Her words. My ink.
Women.
At every turning point of my short writing life, a woman inspired me to write and write well.
They taught me to tell stories, develop better writing habits, and provided unwavering support.
Enid taught me how to read.
I spent much of my childhood going on adventures with Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, which broadens my imagination of what the world was like on the north of the Atlantic ocean.
Anne made me think
Anne Wood’s Teletubbies was part of my afternoon rituals as a child. Over the years, her work taught me character development and made me think about how touchscreens could make life easier.
Nkem taught me how to tell stories.
There are few storytellers better than Nkem Oseloka-Orakwue, the ‘Auntie’ who narrates African folklore to a group of kids every Sunday night in the once-popular Nigerian show, Tales By Moonlight.
Eniola told me to write.
My mother realized I was spending a lot of time crafting storylines and playacting with toys, so she bought notebooks for me and told me to document the stories.
Adeyemo helped me understand the value of imperfection.
My high-school economics teacher once told me that if I stopped trying to be perfect, I would be on time. I’ve applied that advice to several aspects of my life, especially my writing.
Danielle taught me how to keep readers reading.
I can only hope to write a story as riveting and suspenseful as Danielle Steel’s Ransom.
Lisa showed me how to write for those who couldn’t.
One of my first paying jobs was as a transcriptionist for people living with disabilities. Lisa Banash taught me how to do that job well.
Alana introduced me to the world of freelance writing.
In college, when I needed someone to give me a chance to write for their publication, Alana Trachenko replied to my umpteenth cold pitch, and that was the beginning of everything else.
Lerit keeps me writing.
If I ever need a reason to keep writing, it’ll probably be because my wife wouldn’t let me stop writing.
I’m not exaggerating when I say women are probably the reason I’m a writer and still writing. Their words, work, and interactions helped me believe in my ability to write and write well. And to them, I’ll always be grateful.
She Did, So Now I Can — Happy Women’s History Month.
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