The Writing Process:
-
Making
the transition to published author in a country like Nigeria
-
My
writing hopes for the future.
by John Ukah
My name is John Ukah. I grew up in Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria. I am a graduate of
Business Administration from the University of Benin, Benin City. I have just published my first book
‘Murder at Midnight’.
There are several motivations for writing. Sometimes a story needs to be
told and comes to you. I have always kept a personal journal. Writing is cathartic and
exhilarating for me. A number of authors have
influenced or inspired me especially detective crime novels by Agatha Christie
and Stephen King’s books. I am inspired
by talented writers who are masters of the craft of storytelling. Superb
writers who create vivid and unforgettable characters. I am inspired by books
that are a voyage of self-discovery. There was no conscious decision to be a
writer. Writing has always been a part of me.
The writing process for me begins with my
imagination. I have a natural tendency to write stories. My writing is inspired by
conversations with others and personal experiences. A fertile imagination gives
wings to such experiences or conversations.
The
story in my first book took shape after I was awakened at night by unusual
footsteps outside my door. My imagination took flight. The story is about
a young lady who discovered a dark secret and was murdered in a guesthouse at
midnight.
The writing process requires focus and doggedness. Much like
any other endeavor, writing evolves and gets better with constant practice. We
get better at what we do constantly.
The hardest thing, in my experience, is the ability to make space or time for
your writing. Life happens and other things distract or compete for your time.
As the story takes shape and the characters become solid in my mind,
I do some research and make a lot of notes. I prepare broad outlines and
chapter plans. I write a few chapters at a time and not necessarily in a sequential
order. I edit them over and over again. It is useful to get feedback from a
reader.
The characters often take on lives
of their own and your carefully arranged plot takes a different hue or
direction. This was what
happened when writing my first book. The story turned out differently from what
I planned from the beginning. I had to stay true to the characters I had
created.
Every book is an adventure of its own. The process can take anywhere
from a couple of months to several years. The rough draft of ‘Murder At
Midnight’ was completed in about five months. Interestingly, I did not publish
the book until several years later.
Publishing is not an easy road in Nigeria. Rejections may come from
publishers and keeping focus is important. Even when you think the work is
good, it can still be better. It helps
to meet the right people who are willing to assist in the publishing effort. I had a ready manuscript and my
publishing company was interested in my kind of work. We fit like a glove. My
publisher made it a seamless process. I had no major challenges after we met
and agreed a publishing deal.
Readers can
expect more exciting books from me. I am currently working on a detective
thriller. It is a saga of love, pitiful criminalities, investigations, assumptions
and deceits.
‘Murder At Midnight’
is available on Amazon. If you are in Nigeria and unable to order off Amazon,
it is also on Okadabooks.com
My social media links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/john.ukah
Twitter:@JohnUkah
Twitter:@JohnUkah
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