When writers are impacted by creative writing workshops

Decades ago, Nigerian literature practically glittered with The African Writers Series and Pacesetters, all imprints geared towards stirring a revolution in writing. Today, both efforts are silent and replaced by a series of creative writing workshops aimed at drilling budding writers through reading and writing exercises that aelders of the art. Fidelity Bank holds its […]

Decades ago, Nigerian literature practically glittered with The African Writers Series and Pacesetters, all imprints geared towards stirring a revolution in writing. Today, both efforts are silent and replaced by a series of creative writing workshops aimed at drilling budding writers through reading and writing exercises that aelders of the art.
Fidelity Bank holds its annual Creative Writing Workshops with hosts such as Helon Habila, Nigerian-born award-winning author and Creative Writing teacher at George Mason University, Virginia, USA, Madeleine Thien, an Asian-Canadian novelist, and Tsitsi Dangeremgba, a Zimbabwean screenwriter. Nigerian Breweries and Farafina Trust also organize workshops with handlers of the project led by award-winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozie-Adichie with the sole aim of improving the craft of Nigerian writers. Among this list is the Cain Writing Workshop and others like the Free Poetry Writing and Tecnhiques Workshop and those online such as Beyond Covers Writing Workshop, Online Interactive Writing Workshop and Naija Stories Online Interactive Writing Workshop. Thus, quite a number of known names in Nigerian literature today have passed through one workshop or the other which has impacted on their writing skill.
Sangjat Hauwa Machunga
The Fidelity Bank Creative Writing Workshop made a profound impact on poet machunga at a time when she was completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Her article on connectnigeria.com was a chronicle of her experience while learning under renowned writers, such as Helon Habila, Aminatta Forna and Sally Keith. She wrote:
“I was in the poetry class and, needless to say, it was a wonderful experience. I learnt so much within the space of a few days and met wonderful people as well. Interaction wasn’t limited to only the participants in your class, so learning from other groups and people was a plus!
The classes held from 9 am, after breakfast, till 12 noon, with a tea break at about 10.30 am. The rest of the day was given to us; using the time to complete writing exercises, to think, to interact and do whatever you deem fit.
“For me, it was a “no-pressure” few days. There was ample time to relax, do what I love to do – write, and at the same time learn. I always used to wait for inspiration before I wrote my poetry and, sometimes, inspiration takes forever to come along. I like to say that we are vaguely familiar, inspiration and I, in that she never sticks around too long. I learnt to write without this kind of inspiration; there’s a kind that you can call upon when you need it. When you have the words and the thoughts and you begin to put them down, they will keep coming to you. You may feel your work is incomplete or inadequate, but as they say, ‘a poem or story is never really finished, it is only abandoned.’
“I learnt of the importance of line and structure, incorporating sound and images in my poetry, and allowing your reader some room for him/her to interpret the poetry as it speaks to them. There’s an endless list of the things I have learnt, not only from the classes, but also from interpersonal relationships with the other participants, and from the experience as a whole. Those were moments I wish I could have for the rest of my life.”
Onyinye Ihezukwu
She recently became the 2014 winner of Heinfield Prize, University of Virginia. The prize is a sum of $10, 000, an endowment of the Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation and is offered by the university to one of its graduate students in creative writing. Ihezukwu was a participant at the Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop and was said to be one of the outstanding participants.      
Jumoke Verrisimo
She is a beneficiary of one of the Creative Writing Workshops organised in the country. Her first book, I Am Memory, which has won several awards in Nigeria, captures contemporary happenings that influence the direction of the country.   
Uche Umez
This writer, also a recipient of several awards and like Verrisimo, flagged off his literary career with a collection of poetry titled Dark through the Delta, a collection of short stories, Tears in her Eyes and another collection of poetry, Aridity of Feelings. Intriguingly, he dared to write a children’s novella, Sam and the Wallet, which won him an ANA/Funtime Prize for Children’s Literature and the runner up for the 2007 Nigeria LNG Prize for literature.
Eghosa Imasuen
He is author of the novel ‘To Saint Patrick’ and ‘Fine Boys’. Both novels share similar theme of the Nigerian war. Even before then, his articles and short fiction have been published in magazines. But Imasuen is not just a writer, but also a medical doctor.
Tolu Ogunlesi
This writer has attended the Caine Writing Workshop, which took place in Crater Lake, Kenya, in 2006 and the Udonandu Writing Workshop, facilated by Chimamanda Adichie, Binyavanga Wainaina and Jason Cowley in 2007. He has to his credit a long list of anthologies which include ‘Weaverbird Anthology’ of New Nigerian Fiction, ‘Eko o ni baje,’ an anthology of stories set in and inspired by the city of Lagos and ‘Lagos of the poets.’ Aside these are books such as ‘Conquest and Conviviality,’ young adult fiction and ‘Listen to the geckos singing from a balcony’ poetry. Ogunlesi has written tirelessly over the years, amidst festivals and workshops that tend to broaden his horizon as a writer, while at the same time collecting several awards and fellowships.      
Nze Sylva Ifedigbo
He wrote ‘The Funeral Did Not End,’ a collection of twenty short stories and ‘Whispering Aloud.’ Titles of his writings on his blog tell the kind of writer he is even before a reading further. Virtually every title is a question, with the piece revolving around societal ills. Ifedigbo is also a veterinary doctor.