A TV Witch’s Medium
Why Do You Write?
I ask new writers this question all the time. Why do you write? And don’t say to make money. We all want money. In the industry we happen to find ourselves, your reason cannot be to make money because there is little money to be made in this industry as a writer. This might be changing, not as fast, but changing all the same, but that is a topic for its own medium post, not for today.
Someone once told me she was asked this question and she said she was upset by it, as it made her feel not worthy. But how many ways can I tell you that if you can articulate your reasons for doing, you can slowly find your reasons for being?
Why do you write? Knowing the reason for a thing, like really digging down to the roots of the matter helps you build on who you are and why you do what you do.
Like me?
I write to be.
I write because it is a part of my existence. Creating characters audiences root for, cry with, and live an entire year caring about does something for me, apart from the heady feeling of accomplishment, and of being a supernatural being who sways human emotion (read as witch), it helps me leave a mark on the world, it makes sure the world remembers that I was here — it assures me that I will not be forgotten.
Writing for me is an itch I have to scratch. Like an addict that needs to get a high to feel better.
I write to live.
I write because people will listen to me in this medium. People will give me power over their emotions for 30 minutes x 260 episodes, year after year after year. I write to ride the wave of that power. It is more than an adrenaline rush, more than any drug can give you. It is powerful. It is incomparable.
I write because my voice has been silent for a long time.
I write to be heard.
Let me describe myself as a kid: I grew up with 4 siblings. I was a shy and sensitive kid with big ideas and a sharp tongue to boot. I was told to shut my precocious mouth so many times, it became the norm that people would ask me to shut up. I was the kid who looked my father’s friend in the face and asked if there was no brandy in his house, he always came to my father’s house to drink his brandy — was it a lack of some sort? Of course, the reply I got from my anxious family members was shut up.
I write to be a rebel. I will not shut up.
I learned quickly that living among people who were loud, confident and boisterous as a shy kid meant you needed to find a way for your own voice to be heard, and quickly. Or you will be drowned out.
I write not to drown.
I learned quickly that if you could not shout as loud, your voice was absorbed by the crowd. When I started to make these characters up, people listened. People have not stopped listening since then.
I write not to feel alone.
I love the communities we have built with the stories on our Africa Magic projects. We have super fans that can be difficult to please, that demand excellence, that give you feedback in real time. If there is one thing that has made us better writers or tougher with criticism and less sensitive to insults
because nobody die of insort — BR (2019),
It is getting feedback immediately, in real time, as the episode is still on TV .
Wo, this episode was stupid.
I love it. Our community has grown, their demands for better work has grown with them, and we know when we have you in our grasp, we can predict your reactions to certain occurrences, tweets that make me laugh out loud, I live every tweet with you. Every moment. Every expression, every hate tweet and anger and joy and praise. Grateful for each one.
Now, back to writers. Have you found your reason for writing? It can be a simple reason. I was bored and characters entered my head and had to fall out before I ran mad. I write to fill the silence. I write to make people out of the many parts of me. I write because storytelling is a higher calling and I want to feel worthy. All valid reasons for doing this craft we love and hate and love to hate and hate that we love.
With this medium, I plan to share weekly about writing and the writing processes and lessons I have learnt being a super successful television writer in Nigeria.
I will name projects (as is within the reach of my NDA) and talk about my experiences on them. I will share lessons on writing. I will share processes. What it takes to put your head down and break story for a bunch of episodes, I will talk writing room experiences, I will talk creating characters, I will talk about pitching and highs and lows, I will be super vulnerable with my fears, failures and victories. I will also invite friends and colleagues to drop guest posts, because fetching water from many streams builds stamina.
I hope you come on this wild journey with me.
I’d love to hear your reasons for writing - and you will be surprised how your own reason(s) will help someone trying to find their reason(s) out there.
Share. Collaborate. Community (this thing).
See you next Friday.
