Who is the writer?

I am an unintentional writer. When I say unintentional, what  I mean is I didn’t intentionally decide to be a writer. Okay let me go back, I don’t think I had ever really understood what it meant to be a writer. I didn’t set out to be a writer. I think it was easier for me to call myself a blogger because as far as I was concerned it was less daunting than ‘writer’ and less pressure.  As far as I was concerned, I was just putting my thoughts on a page. The way they flowed in my mind. Just write and post it. With time I started to become aware of certain techniques, flows and  styles I wanted to write with. I would write poems that followed no particular flow or style I thought, but that in itself, was a flow. I would mix poetry with essays. Amalgamate various paragraph styles in one piece. People started to resonate more and more with my writing. That’s when I realised that the consistency was honing my skill, redefining my writing and fine tuning me into a confident self-assured writer. Of course I still have my doubts, reservations and occasional imposter syndrome, but I now realise that everyone has the ability to be a writer.

When I was younger people would tell me,

‘Tes you should write a book’

and I would say ,

‘Who me?!’

It sounded so far-fetched.

I mean what would I write about?

How would I structure it?

What story could I possibly have to tell?

Those were a few of the questions swimming around my mind.

I decided I had no interest in writing a book, I would rather blog my thoughts. Way less pressure than having to write a certified book.

So that is what I did. In December 2016, I released my first blog post, “The truth about Christmas”. I had a lot of traffic on my blog that day, people were curious to see what it is I’d be talking about. That first post was very “hard-hitting” at the time , as those views were not common for those around me. It set the tone for the type of blog it would be. I believe that a lot of people were not interested. Those who thought they’d be getting a gossip blog got otherwise. It eventually became a lifestyle blog but not in the traditional sense. In the sense, that I spoke about a wide variety of things that all as far as I’m concerned enhanced my lifestyle greatly. So away I blogged monthly, sometimes twice monthly for a whole year (the longest I went without blogging was two months). I put no pressure on myself, sometimes people read them sometimes they didn’t, but it didn’t matter to me. Blogging was fast becoming a cathartic release for me. 

Fast-forward to December 2017, I was with one of cousins in Lagos Nigeria, and the idea of a book was dancing around my head again. So I turned and said to my cousin, ‘I want to amalgamate all my blog posts into a book, you think it could work?’, She said yes! And from then I decided to spring into action. January 2018, I met my first editor for a meeting in Lagos, by February I’d commissioned work on the book. He had all my blog posts which at the time were abut 15 and I went back to London a few weeks later. Throughout the months I continued to blog regularly and would send the blogged post to my editor to add to the book, as he was still editing. I ended up adding another 10 or so posts to the book from January 2018 right up until December 2018. I should also mention that I had paused editing for a few months during this period, but when it got to August, I remembered my release date was looming. I had set it for my 30^th birthday in December. I had given myself one year to get the book together. Although I had never done it before, I had been researching self-publishing and figured I could do it. I knew the book could be put together relatively quickly so long as I finished writing so I paused on editing for a few months whilst I dealt with life but with the release date getting close I revved up again and started working to get my birthday present to myself and the world ready.  I went into full steam mode.

 I finished the last section that had been keeping the book in limbo, “The case for black Jesus”. It took me about a week straight to write and it was 12,000 words. By far the longest chapter I had written. I started it in the hairdressers in Abuja Nigeria but finished it months later in  London in my living room. I thought about that chapter every day for a year before I finally got round to sitting down and typing it up on my laptop- (it was also the only section in the book that wasn’t typed on my phone). I remember saying that to a friend and he said, ‘Tes, that is purpose. You wake up every day and think about doing this thing that’s purpose,’.  Now I’d never really thought of it like that before. It brought me 360 to  a significant moment in my life, that I didn’t realise until now- I  was about 10 years old watching Sister Act 2, and one particular scene stood out to me,   Whoopi Goldberg was saying to Lauryn Hill,  “If you wake up every morning and you can’t think of anything but writing it means you’re meant to be a writer”. I remember 10-year-old me thinking really? What kind of an example is that? Why would you think of writing every day, at least say something fun? I wasn’t envisioning it in the way it happened for me.

The urge to write your thoughts down in any capacity is what automatically makes you a writer. Not everyone has that urge. 

Anyway, I had also started putting real pressure on my editor to get the work done at this time. I pushed through with finalising a name for the book and employing a book cover designer. I then managed to get a spot on a live tv show in order to announce the pending release of the book and let them know that it was available for pre order. My book cover was already designed, so I printed out the cover to wrap around my dairy and took it on the show with me. I got over 70 pre orders and I was so happy.  What you would never have guessed was that the day before I went on live TV to announce the book- I had no book and no structure. I had no editor even; I had just gotten rid of my first editor the day before as he hadn’t done what I needed. Nearly 10 months in and it was still just blog posts, the book had no structure, no shape, no flow. However, I began to source a new team of freelancers who put in serious work and the book was ready less than 6 weeks after I’d commissioned it for the second time . Right on time for the scheduled release date.

And only now, five years after I wrote my first blog post,  and two  and a half years of living in this identity as a featured writer, author and publisher, do I now own my writer label. Because I realise that writing truly is unique just like with everything else. I felt like I wasn’t good enough to be called a writer because my work wasn’t like others. But I realised that I have something new to bring to the table, something that is me. Teso’s style and it is more than worthy. It is brilliant. Use your own style of writing. Putting together my so called ‘random’ blog posts had me realise that,  that is what writing truly is about. For me anyway. Tell your story, tell your thoughts, in the way you deem fit. That in itself is a story. The way you see things and the world is a story. A beautiful story worth sharing. Be bold. Be confident. Share your words. Share your story. Write about the world how you see it. Write about your trials and tribulations. Write about your triumphs. Your growth. Your loves. Your pains. All of these make for brilliant writing content.

That to me is truly what writing Is about. Like all things in life, we were born to be unique and stand out. Don’t try to write like others or tell stories like others. Do it your way. Don’t be scared. You are a creative guru. Step into it and bring forth powerfully.

With Love and light, Teso the Starseed

N.B

I created a FREE writers guidebook where I share simple tips to help you do just that! Bring forth powerfully! 12 tips to help you beat procrastination and make it to the finish line. Click on the image below to download your free gift now.

BOOK WRITING SERVICES

In recent months, I’ve been approached by numerous people asking if I write books for others. I was initially sceptical as writing consumes a lot of energy and writing for other people, often times means stepping into their energy. But I’ve realised  that I have a gift and I love storytelling on paper. I already help writers and authors who are having a hard time beating writers block  and/or struggling with the publishing process. Why not help those who would love to be authors but don’t feel like writing is their thing? The goal is to help people tell their stories to the world anyway I can.

I now offer book writing services, as well as my standard writing consultations and publishing services. Not only have I been writing for years and written my own book, I have also been a contributing writer for various other book projects. So you want to release a book, but you don’t want the stress or even have the time to write it? I can write it for you! Schedule a consultation with me here.