Wole Adedoyin Interviews Micah Kanyenda: I use Social Media to Express Whatever it is I Want to Communicate with People Through Writing

WA: AT WHAT POINT DO YOU THINK SOMEONE SHOULD CALL THEMSELVES A WRITER?
MICAH: A person can call themselves a writer when writing becomes an essential part of their daily life, and they write regularly.

WA: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WRITER AND AN AUTHOR?
MICAH: A writer is someone who writes anything, whether it’s articles, essays, or other forms of writing. An author, on the other hand, is someone who has created and owns a specific written work.

WA: WHAT DO THE WORDS “WRITER’S BLOCK” MEAN TO YOU?
MICAH: Writer’s block is when you stop writing because of mental distractions or challenges that make it hard to continue. It’s not intentional but rather a result of external or internal pressures.

WA: HOW DO YOU PROCESS AND DEAL WITH NEGATIVE BOOK REVIEWS?
MICAH: Negative reviews hurt initially, but if you read them with an open mind, you can often learn something valuable. After the sting fades, I use the feedback to sharpen my writing.

WA: WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR WRITING PROCESS?
MICAH: The most challenging part is coming up with a title and describing my characters in a way that truly brings them to life.

WA: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING, OR WHEN DID YOU START?
MICAH: I started writing when I was 14, but I stopped for more than 10 years. At my lowest point, I revived my writing career, and I returned with renewed passion.

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A WRITER WORKING ON THEIR FIRST BOOK?
MICAH: Writing is a process, and you will face many challenges. Don’t give up. You may fall many times, but keep pushing forward. Write from the heart, and let the emotions of your heart bleed into the ink.

WA: WHAT, TO YOU, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING?
MICAH: A strong plot, combined with a beautiful writing style, is crucial. Write for your readers and aim to evoke emotions. Good grammar and clear expression also play a significant role in creating great writing.

WA: WHAT COMES FIRST FOR YOU — THE PLOT OR THE CHARACTERS — AND WHY?
MICAH: The plot comes first. If you have a solid plot, it’s easier to choose and develop characters that fit naturally into the story.

WA: HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUR PLOT AND CHARACTERS?
MICAH: Creativity plays a key role in developing the plot. The characters follow the plot; for example, if there’s a bodyguard in the story, I’ll make him a tough guy with well-built muscles. Character development is intertwined with the plot’s direction.

WA: WHEN DID YOU FIRST CALL YOURSELF A WRITER?
MICAH: I first called myself a writer in 2020.

WA: HOW DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN AUTHOR?
MICAH: I use social media to express whatever I want to communicate through writing. It’s also a platform for advertising my books and sharing my work with others.

WA: WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN ABOUT WRITING?
MICAH: The most valuable advice I’ve received is to never give up and to keep writing, no matter what.

WA: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE WRITING SKILLS?
MICAH: The best way to improve is by reading and writing consistently.

WA: WHAT HAS HELPED OR HINDERED YOU MOST WHEN WRITING A BOOK?
MICAH: Joining writing groups and interacting with other writers has been incredibly helpful. However, financial constraints and time management challenges — having to multitask — have hindered my writing process.

WA: HOW MANY HOURS A DAY DO YOU WRITE?
MICAH: I usually write for about 4 hours, but it also depends on how free I am that day.

WA: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BLOGS OR WEBSITES FOR WRITERS?
MICAH: I would say Writer's Digest, though I don’t connect with it as often as I’d like.

WA: AT WHAT TIME OF THE DAY DO YOU DO MOST OF YOUR WRITING?
MICAH: I write mostly at night, when I’m a bit freer, and sometimes at dawn.

WA: WHAT’S YOUR WRITING SOFTWARE OF CHOICE?
MICAH: I use my Huawei Y5 Lite phone. Honestly, I don't have much of a choice.

WA: HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH CHARACTER NAMES FOR YOUR STORIES?
MICAH: I mostly choose names of old friends to spark some memories.

WA: DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN WRITING CHALLENGES ON SOCIAL MEDIA? DO YOU RECOMMEND ANY?
MICAH: Yes, I do. There’s a Nigerian writing group called Prolific Writing Community, along with Fiction Writers Network, Wanda Dewdrops, and GoodWrites Literature Malawi, to name a few. These groups had great challenges, but now there’s less energy in them.

WA: WHEN YOU’RE WRITING AN EMOTIONAL OR DIFFICULT SCENE, HOW DO YOU SET THE MOOD?
MICAH: It all starts with creativity. My setting creates the mood. For example, if the scene takes place at night, I’ll write in a way that helps the readers envision the darkness. Once I begin writing, I feel the emotions myself, and that’s when I know my writing will connect with readers emotionally.

WA: WHAT BOOKS DO YOU ENJOY READING?
MICAH: I enjoy reading romantic books.

WA: ARE THERE ANY BOOKS OR AUTHORS THAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WRITER?
MICAH: Yes, Scarlett Song by Mariama Ba, Wole Soyinka, Shadreck Chikoti, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have all inspired me.

WA: WHAT BOOKS HELPED YOU THE MOST WHEN YOU WERE WRITING YOUR FIRST BOOK?
MICAH: Smouldering Charcoal, Little Women, and Scarlett Song were the most helpful.

WA: WHAT BOOKS DID YOU GROW UP READING?
MICAH: I grew up reading young adult fiction and Nigerian Pacesetters books.

WA: WHAT AUTHORS DID YOU DISLIKE AT FIRST BUT THEN DEVELOPED AN APPRECIATION FOR?
MICAH: I haven’t disliked any authors. Sometimes I might be upset when they kill off my favorite character, but as a writer, I understand the need for plot development. Every author has their own unique style.

WA: IF YOU COULD BE MENTORED BY A FAMOUS AUTHOR, WHO WOULD IT BE?
MICAH: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

WA: IF YOU COULD BE MENTORED BY A FAMOUS AUTHOR, WHO WOULD IT BE?
MICAH: J.K. Rowling.

WA: WHAT BOOKS HAVE YOU READ MORE THAN ONCE IN YOUR LIFE?
MICAH: Scarlett Song, Purple Hibiscus, and The Diary of Anne Frank.

Micah Kanyenda is a passionate writer from Malawi with a love for engaging stories that capture the human experience. With a background in English and Chichewa literature, as well as creative writing, she crafts intricate plots and relatable characters that leave readers wanting more.