Ifeoma Onyefulu is a children's author, novelist and photographer. She spoke about her inspiration, an unusual path to find a publisher, and why writers shouldn't be discouraged.
Growing up with storytelling
“I wanted a book about Africa - not just the animals, but culturally.”
"When I was little, my mom used to tell me stories. I didn't have that many books growing up, so it was storytelling. My mom, my grandmother, relatives.
"Even now, when I go back to Nigeria or another part of Africa, people are always stopping to tell you stories, supernatural stories, I love those.
“My grandfather was a storyteller, although he would deny it if you were to ask him now. He used to own a shop and he would end up telling stories and people used to come and steal from him. While he was in the middle of telling stories people would steal, but he didn't even mind, as long as he told his story.”
Getting inspired to write
"How I got in was by accident. I was reading a book to Imeka, my son, he was then two and a half. But I wanted something about Africa - not just the animals, but culturally. I couldn't find anything and I was just so fed up.
“And suddenly, because I got so angry, I just heard a voice in my head saying 'B is for beads' and I thought 'What's that?' But it was so amazing, the feeling I had, that I had to stop reading, and I went to write it down.
“I thought, 'this is an alphabetical book coming up', so I went to Nigeria.”
Finding a publisher
“When I had the idea for 'A is for Africa', I was rejected by everybody."
"I was a photographer first of all. Because I was a freelance photographer when I had Imeka, my first child, I wasn't getting a lot of work. I saw in a local newspaper a publisher was looking for somebody to work in an office.
I got there and what I was actually doing was weighing the books, weighing the packages and putting stamps on the books.
“When I had the idea for 'A is for Africa', I was rejected by everybody. All the publishers rejected me. A friend of mine was saying , 'why don't you go back to where you used to work?' and I thought 'No, I can't! What would I say to them?'
“Indeed, when I rang them up and said, 'Can I have an interview with the editor?' she said 'You want your old job back?' and I said 'No, I have an idea for a book.' They didn't believe me! So that's how it happened.”
Becoming a children’s author
"My advice for someone who wants to become a children's book author is, if you have a passion for a particular subject or maybe for a story, you must see it through.
“You must write it down quickly before you forget it and work on it. See what really drives you, what it is about that has made you want to tell that story.
“Because there's always a reason why we want to tell a story. Is it funny, is it scary? There must be a reason why you want to tell the world your story. And then you go and look for a publisher.
“You have to stick with it, because you might get rejections along the way. But it's not about you, it's maybe because it's not what the publishers are interested in. But that doesn't mean that you're rubbish, no."
Advice for aspiring writers
Literary agent & ghost writer
Children’s book illustrator
