Author's Hangout With Zizi
What piqued my interest in her was her doggedness as a writer. I followed her through many groups' writing contests and watched her emerge at the top. She knows her worth and place as a writer and never shies away from boldly staking her talents with ease and enthusiasm that showcases her love for the written words.
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Ify Omeni, also known as the Tale Weaver and ACE(Author, Communication coach and Editor) professional. I’m a graduate of English and Literature from the University of Benin and a holder of a master’s degree in Media and Communication from Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.
How did you become a creative writer or did writing come to you?
I have been writing since primary school. I used to rewrite every story I read in a storybook. Then I began to write animal stories and my own imaginative stories about young children. I progressed from there to writing adult stories.
Is there any author or book that influenced you either growing up or as an adult?
There are several authors that influenced me. Zulu Sofola made me love playwriting. I read her plays, King Emene and Wedlock of the Gods and Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel, and began to write plays. During my university days, I was taught by two lecturers - Professor Egudu and Professor Yesufu, who made poetry develop wings and fly. Poetry came alive as they taught. Creativity exploded within me. I composed some poems under their tutelage. Wole Soyinka and JP Clark also made me love poetry. Years later, I met someone, Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, whose poetry made me revise my poetic pieces. Chimamanda Adichie and Chinua Achebe influenced my prose writing, while Francine Rivers and Karen Kingsbury made me discover my love for Christian Fiction and become a Christian Fiction Writer.
Did your environment & upbringing colour your writing?
My upbringing did not colour my writing. My parents did not encourage me to write. Most parents of the era I grew up, were more interested in their children studying professional courses like Law, Accountancy, Medicine and others, so talents like writing were seen as a distraction.
As for my environment. Maybe the few authors I have mentioned made me delve into the world of writing.
What is your writing process(es) like?
My preferred place of writing is my library, seated in front of my laptop. And my preferred time is late at night, usually from 1 p.m to the early hours of the morning. My inspiration is at its peak, at these times. Like the scriptures state in Psalm 19:2, ‘Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge.’ I believe there’s something about the night season that oils creativity.
You write different genres, what’s the secret of your versatility as a writer? How did you choose the genre to write?
I don’t know the secret. I think my being able to write different genres is a divine gift. I just discovered that I’m interested in several genres and can write in those areas.
What inspired you to write motivational/Christian books?
I’ve been a Christian almost all my life, and this has made me interested in that area of life. I read books by Bishop David Oyedepo and began to write my own Christian books, which I call Christian literature. Years after, a friend gave me books by Francine Rivers and I got interested in that genre. Then I discovered Karen Kingsbury’s creative spread and dived into the world of Christian Fiction writing.
How do you gather information and ideas for your books?
For my non-fiction books, I get information from the Internet, other books, discussions with people and stories I hear.
For my fiction books, I get divine ideas that are dropped in my spirit. I get inspired through books I read, watching television and films, stories I hear and discussions I engage in. It got to a point that people were scared of discussing with me because I can turn practically anything into a story. That’s why I’m called The Tale Weaver. Because I can weave a tale at the drop of a hat.
You are a graduate of English and Literature. How did you get into banking before retracing your step back to the literary world?
I guess it was the desire for survival that pulled me into the world of banking. I tried to turn an idea into a business venture and when it didn’t work; I took up an offer for a job in the bank, rather than become a financial burden on anyone.
What were the challenges in writing and publishing your first book while still working in the bank?
I didn’t have any challenges. I had already written the book before I became a banker. All I had to do was create the time to edit and prepare it for publication.
Do you consider any genre more difficult to write than the other?
Yes! I find fiction more difficult to write. For non-fiction, the writer gathers materials together and a book is born. But fiction is spun from the imagination, which makes it more taxing to create. There is also that need to ensure the story makes sense, so the writer has to put in intrigue, suspense and other elements that will keep the reader engaged till the last page.
God has given me the creative ability to write novels, short stories, poems, creative essays, songs, screenplays, drama, documentaries, memoirs/biographies/autobiographies, operas, proverbs & wisdom verses, children’s fiction, teenage fiction, Christian literature, motivational books and textbooks.
How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?
I have written eight books. Pearls are not For Pigs and Footprints of Note are motivational books, Letter to Thilda, Wind of Change and Song at Sunrise are novels, The Ship of Dreams is a memoir, Tales of Our Time Volume One is my first collection of short stories and Spring of Life Book One is my first collection of articles which I call creative essays.
Do I have a favourite? Not exactly. I love all of them but prefer my fiction books.
How do you promote your books and are they yielding dividends?
I do the book promotions mainly on Facebook. I advertise my books and post my write-ups on my Facebook Timeline. I take part in writing contests and spread my writing on various Facebook groups, both those created by Nigerians and by foreigners, to create an awareness of my writing skills. I also pay for special adverts on Okada Books, to give the books I have published on the platform more visibility.
Dividends are trickling in. I still have not discovered my tribe of readers, who will buy whatever I write, but I refuse to let low patronage of my books discourage me. I will keep writing until Jesus comes.
What do you consider your best accomplishment as a writer and a writing coach?
As a writer, being able to release the writing gift God gave me, to bless a waiting world.
As a writing coach, mentoring people to become better writers. I teach adults and children how to write, for a fee. I also look through manuscripts of upcoming writers who reach out to me and show them how to write better, without charging a dime.
Give us an interesting, fun fact about the writing of any of your books.
Writing The Ship of Dreams was a lot of fun. I went on a boat cruise and started out by writing a report of the trip, which was a dream voyage. What started as a report turned into a book and I soon had my first memoir in my hands. That book made my dreams come true and I believe that people who read it will walk into their cherished dreams.
What were your aims of setting up Touch of Gold Media? And so far, have you achieved it?
Touch of Gold Media is my dream company. I set it up to fulfil my writing dream of polishing my many manuscripts, to create the next generation of writers by teaching upcoming writers the rudiments of English grammar and writing, and to ensure that writers produce error-free manuscripts, through my proofreading and editing services.
I have achieved it to some extent, but there is still room for improvement.
What impact has your company made in the literary world?
I have helped several writers fulfil their dreams of being authors through my book-editing services. I partnered with a company, Poise Nigeria, to train lots of young graduates and professionals in English Grammar and writing.
As a writing coach, who coaches people on how to write, are writers made or born?
I believe writers are both made and born. For me, I was born a writer. I started writing as early as the time when I could hold a pen. Writers are made by the people who coach them. People have testified about how my coaching made them skilled writers.
I have also met people who studied the writing styles of others and taught themselves how to write.
You’re referred to yourself as A.C.E professional. (Author. Communication coach. Editor) besides being the C.E.O of a company, a poet, and a public speaker. How do you juggle these responsibilities?
I have learnt how to organize my time. I believe people can accomplish what they want if they create time for it. In the year 2015, I gave myself a target to finish four novels whose ideas were swimming in my head. I set an alarm for one hour every day and before I knew it, I finished all four within that year. Two have been published, one is in the final stages of publication and I will publish the other next year. I did the same when my workload became almost overwhelming. I found myself in a situation where I was helping people publish their books, while my book ideas were gathering dust. I took a swift decision. I work better in the early hours of the morning, so I chose the early hours of Saturday, Sunday and Monday and settled down to type manuscripts on my laptop. The volume of stories I churned out when I created this schedule stunned me. I tell people who want to write, to create schedules or timetables. It works wonders.
What advice will you give to aspiring writers, especially those who would want to toe your footsteps?
I will tell aspiring writers to go for training, to become better writers and utilise the services of editors, who will help them produce error-free manuscripts. I am saddened by the level of mediocrity around because many people are not ready to take time to produce well-written and professionally edited books.
I will tell aspiring writers not to give up. The publishing landscape in Nigeria especially can be discouraging. Lots of writers have told me they want to stop writing because of lack of patronage, but I always encourage them to hold on. No one achieved anything by giving up.
What is your assessment of the Nigerian creative landscape today, compared to years ago?
I think the reading culture has dwindled, but this era has the advantage of e-books that the previous generations did not have. People say Nigerians don’t read, but I think that statement is too absolute. There is a generation of Nigerians who feel uncomfortable till they have read a book. The growth of Okada Books and Bambooks is proof that some Nigerians read. Though not as much as they used to, but I believe the reading culture will keep getting better.
What are your other interests outside literature and writing? How do you relax?
I read books and watch television/films. I attend events like class reunions, music concerts, church programmes, weddings, book club events & book presentations, birthday parties and the likes. I love travelling and shopping.
What feedback do you receive from your readers about your books?
The feedback is always encouraging. The words encourage me to keep writing. I once received negative feedback about a book I wrote, and I still took the advice of the person, even though it was from a place of spite. I believe one can learn a lesson from anything and anyone.
How and where can readers learn more about your books?
Five of my books, Pearls are not For Pigs, Letter to Thilda, Footprints of Note, Wind of Change and Song at Sunrise, are in hard copy format. People can get copies by emailing ifysbooks@gmail.com. Though Pearls are not For Pigs is out of print. The other three, The Ship of Dreams, Tales of Our Time Volume One and Spring of Life Book One, are in e-book format, available on Okada Books and Amazon. Wind of Change and Song at Sunrise are also in soft copy format and are available on Okada Books and Amazon.
Looking back these fifteen years, what are the setbacks and challenges of being a writer?
On 9th December 2021, was exactly 15 years I published my first book, Pearls are not For Pigs. It was a nostalgic journey, looking back at all the steps I took to become a writer. I look back and have no regrets that I chose the writer’s path. The path has been littered with thorns and there were times I thought of giving up, but I persisted and will continue to persist.
There are many challenges to being a writer, especially in Nigeria. I refer to Nigeria because that is where I live and where the people I’m familiar with also live. One challenge is the funds to publish books. Lots of writers have to self-publish their works because, sadly, most traditional publishers are not eager to take on new writers. It costs a fortune to publish a book in Nigeria, with the cost of printing, because of too much reliance on importation. The cost of organising a book launch to create visibility for a book is also a challenge. Few can afford it.
Thankfully, there is the e-book variant, where people publish on platforms like Okada Books, Bambooks and Amazon, which is cheaper, but the writer still needs money to pay for the ISBN, cover design and e-book formatting. An average cover design that will appeal to the readers(because people have become very visual these days, especially when dealing with authors they don’t know. They usually have to like what they see, before they buy) is N30000, which is costly for most people.
Another challenge which to me is major is patronage. It’s frustrating to finish writing a book(sometimes I have stayed awake till past 5 a.m with my joints and fingers aching, to finish a manuscript) and no one will buy. People typically ‘look at faces’ when purchasing books, so no matter how excellent your book is, if they don’t consider you an influencer or none of the people they regard as influencers recommend your book, they will not buy. You can advertise on Facebook, do book launches, and your Facebook followers will give you praises like ‘wow,’ ‘congratulations,’ ‘keep soaring.’ ‘You’re doing well,’ but withhold their patronage. They will buy a book that costs N2000 with a less appealing cover design and probably swimming with grammatical errors, written by an influencer who pulls the crowd on Instagram and ignores your book that is as cheap as N200. Some writers have reduced their cover prices and yet did not get patronage. During a Black Friday Okada Books sale, I saw an e-book that was reduced to N75 and no one bought it. It can get that bad! Imagine what that can do to a writer. ‘Frustrating’ is putting the feeling mildly. Despite this bleak writing horizon, there are remedies. For one, I believe if writers buy each other’s books, they can help to cushion this frustrating aspect of writing.
Another challenge is the way society(I use this in a generic sense to refer to the world) looks at writers. You mention you write for a living and those you tell that to, ask you to go and get a job as if writing is not a job. I usually have a ready assignment for such people. I tell them to write a one-page essay and send it to me, to mark. By the time I use my ‘editor’s red biro’ on the essay, they refuse to talk to me. Since they think writing is a walk in the park. They don’t think of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie and others who have made Nigeria proud through their writing pens.
If people can patronize writers, stop treating the writing profession with disdain and create an enabling environment for writers to thrive, writing will be a profession that many will strive to be a part of.
