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On writing...

I never really formally introduced myself on this blog.

Ok, here goes. My given name is Oluyemisi Olotu and I am a writer. I wrote a novel in 2000 which I self published called Vision: a plain ole love story. Those who loved it loved it, those who hated it, hated it. I am not good at self promotion so I really didn't sell many copies of the book.

My life's mission is to help people live better lives. So vague, I know. I realized that writing wouldn't help bring that to life so I returned to my derailed path of medicine and became a pediatrician. I thought that I could be like William Carlos Williams  and continue writing, I planned to resume my now defunct online web magazine (bostonchile) but make it Worcester based. Ha! The joke was on me, Medicine is a jealous mistress, so to succeed, I had to put away my writing. Creativity though can never be put away, it just flows into another form. In my case, it became interior design, clothing, and indoor gardening.

I gave my time to medicine but occasionally I would pick up the pen and write. Most of the time though I would read a lot of Nigerian based online blogs and newspapers. During one such time in 2005 or so, I saw a letter to an advice columnist that stuck with me, and it has now become the basis of my next novel.

Sigh. I struggle with writing it daily, and I will pick it up and put it down for months, years on end. This year I am committed to finishing a very very rough draft. Of course, being my usual ambitious self, I have decided to set this story in 2005 (because it spans 7 years), Lagos, Ibadan and Miami. So much for write what you know, huh? One thing I am realizing as I travel back in time is that communication technology has grown in leaps and bounds over the last 7 years. I think Skype had just come out in 2005, right? And per my cousin the BB rage didn't hit Naija until 2009 or so. Since these two items were initially going to figure prominently in my story, I had to hastily reconfigure my brain and try again.

Sigh. Be that as it may, I am happy because when I do finally sit down and write, I feel so amazing afterwards. So even if no one ever sees this book, I plan to enjoy the process of writing it.

Off to work!





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