This blog is really about my journey of LEARNING about memoir, READING memoir and WRITING memoir.
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Rejection Reframed: What Submitting My Book To Publishers Has Taught Me
For almost eight months now (not counting the summer and Christmas holidays), My agent has been submitting my book to publishers in the UK and the US. Like many writers, I started with hope—and then came the rejections. One after another. At first, it was disheartening. Each “no” felt personal. But over time, I started…
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Essay in HuffPost
I am beyond excited that one of my essays was published in the Huffington Post today. With the rich cultural tapestry of Lagos, Nigeria as the backdrop, It picks up some of the major themes from my recently completed memoir: a daughter’s love, grief & loss, complicated family dynamics and the mother of all secrets…
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Took a Break, But Ready to Return
Hey everyone, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about my writing and the status of my memoir. It’s been an incredibly busy time with the transatlantic move from New York to the suburbs of London, settling my two teenage daughters into a new school, unpacking into a new house and trying to kick-start…
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The echoing silence…
In early August of 2023, I got an unsolicited message to my Instagram account from someone who I did not know. She had apparently seen a post I had put on a Nigerian nostalgia Facebook page where I talked about my book ,and had checked out my writing Instagram page. She loved my Instagram page,…
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My creative community
The writing life is a solitary one. Sitting couped up for hours with only your words, characters, and literary worlds for company, can sometimes feel gloomy. I certainly felt that way as I embarked on my journey to write my book over 5 years ago. I felt lonely, uncertain of myself and prone to bouts…
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Bittersweet
Two weeks ago, my agent began pitching my book to prospective publishers and since then I have literally been holding my breath, waiting with fear and optimism for some feedback. Today I got an email from my agent with the heading “Close!” Eagerly I opened the email to find the below response from one of…
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My journey finding a literary agent.
I did it guys – I got signed by a literary agent!!! When I posted my news on Instagram, I got lots of messages asking how I approached the process of finding an agent, so I thought I would capture some of my learnings in the hopes that they are helpful to others. I started,…
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“You need to start building an audience.”
This is what I, and many aspiring authors, have heard time and time again. You’ve slogged for years and finally written a book, you are actively querying agents who, if you are lucky to get signed, will help you seek publication, but you can’t stop there. In the meantime, you need to build an audience.…
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Nigeria – the setting and landscape of my story, but also a character.
When I began to write my memoir, Oduduwa Crescent, I wanted Nigeria, the setting and landscape of the book, to be as well-drawn as any character. My book is, in its essence, the story of my charismatic father, whose rise and fall is set against the tumultuous backdrop of post-colonial Nigeria – a time of coup d’états,…
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LOVE your book but….
I am deep in the querying process for my recently completed memoir. It’s a pretty tough process, one characterised by constant rejection and unfiltered feedback – both good and bad. Last week, I spoke with an agent who I got connected to via a writing group I belong to. It was a remarkably short conversation,…
Novice Memoirist 