Write what you know, write what you love, but develop your writing skills too - Oluwadarasimi Oyeyemi

SYNW INTERVIEW SERIES FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 2020

 

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW, WRITE WHAT YOU LOVE, BUT DEVELOP YOUR WRITING SKILLS TOO - OLUWADARASIMI OYEYEMI

 

Oluwadarasimi Oyeyemi aka Simipen, is an undergraduate of Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Currently Studying English & Literature (double major). In this brief interview with Wole Adedoyin, the author of Expensive Cost shared with him some facts surrounding her life and writing career.

 

SYNW:  WHY DO YOU WRITE?

SIMI: Initially, I started writing after I took a sight of an orator's definition of talent, "What I find easy to do while others do not". Before then, I had always thought dancing is my talent until it became clear to me that it was just an hobby, not even anymore, I think I now feel as heavy as Chief Ade Amaka. Writing as a freelancer because I love to, I see writers as advocate for obscure minds, most importantly utilization of talent, then I imagined been paid for what I love doing.

SYNW: WHICH NOVELISTS DO YOU ADMIRE?

SIMI: George Elliot, Ola Rotimi, Wole Soyinka, Richard Wright, Bayo Adebowale, John Graham.

SYNW: DESCRIBE THE ROUTE TO YOUR FIRST NOVEL BEING PUBLISHED?

SIMI: My first book, 'Expensive Cost' was published while I was away from home, I mean I usually do not get fully involved in the publishing process since my printing press got registered. My mom do not wish to have me feel the onus of publication process, so once I present my manuscript, I leave the rest to her, by 'the rest', I mean the body constituting the publication process i.e Acquisition, Pre-Editing, Editing, Publishing, Approval, Distribution and Marketing.

Note, that anything printed  and disseminated can be described as publication, I had been an HIP publisher since the establishment of our agency, SWA team, Nigeria because I have to publish each member daily submission online.

SYNW: HOW HAS HAVING A PUBLISHER HELPED YOU?

SIMI:  I own a registered printing press and Yes, it is open to publication offers.

SYNW: IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SERVICE YOU BOOKS?

 SIMI: By 'service', I would interpret your question to insinuate how I market my books? Like I have implied earlier, After Publishing, the most important step to take is Approval, once you get the government to approve your book, distributors would rush you.

SYNW: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING NOVELISTS?

SIMI:  To avoid writer's block, I'd love to appeal to all aspiring novelists to avoid the fear of incompetence, that feeling could massacre one's future.

SYNW: WHICH NOVELISTS DO YOU ADMIRE?

SIMI: Bayo Adebowale, Chinua Achebe, George Elliot, Richard Wright, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Frank Ogbeche.

SYNW: WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW?

SIMI: Adichie's Zikora

SYNW: WHAT WAS THE BOOK THAT MOST INFLUENCED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?

SIMI: Achebe's Things Fall Apart . I did not understand fully, the significance of this novel until the last Lekki Toll Gate Massacre. Ezendu to Okonwo: That boy calls you father, do not bear a hand in his death! We call them leaders, Yet they had their full hands in our death. I resist the urge to go further.

SYNW: WHAT ARE YOUR 10 FAVORITE BOOKS —AND WHY?

SIMI: i) Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: Its relevance to my present societal predicament

ii) Widows might: Showcasing the possible resilience of African widow's is a whole big deal to me, prolly because my mom is one.

III) The Gods are not to blame by Ola Rotimi: Sincerely, I love everything about this book, Adaptation is my thing from time, I see Odewale as a victim of ill fate in the play

Iv) Native Son by Richard Wright: This American novel gave me thrills and doldrums subsequently.

V) Othello by William Shakespeare: Male Conscience and Psychology, I think a whole lot of African Men needs to read it, believing your own friend than your wife is the worst mistake you could ever make.

Vi)  Our husband has gone mad again: I laughed my ass out when I read this book. As a satire, It depicts the excesses of Nigerian politics, The Western Catholic woman could not tolerate the stress of Polygamy and this is why trouble struck

Vii) Mill on the Floss: This book is something to brag about, Mary Ann Evans (Victorian Era) successfully expatiated on the Women roles and Social pressure.

Viii) Refugees of the great Lakes by Doyin Aguoro : This is one play that I am yet to fully comprehend and relate with. Even at that, I love its themes of religion and ethics, I think there's a touch of horror though.

Ix) Faceless by Amma Darko: I enjoyed reading Faceless, the thought of Street life, Violence, Parental norms, theft, poverty and all that plus the important of NGOs in our modern society, MUTE saved FOFO.

X) Zikora: Adichie, my role model, She successfully explores the identity of women in their different roles.

SYNW: FAVOURITE MUSIC?

SIMI:  I do not have a favourite, that depends on mood oscillation.

SYNW: FAVOURITE MOVIE?

 V for Vendetta

SYNW: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS TO GIVE — AND GET — AS GIFTS?

SIMI: Gift me Achebe's series, would you love to read my 'Expensive Cost?

SYNW: GIVE US THREE "GOOD TO KNOW" FACTS ABOUT YOU. BE CREATIVE. TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WRITING. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT YOUR READERS TO KNOW? CONSIDER HERE YOUR LIKES AND DISLIKES, YOUR INTERESTS AND HOBBIES, YOUR FAVORITE WAYS TO UNWIND — WHATEVER COMES TO MIND.

Neil Gaiman once said, 'I do not know myself, where these ideas really come from, what makes them come or whether one day, they will stop. However, I am sure that is the latest you want to see right now, so I'd tell you something: My inspiration deals with psychology, whether I am conscious or out of my mind, I write. The content differs though, Writing while I am fully conscious may birth write ups on prevailing issues be such as Rape, Bad Governance, Sexual Slavery and others, See 'Mr Lecturer' by me on our website, www.Simipen.com. Well, I agree with the poetic license idea, It is the deviation from facts for artistic purposes. I love to adhere to rules while writing to birth well constructed write-ups but I do not want to be restricted. A funny fact about me is the high feeling of being competent to handle tasks no matter how impossible it may seem. When I divided my agency into two: 'Give me poetry' and 'Fiction, my advocate', My audience enquired about the initiative which birthed that but I could not figure it out.