What to Expect When You Read
One simple word — Stories.
I’m going to spend a ridiculous amount of time telling creative non-fiction stories, because they intrigue me. Yes, you’ll get poetry, think pieces, fiction stories and reflective posts, but you will get a truckload of stories and great images too. Funny stories like that time I got drunk for the first time and drunk dialed my mom, reflective stories about stupid choices and God’s redeeming love, and jaw dropping tales like that one time (more like four times) random guys on the D.C. metro decided I am the perfect center piece to jerk off to.
Choosing to write stories on my blog was not a random choice. I love stories, and I, especially, love how they’ve shaped my life and journey. I was eight when I picked up a pencil and penned my first manuscript, and that happened, because I read a novel written by a thirteen-year-old Nigerian girl. It was the knowledge that she wrote a book at 13 that made me try my hands at writing at eight. Stories about my father’s rebellious youth made me understand and accept my fire and my tendencies to move against the flow. Stories have inspired me to move, dream, fall in love, create, and speak up. The stories I read in books, watched on film and heard from others helped me to see myself in others and others in me. We are humanity beautifully threaded together through storytelling and history keeping. Storytelling is humanity!
But it wasn’t an easy choice especially for a blog. I spent a significant amount of time agonizing over what to write about. I asked myself quite often what in the world I wanted to write about, and the question simmered within me for a while and caused a few rumbles (read: panic attack). It wasn’t about whether or not I’m a good writer, of course I still have A LOT to learn, but the bigger issue was I wasn’t exactly sure (read: not confident) what to share. As I thought more about it, I decided to follow my curiosity as Elizabeth Gilbert advised in Big Magic, and wrote every morning for 10 months on whatever topic piqued my interest. I also dug into my archive to peruse what I had written over the years, and one thing stood out, I am a storyteller. Whether writing about faith, human rights issues or the stinging rejection from a boy who had just kissed me senseless, I wrote for the most part within the context of creative non-fiction. It is my sweet spot.
I also realized that as much as I wanted to write commentaries and think pieces on culture, politics, faith, history, current affairs and religion, I want to tell stories more. I had to be honest with myself, so I’ll be honest with you too. I was agonizing, because I wanted to live up to the Joneses. I debated writing social and cultural commentaries, because in whomever eyes I was showcasing for, commentaries and think pieces would make me look intelligent, professional, smart and cultural competent. However, I had to ask myself who freaking cares? If there is one thing I’ve always worked on being…it is myself. I’ll rather dabble in script writing than churn out a think piece. Well because the way my dreams are set up…I see myself at the writer’s table for Yvonne Orji’s First Gen project. Can someone please tell her? A girl can dream and I digress.
So, I want to tell stories. I want to groom my skills in storytelling. I want to get deep into storytelling and evolve it into whatever it can be.
So what can you expect?Censored pieces that I’ll later wish I didn’t censor.Raw uncensored ones that will forever make me cringe and worry many months after I post them.Stories my family and/or friends would question and probably put a stamp of “Too much” on.Stories as venting!Venting as stories.Stories from my life and yours,Stories that make you and I pause.Stories that will inspire us all to move, laugh, live and serve.These are the stories I want to write.
I’ve got to look for them, I’ve got to find them and I’ve got to tell them.
If you are like yay, STORIES…what topics do you want me to write about? I’ll love to hear your thoughts.
Originally published at www.adeolafadumiye.com.