MOMENT WITH BRENDA
She goes by the name Brenda, remixed to Brendalicious. Her debut poetry collection ODE TO A DANCING PEN is the first book I reviewed on this blog. She is an interesting personality. A moment with Brenda is like a belly full of laughter. So, by the powers vested in me, I confer on her the prestigious title , Honourable minister for Happiness and laughter both home and abroad. Please, 'clear road' for Brenda aka Brendalicious.
The first question will be, who is Brenda? Tell us about yourself.
My full name is Eziafakaego Brenda Nwafor. I'm a poet, Vice Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Lagos and a bag designer.
Lets us know about your educational background.
I studied mass communication at Delta State University Abraka. Had a Certificate in Basic Journalism at the then Federal Radio Corporation Training School Ikeja Lagos.
Good. How did you get into writing?
Hmmm...First of all, I have always loved Literature. I think the love for it came from we having a very good teacher...hmm... in secondary school. She taught literature very well. But then, I wrote my first piece in 2016 (chuckles). It was funny. It was a response to a love poem that somebody had given me. Yes, so I have to give a response to it. I think that that was where I started writing from( laughs).
Very Interesting. Can you remember the title of that piece you wrote?
Heeiii...can I even remember? I can't even remember. (Laughs) I don't know, maybe...maybe the title is like When I Left. When I left yeah because the person had wrote...I think I can still remember a few lines... The person had wrote:
When you left,
you left with my peace, my joy
(Pause, thinking) You left with...No!
When you left, you left with my heart
My peace my joy, all where gone.
With what do I fill my emotions
(Excitedly) See...Ah... God. I still remember the first two lines. So, I think when I replied, the ans...the title was when I left. When I left (Laughs).
Funny title. So, Ode To A Dancing Pen. Give us a hint about the idea for the book.
It was my first book. So, there was no... I won't say I had a particular vision for it. Everything in that book...hmm.. has taken about... Over ten years to put together. That is for when I started writing up until when I published it. So, I won't say everything there. Everything in Ode To A Dancing Pen is my...I don't even know how to speak the grammar...is my...my first surge. Out of my first surge towards poetry. I wont say...oh that I had the intention of writing em...em...towards a particular theme or direction. But one think I can say is that in the book, you can find a lot of love poems. Yes...and...then some other things, motherhood, friendship and...eh.. The book is just an eclectic mix....Just as the way Brenda is. (Laughs) Yeah and there is one I really like there... Pidgin Sweet. It is written in pidgin, a mix pidgin and English. Yeah, that is just it. It is a collection of fifty-two poems... fifty-two poems... fifty-two poems.
Great. Unfortunately, I don't have my copy here. There is a particular poem, the title of which I can't remember now. But it has to do with a woman's search for love, asking when it will happen etc. Is it a general inner longing of women? To be loved and pampered?
Okay, I remember the one you are talking about. It is titled Disrupt. It is the sixth...eh... poem in the series. Em...Love or longing for love or whatever is not just a woman thing, it is a human being thing (laughs). So it's not like...some people try every time and then the frustration that comes with not getting it right can be very, very harrowing you know and then they begin to question themselves you know and stuffs like that. So, it is not a woman thing but a human being thing.
Hmmm. Love is not only a woman thing. It is a human being thing.
Yes.
Good. Most creatives agree that writing is painful. In your opinion, what are the pains associated with writing using the experience of a Nigerian writer living in Nigeria?
This one is almost a cliche and of course it goes to... one of them is em.... I call it a cliche because what I am going to say now, other writers must have said it one way or another. One of them is people's reading culture are a big on the low side and then in terms of making money from your art. Eheen...so if you are a writer, one of the things you have to know or understand, face, bear is that you are first going to have to learn to write just because you want to write. And if your first intention is to write in order to make money, then you are going to make a disappointment first even before you have written your first book. So, that's it. Apart from that, I think that is just it. Are you free to write? Yes you are. Eheen...are you going to be a billionaire from it? Most likely not. So, you should choose. If it is just a passion, you can live through it. If it is something you want to venture into, in order to make millions, become like Otedola (hisses) The world might be the person's portion. (Laughs).
Have you ever submitted your work and it was rejected? If so, what was/ is the feeling like?
Eh... yes I have. I don't know... maybe because I have been able to hear a lot of people talk about their rejection stories. So, it gives me like a... what would I call it? The stories I have heard from them has allowed me to be able to brace myself for impact... especially between this October and November this year. This just past few months, I had a lot of rejection of my works. The thing is, it doesn't mean it is bad and also does not mean it is good. It just means that whatever it is you have written does not meet their standard. And the fact that it doesn't meet theirs doesn't mean it won't somebody's own. So (hisses) it is in different ways, you understand. I don't get sick about it. I don't know...maybe it is just the way I am. As I said before, I had to hear other people talk, say things about their rejections. So, I have come to believe, understand and accept that no be everybody go accept your work. Not everywhere that you post it or send it to would it be accepted. Once you know that you are ready for it, getting a rejection mail should not make you feel bad. I think that is just how it works for me.
It is not entirely bad nor is it good. It just doesn't meet with their standard. I like that. Many creatives in Nigeria are, sorry to say 'hungry' and are not taking advantage of the business side of writing. So, how can a writer improve his or herself about the business side of writing. Seeing that writing alone is not enough to survive in Nigeria unlike other climes.
Okay, there is business side of writing. Phew...well, one of the ways me I have seen. Like I am talking from the ones I have seen how people make money or make a living or make any form of income out of writing is that you know...you. it is believed that...oh... if you are good at something, you should be able to teach it to somebody because some other people... they take up... like the teaching aspect of writing. Teach others how to write maybe poems for a token. Teach people how to write poems or short stories or stuffs like that. They do workshops, seminars...yeah. That is what...eh... But it will not be enough. So it is better for you to take up a normal job (laughs). You know, take up a normal job so other aspect of...eh... What is it called? Of...of writing. We have the publishing...eheen...we have the editing. Some people, that is what they do. They just edit works. Different forms of editing. There are different forms of editing. They do proof reading or do book design, you know. So there are different aspect of it. And then putting in your book for competition. Some of them come with cash prizes. That is all I know (laughs).
Interesting. Let's talk about your other venture; bag making. Give us the *historical* side of it. How you began.
Em... I started making. I went to learn in 2016. I learnt for six months and that is it (laughs).
Very good. What should we be expecting from you next? A novel, collection of short stories or another collection of poems?
I already have another book...amm... Another book out. It is a chapbook but the theme is horror. So, there are... em...It is a collection of twenty-four horror-themed poem. Twenty-four... yeah. I put that together for this year's...amm.Halloween. It's out. It is in Okada books and is on Smashwords... Yes. Even after that one, I am also putting another one together. It is called or it may be called... My title for it as at now, is...eh... Letters to Love. Whether or not it will change, I don't know. But I am putting something again together for letters to love. Meanwhile, I have another one. It is called Eyes Wide Shut. It is an horror themed poem.
Quite a handful! Good job.
Thank you.
Any final words for budding creatives and something for the established ones, as regards writing?
Hmm... The thing about any kind of craft. Any craft at all even profession is that...em different ways, different styles. Different...em...patterns, or different avenues to doing them better keeps coming up everyday. Essentially, what I am saying is no person's idea or knowledge is exhaustive. A poet can learn one or two things from a prose writer and so can a dramatist learn from a prose writer too. So, the thing is, there is talent and then there is brushing up of talent. If you are coming for prose writing for money making, I have said it before. You have to stay on your lane. But if it is just cheer love for the art, you have to find ways to keep improving, you learn. You keep learning and as you are learning, you keep applying it. You just keep getting better. You read other people's works, attend other people's...em... literary events. There is no how except the person's head is made of wood. Even wood after sometimes if rain beats it so much, it get soaked with water. (Laughs). Except the person is made up of rock or something, the person may not learn. But if not, just read other people's works. Keep 'bettering' yourself. That is it. Let the main thing that guide you at the first be the cheer love for the art. If money will come as it would, it will be something that comes later. But if you put money for front, art behind. You slip...you slip and fall so hard.
Thank you very much for your time. It has been interesting chatting with you.
Thank you for you for having me.
To you readers, I hope you have learnt one or two things? I have learnt quite a lot from our guest. You can follow Brenda on Instagram: @brendaliciously and @Nebdesigns247
Facebook: Brenda Nwafor
Until next time, I am Yours Truly,
Julius Topohozin.
