. I was too distracted to write consistently for a long time. One of the lecturers who taught creative writing was a patient and committed teacher. Beyond teaching us [her students] what is required to refine our creative writing skills, Prof. Margaret Fafa emphasized the need for creating a workspace where a writer can work undistracted and also the efficiency of consistency in being a creative writer. Nearly all of the creative writing hacks mentioned by Prof. Fafa were absolutely correct and very useful in my process of self-development. My father, a scholar of English and Literary Studies had a very impressive library; my adventure into my father’s library availed me the golden opportunity to meet a handful of writers whose works helped to broaden my horizon in the literary space, sharpen my insight and honed my imaginative skills. Another challenge I faced as a writer was getting good marketers for my published work but the company that published the novel were quite equal to the task and many copies of the book were sold out.

The pivotal moment that shaped my career in no small measure was during my final year at the University of Port Harcourt; one of my professors had invited me to his office, he told me he had read one of my essays and felt I would make a very good writer. After my meeting with him, I decided to publish one of my works; a novel and the positive feedback I got from some of the readers was a major source of encouragement. My husband and friend, Peter Iseyemi supported my dream and a career immensely, when I needed the required finance to organize an official launch for my debut novel, he gave me all the support I needed unconditionally.

My advice for new creative writers is to stay dedicated and consistent to creative writing; the rewards might not come immediately but they will certainly be recognised for their art. They should also internalize their role as a teacher. The African literary juggernaut, Chinua Achebe in his famous article The Novelist as Teacher posited that “the writer cannot expect to be excused from the task of re-education and regeneration that must be done” (45). To take up the profession of a creative writer is to be saddled with certain responsibilities that one cannot extricate him/herself from.

In creative writing, there are trying times; the point where it seems like you are out of ideas on what to write but the golden rule is to keep writing, the story, poem, or play does not have to make sense and appear perfect all the time; keep writing and stay motivated. Ironically, I have written my most beautiful poems when I was going through rough times in life. It is expedient to write even when you are sad; sometimes bad times produce sensational and powerful poems.

The project I am most proud of is my debut novel – Debris. It was pretty challenging as I grappled with the nitty-gritties and technicalities of writing. Equally, I was proud when I knew I had made a first class honours, I was happy that I made efforts and it was rewarded.

 An advice I will give to my younger self is to ignore the fact that I am an editor and get someone else to do the editing and proofreading of the book.

This might seem like a repetition because I had mentioned this earlier; creative writing is not a field that generates so much money except the book becomes a best seller; consequently it is not easy to expend so much energy on writing when you are aware that it does not guarantee a luxurious life. Albeit, one must stay motivated and consistent if he/she intends become a successful creative writer.

There are some writers that I admire, although I do not have the opportunity to be their mentee, their career success motivates me and their success stories keep me going during my trying period. As a creative writer, it is germane to fellowship with other people in the field of writing; it helps to improve one’s writing skill and fosters the spirit of solidarity. I belong to different writing bodies where I get to hear other writers display the depth of their creativity; those meetings are always rewarding.

I think what defines success in the creative industry is when the work of a creative writer fulfils the tripartite function of educating, entertaining, mirroring ad critiquing the society. Also, a successful creative writer is a writer who is able to elicit powerful emotion from his/her readers. When the readers feel what is and not intended so much that they do not forget about the work in a couple of days is an indication that they have actually encountered a work of art that arrested their passion.

A typical day as a creative writer is one that is saturated with vivid imaginations of the fictional world and the urgent need to write what comes to the mind amidst a thousand other things that are begging for your attention.

My dad once said that to be an excellent writer, you have to be an adept reader; this advice has stuck with me over the years and is as true as the gospel.