Tag: memoir writing
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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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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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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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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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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,…
Novice Memoirist 