Wasafiri Wonders: Oyinkan Braithwaite
Ever wondered what your favourite author's first drafts look like? Or which book they love that nobody's heard of? Wasafiri Wonders is a series that asks these questions for you.
Describe your first drafts in one sentence.
Sparse with a sprinkle of amnesia.
Tell us about your writing rituals.
I like to write lying down, preferably at night.
What themes do you gravitate towards and why?
All things related to women, I suppose because I’m a woman. I also like to see what people do when they are cornered, to try to peel back who a person is when they have been stripped of everything.
Tell us about your newest work.
My Sister, the Serial Killer is a tale about two sisters and the men that lose their lives in the course of their journey to self-discovery. Perhaps that is the story I should have written. But I suppose mine is not too far off. It is a tale of two sisters — one who murders men and the other who is forced to clean up after her.
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
I am a little obsessed with writing advice that I find online or in books. I have many books on writing, so it is hard to pick just one nugget. One of my favourites is: 'To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard' - Allen Ginsburg
What is your favourite book or pamphlet published in the past year and why?
The Turn of Midnight by Minette Walters. It has everything, except perhaps fantasy, but I can forgive it that. It is a big book but you don’t realise it as you read. And it did justice to its predecessor.
What is a classic you recently read for the first time?
Beloved by Toni Morrison. I am actually not entirely sure if it is the first time. I have watched the movie and I may have read the book. In fact, I think I did it at school … my memory fails me. But for what it is worth. I am reading it again.
What is a book or pamphlet you love that no one else has heard of?
Popcorn by Ben Elton. I believe this book was popular at some point, and it may still be … but I haven’t ever heard the novel brought up in conversation.
If your newest work were a music album, what would it be and how would it sound?
I believe it would share the same name as the novel. And it would be a mix of afro-beats, pop and soul.
Which books or authors are relevant reads in our political climate — or one you’d recommend to current world leaders?
Relevant reads — Naomi Alderman’s The Power. Ooo. I would give my book to Buhari … just because. Also, perhaps because I am not entirely sure how modern he is. I would also give him Becoming Nigerian by Elnathan John.
Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister, The Serial Killer is published in Great Britain by Atlantic Books.
Cover image: Illustrated by Simone Khanyi Hadebe
