This blog is really about my journey of LEARNING about memoir, READING memoir and WRITING memoir.
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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,…
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On connecting with creative outlets.
How do I stay rooted in creativity when I am knee deep in a project? This is my fifth year working on my book. The book is now on its 6th draft following some very constructive feedback I received to reduce the word count from 120K down to 95K. Working on a project consistently for…
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The perils of naming a book
I’ve written a memoir, a personal memoir and it’s taken me 4 years to do it. After pouring out my memories – both joyous and distressing, I’ve come to that part of the journey where I’m trying to figure out what to call this ‘thing” that I’ve created. I’m a consummate movie fan and I…
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The art of killing one’s darlings.
“In writing, you must kill all your darlings,” William Faulkner famously wrote, suggesting that the process of editing requires a certain stoicism, and the suppression of affection towards superfluous material, no matter how much we love it. In the midst of many outright rejections from agents, I got an email last week from an agent…
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My Book Mood Board
When I began writing my book, I put together a mood board to inspire me – essentially a set of visuals that captured the world of my story, my characters, and the essence of the narrative. Vibe and mood Playing some of the music that filled our house from my childhood – Diana Ross, Abba,…
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Querying – a lonely process that wreaks havoc with your self confidence
I started the querying process in earnest in October, after spending the summer researching literary agents in the UK and the US. So far, I have sent out 20 query letters. I’ve received 3 rejections and one request for more details about my book. Nothing yet from the other 16. And this is just the…
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How Dani Shapiro’s podcast, FAMILY SECRETS, inspired me to confront the shame of a family secret and write my memoir.
In 2019, I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour and had surgery to have it removed. The surgery, though traumatic, went very well and all the pathology came back completely cancer-free. A relief, an immense blessing. Following my surgery, I spent several months at home quietly recuperating, which forced me to take time to…
Novice Memoirist 