This interview with Segun Afolabi was first published in April 2006. To
find out even more about the author, you can visit our Segun Afolabi page.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Kaduna, Nigeria, and raised chiefly in Canada, Nigeria,
the UK and sporadically in other places.
What was it that first got you into writing and when did
you start writing?
I came late to reading seriously – at university,
discovering authors such as James Baldwin, John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison.
Then later, working as a bookseller in London, I was surrounded by books all
the time. The desire to write for many people arrives because of a love of
storytelling and literature. I was in my mid-twenties when I embarked on a
wonderful evening class called Ways into Writing at London’s City Lit, for
complete beginners, and I’ve written ever since then. I’ve treated it more as a
hobby, though, for a long time and have only taken it more seriously in the
last few years.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
Anyone and everyone – Marquez, Kazuo Ishiguro, Jamaica
Kincaid, John Fowles, Graham Greene, Coetzee, James Baldwin, John
McGahern, Toni Morrison, Camus . . . the list goes on
and on.
Short story favourites include Lorrie Moore, Ethan Canin,
Romesh Gunesekera . . .
Where do you stand on the nature vs nurture debate? Were
you born a writer, or were there factors in your environment that enabled you
to become a writer?
I don’t think I was born a writer. I’d thought of
everything other occupation under the sun before taking the writing more
seriously. I’m constantly amazed when people say they wanted to be a writer or
a lawyer or whatever since childhood and have gone on to do that.
Actually, I still don’t think of myself as a writer, rather
someone who writes. I’m still waiting for that dream occupation.
There are a lot of courses teaching creative writing
nowadays, but do you think that good writing can be taught?
Not taught as such, but you can be steered in the right
direction, advised what to avoid, what to concentrate on, perhaps. I’ve never
been on one of these MAs, but I’m sure most people arrive with some semblance
of creativity to begin with. You wouldn’t turn up on a course, having spent a
great deal of money, unable to write in some shape or form. I think what good
courses do is help nurture talent and provide discipline to those struggling to
find it.
Have you entered writing competitions? If so, have you won
any prizes?
I won the Caine Prize (for African Writing) in 2005,
although I didn’t enter it, so it was a complete surprise to be shortlisted and
an even bigger surprise to go on and win it. I had previously avoided
competitions because I’d assumed that with dedication and by building up a
portfolio of work in literary magazines I would eventually be published, which
is exactly what happened. But that can take a long time. I’ve realised that
competitions are a superb way to kick start a writing career. If I were to have
my time again, I’d enter as many as competitions as possible.
What kind of things do you write?
Short stories and novels about people in states of flux,
people needing to understand issues or deal with situations. Everyday life,
really. I’d never realised I wrote about certain themes until I began the
editing process with my editor.
What, for you, is the best piece of prose that you have
ever written?
That’s really difficult. It’s not easy to objectively
judge your own work. At a push you can only have favourites, but I tend to like
different stories for varying reasons. It’s like being asked which of your
children you love the most.
What are you working on now?
I’m trying to finish the first draft of a new novel, which
should have been completed in 2005. I keep being distracted by new projects
and, of course, having to earn a living.
What is your writing day like?
I’ve never been a full-time writer so the the writing has
always been squeezed in where I can find the time. Usually in the mornings
before work, from 6-8am during the week, and sometimes a Saturday if I’ve got a
deadline to meet or need to complete something urgently.
Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
I would like to have published another collection of
stories and two or three novels, maybe more. On the other hand, I always wanted
to be an architect, so, unrealistically, that’s another 10-year fantasy of
mine.
What’s the most exciting thing about writing for you?
The kernel of an idea forming and the excitement that goes
with seeing a story gather pace. You just want to write it down as quickly as
possible. There’s this terror that something will happen and you’ll forget
something crucial or become so distracted you can never capture that initial enthusiasm
again. I always think I’ve run out of ideas and then a new idea appears and you
just run with it.
What’s the most frustrating thing about writing for you?
The insecurity – one has to make a living and for most
people writing is not well paid, so you’re forced to carrying on working the
9-5. Also, the process can be very slow. A novel is often years in the making
and you are never sure if it will see the light of day. It may end up being
terrible once you’ve written and revised it umpteen times. You just have to
accept that and start again on something new. It can also be difficult to
motivate yourself if you really don’t want to write on a particular day. In a
job, you simply show up to work, no matter what, but with writing you have to
motivate yourself every day.
What’s the best piece of feedback that you’ve had from your
audience?
I suppose winning the Caine Prize was a great affirmation
that I was heading in the right direction. With writing, you’re so often guided
by instinct. You simply don’t know how people will receive your work, so any
feedback is appreciated.
Do you write for a particular audience, or is your first
priority to satisfy your own creativity?
There’s never an audience in mind when I write, but I live
in hope that the work will reach as wide a readership as possible.
Do you have a homepage? If so, what’s the URL?
Not yet, but there’s my page on the Random House website: www.randomhouse.co.uk
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