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​book reviews

Inferno of Silence by Tolu’ A. Akinyemi

9/5/2020

43 Comments

 
Multi-volume, multi-genre author and poet, Tolu’ A. Akinyemi introduces us to his collection of short stories about men, women and relationships, “Inferno of Silence”:
The first collection of short stories by this multitalented author entwines everyday events that are articulated in excellent storytelling.

The title story “Inferno of Silence” portrays men’s societal challenges and the unspoken truths and burdens that men bear, while “Black lives Matter” shows the firsthand trauma of a man facing racism as a footballer plying his trade in Europe.

Stories range from “Return Journey” where we encounter a techpreneur/ Poet/Serial Womanizer confronting consequences of his past actions, to “Blinded by Silence,” where a couple united by love must face a political upheaval changing their fortune.

These are completed with stories of relationships: “Trouble in Umudike” – about family wealth and marriage; “Everybody don Kolomental” where the main character deals with mental health issues; and “In the Trap of Seers” when one’s life is on auto-reverse with the death of her confidante, her mother, as she takes us through her ordeal and journey to redemption. This is a broad and very inclusive collection.
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Reading these stories was very interesting. I enjoyed the vicarious involvement in the lives of primarily Nigerian characters in the stories. Other than a short hop from Spain, across the Straits of Gibraltar, to a small town in Morocco, I have never been in Africa. I know that experience does not represent the entire continent in any.
I was surprised and not surprised to learn men face many of the same challenges around the world. I could relate to a lot of the experiences from my own life.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a good reading experience on multiple levels.
I award 4.5 stars to “Inferno of Silence”. 
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You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Inferno-Silence-Tolu-Akinyemi-ebook 
https://www.goodreads.com/-inferno-of-silence 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inferno-of-silence-tolu-a-akinyemi 
https://www.kobo.com/inferno-of-silence 
https://books.apple.com/inferno-of-silence 

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/toluakinyemi 
https://www.tolutoludo.com/index.html 
https://www.facebook.com/ToluAAkinyemi/ 
https://www.instagram.com/tolutoludo/ 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/toluakenyemi 

Africa, Nigeria, Nigerian, men, women, relationships, technology, marriage, family, airplane, flying, business, religion

Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 
43 Comments
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/6/2020 04:51:14 pm

Thanks for the booktiful review.

Reply
Mark
9/6/2020 05:06:23 pm

You are very welcome. Thanks for joining me from the United Kingdom.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/7/2020 09:27:09 am

I have spent a major part of my life as an avid reader. As a child, I used to be a voracious reader and my love for reading knew no bounds. Also, In my University days, I used to write a lot of articles on personal finance and I was a loud voice and advocate for youth development back in my country, Nigeria.
This has made the transitioning from being a reader to a writer so effortless.

Reply
Mark
9/7/2020 09:35:10 am

You and I have the love of reading books in common. I think a writer has to love reading books. Some of us make the transition to writing and some of us don't. I fall into the latter group.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Are you in the writing business for love of writing or for money?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/7/2020 10:02:28 am

Good to know you’re an avid reader and the splendid work you do at the Word Refiner could only have been carried out by a voracious reader. And you’re right that not all readers transition into that writing space as some of the best bibliophiles I know around are not writers but are always happy to read books. I’m a part-time writer with the efficiency of a full-time writer, even though I have a full-time job working as a Consultant for a Global Investment Bank and managing my small business cum publishing firm. If I was in writing for the money, I would have quitted by now. However, if the big break comes, that would be a booktiful icing on the cake for me.

Reply
Mark
9/7/2020 10:14:24 am

Thank you. My brain seems to be wired differently from a lot of people. Quite a few find a misspelled word or two in a book occasionally, I find misspelled words in every book I read, except one. Once a year I find a book that doesn't present any spelling errors. Those errors jump off the page at me and challenge me to fight. My average of once a year has held for the last five years. I read 50 - 60 books a year.
You are like most authors, they are in it for the love of writing. Some have told me they have little choice but to write. The voices in their head demand an outlet.
I love that term, booktiful. It resonates with me.
New questions.
Does your work, or past work if you are retired, have any influence on your writing?
What inspired you to write this book?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/7/2020 10:39:09 am

The inspiration for the book came from a place of wanting to write impactful stories. I’ve always had the knack of always packing more than a punch in my writings. I wanted to write stories that will touch the heart, stories that are relatable, filled with everyday struggles that we all go through. Mental Health, Toxic Masculinity, Political Upheavals, Racism, Love gone sour and I feel very fulfilled that this collection of Short Stories hit the mark and the feedback has been excellent. My work has no impact on this collection but maybe some of my everyday interactions because of the colour of my skin could have influenced some plot setting but my work is very much distinct from my art. Good to know that you like “Booktiful”. I’m a fan of unfamiliar words and I try to string words together at my leisure too. It might interest you to note that my latest poetry collection title is “A Booktiful Love”. Writers always have various voices playing out in their heads and I hope this spoken word video https://youtu.be/zXRguuNXFyQ resonates the message too.

Reply
Mark
9/7/2020 11:03:50 am

I agree, you did hit a bullseye with this collection of short stories. It felt very personal at times.
I love to learn new words also. As a boy, growing up on a small, non-working farm, I did a lot of reading. We had a very large, illustrated dictionary, at least 10 pounds, 5 kgs. I could easily spend an hour in that tome after looking a word up.
Thanks for sharing the link, I hope a lot of people copy and paste it.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/7/2020 04:20:44 pm

Good to know it felt personal while you read it. That was the whole idea of the book. A collection that was relatable and people could feel at a personal level. Rewrite Agency, a design company based in Lagos designed the cover. See website link here https://rewrite.agency/

The illustration displays a man whose mouth is covered by a multitude of hands. Men are meant to be Men. How does a man tell a story of being in an abusive relationship without losing that element of his masculinity? Remember that real men don’t cry.  The hands on the mouth of the man represent the various expectations that society has placed on Men in relationships. We expect men to endure toxic relationships, because the society expects them to either Man Up or literally just “Be a Man”. There are so many books and platforms that give credence to the abuse women suffer in relationships, but not so many outlets that discuss the issues that relate to men. With that in mind, this collection of stories has achieved its aim.

Reply
Mark
9/7/2020 04:52:23 pm

The cover is powerful and well executed. I knew what to expect before opening the book.
We receive conflicting messages throughout our life. Defend yourself! Don't hit a woman! What do we do if a woman is hitting us? An internal problem is set up inside of us and it's a lose-lose proposition until it becomes an existential matter.
New questions.
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/8/2020 04:04:55 pm

The decision to settle for the title wasn’t hard. I had to decide between Black Lives Matter and Inferno of Silence. However, I settled for Inferno of Silence, as I feel a lot of men suffer in silence and a refreshing book detailing those emotions would do a world of good. The reason I chose the title for the story. A lot of men are and have been consumed in the “Inferno of Silence” and that was an accurate portrayal of the story. The character names were easy to develop as one factor that determined my choice of names was the cultural background of the characters and I made sure the major Nigerian tribes were a major feature in terms of character names as I wanted to write a collection of short stories that would have a diverse outlook as much as possible.

Mark
9/8/2020 04:10:19 pm

I think you made a good choice for the title. It will last and resonate for years and decades to come. The image of destruction and burning of a furnace is memorable.
The names were interesting for me. I made up pronunciations in my mind because I didn't know how to pronounce them. It worked well for me.
New questions.
Is this your newest book?
What other books and genres have you written?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/8/2020 04:30:40 pm

Good to know the title resonated with you. And with the pronunciation, practice makes perfect. So, you never know, you might get better at it. Inferno of Silence is my most recent book, together with my collection of Poetry “A Booktiful Love”. A Booktiful Love is a collection of poems that deal with the entirety of human experience in its various forms. This collection has been widely received to wide acclaim.
I have also authored four other poetry collections titled “Dead Lions Don’t Roar”, “Dead Dogs Don’t Bark”, “Dead Cats Don’t Meow” and “Never Play Games With The Devil”. I have also authored a collection of Inspirational and Motivational Essays titled “Unravel Your Hidden Gems”. Two poetry collections, “Black ≠ Inferior” and “Never Marry a Writer” are scheduled for publication in early 2021.  

Reply
Mark
9/8/2020 04:34:54 pm

A lot of books in multiple genres. That is a good route to success in the long run. The more you write the more you will sell.
While a poetry fan might not know about the other books, they will learn if they go to your website or check out your author page on Amazon and other platforms.
New questions.
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/8/2020 04:44:19 pm

I have entered the Poetry Society, National Poetry Competition in the past. I have not won any awards yet, but I have entered my new books for a couple of awards running in 2021 and I am looking forward to at least getting a few shortlists in the bag and a win might be a great way to cap off a very booktiful year for me.

Mark
9/8/2020 06:29:42 pm

Best of luck to you in the competitions. There is no chance of winning unless you enter. You are halfway there. A win would be a wonderful way to close out the year.
New questions.
Do you have any plans to write a novel?
What genre do you think you would start with?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/9/2020 04:25:15 pm

Many thanks for the booktiful wishes. Yes, I have plans to write a novel someday. I hope my poetry writing allows me to attain the iconic status of a novelist. Otherwise, I might just die as a roaring Poet, Storyteller and Essayist. The genre that interests me the most is Literary Fiction with a focus on African stories.

Reply
Mark
9/9/2020 04:41:25 pm

Excellent.
I think writing poetry and short stories can provide a good background for writing novels. Both of these forms teach the need for brevity of words. Every word must earn its place on the page. This is true of many other genres as well.
Literary fiction seems to be an exception to the brevity rule. The prose in literary fiction can become loquacious and verbose at times. According to the author's style of writing.
Every genre's fans have expectations about what they are going to want to read. Fans of cozy mysteries have a set of expectations that can differ greatly from the expectations of fans of hard-boiled murder mysteries.
New questions.
What expectations do fans of that genre have in mind, when you think of literary fiction?
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?
How many books have you put in KU?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/9/2020 05:22:16 pm

I’m a great fan of brevity of words in writing. Passing across impactful messages without having to write unending chapters is such a delight. Hence, Short Stories, Essays and Poetry will always appeal to me over writing a novel.
 
Fans of literary fiction are always looking out for books that appeal to their senses. Literary Fiction explores all facets of life, and they can find the untold everyday stories that tie the knot of our humanity together on the pages of literary fiction books.
 
I have 4 books in KU at the moment however I found out that most of my book sales have come outside of KU so I have decided not to enrol my books in KU as it’s not had a massive difference on final sales figures.

Reply
Mark
9/9/2020 05:35:56 pm

I have no doubt that writing a novel will be a good experience. The longer form will allow you to explore more of the themes and characters that you bring to life.
I have heard it said that a book that is easy to read was hard to write, because it took so much polishing to make the reading easy. I have to agree with that.
From what I understand, when a book is accepted into KU it is not allowed to be on other platforms until the contract runs out. Your book is already on other platforms. I have either misunderstood or the situation has changed recently.
New questions.
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?
What are the main advantages of being self-published as opposed to getting a book deal?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/10/2020 04:36:24 pm

I need to reduce being lost in the complexities of life and get a full grasp of the publishing industry as I am planning to sign a few authors to The Roaring Lion Newcastle Imprint before the end of this year. I went headlong into self-publishing and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It’s all beginning to make sense and come together now, which is truly fulfilling. Also, I doubt if I would have been able to write and get my books published as much as I have done if I went the route of traditional publishing.

Self-publishing has afforded me a great deal of flexibility with my works. I’m able to publish my books whenever I want to and I enjoy the autonomy it confers.

Reply
Mark
9/10/2020 04:51:04 pm

Good for you, tackling the intricacies of self-publishing. You are following in the footsteps of many authors. These authors turn around and offer to assist other writers with getting their book published.
They archaic system of traditional publishing is dying. Amazon not only upset the apple cart for the traditional publishers, Amazon has also caused their profit margins to shrink dramatically. The industry has experienced a phenomenal retraction, I think it is down to major publishing houses. They still think that ebooks are trash.
By self-publishing you are keeping control of your books and reaping the profits. A very smart move.
New questions.
Was it difficult to choose between self-publishing and traditional publishing?
What are the three most important considerations for an independent author to be certain of when signing a contract with an independent or hybrid publisher?
If a new writer asked you for one piece of advice to be a good writer what would you say?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/10/2020 05:30:48 pm

I think platforms like Amazon KDP and Ingram spark’s Lightning Source have given millions of people the opportunity to fulfil lifelong ambitions of becoming writers, which is an excellent thing. Someone had to upset the Apple the cart and I believe this has led to a positive transformation of the publishing industry and make the sector far more accessible to a lot of writers than it would have been hitherto possible. Even in countries like Nigeria, we have ebook reading platforms like Okadabooks, Bambooks etc that have stepped in to fill a void within the industry. Traditional Publishers can continue to live in a bubble that eBooks are trash but the world is becoming more and more diverse and readers continue to embrace the accessibility that published books in various forms enable.
 
Three most important considerations (Might not be Gospel) for an Indie Author when signing with an Indie Publisher. 1.) Is there a specific publication timeline after acceptance of the manuscript? 2.) Ensure the terms for the reversion of rights is clear enough, and if there are any out-of-print clauses within the contract. 3.) Is the indie publisher taking total control of your work and would they have the rights to your work forever? These are always important things to check out before signing the dotted lines.

One golden piece of advice for a new writer, find your unique voice, be original. Don’t try to be like anyone else and if I might add, don’t be a writer that does not read books. Be booktiful!

Reply
Mark
9/10/2020 06:07:15 pm

The transformation has been positive for authors and independent publishers all over the world. Not so much for the traditional publishers. Authors still have to be on the lookout for the scammers, the nicer ones are content with taking your money, the really nasty ones want to steal the intellectual property rights of unsuspecting authors.
Your advice is quite sound, all three are very important. I would add one more, get a qualified attorney to preserve your IP rights.
Read a lot and read widely. Good advice.
New questions.
How was the experience publishing your book with Amazon?
Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?
Did you use ads on Amazon or other platforms such as Facebook or Bookbub?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/10/2020 06:31:09 pm

Publishing with Amazon is quite straight-forward apart from the back and forth at times on things like cover image dimension issues and the stringent QA policies in place. I also sell my books on my website (https://tolutoludo.com/) to readers in Nigeria and UK at the moment. Once I’m able to guarantee a better and affordable delivery option, I will open up sales to more territories via my website. I have sold more books offline than any online platform could afford me. Nothing beats book signing events for me, selling my books on the shop floor at the Tynemouth market (Pre-Pandemic) and other places where humans converge.

Yes, social media is part of my marketing strategy but I think another effective way to get the word out there are referrals from other readers who have enjoyed reading an Author’s book will always spur more interest and lead to more organic sales. I have used Amazon, Facebook and Instagram Ads in the past and I will continue to review the strategy going forward to see what works best.

Reply
Mark
9/10/2020 06:58:14 pm

In-person events have been the lifeblood of many authors. The Covid pandemic caused the cancellation of all events, a few have been replaced by online happenings, but it's not the same, especially for zoom-weary people.
Word of mouth recommendations are hard to beat from someone you know and trust. I think that is why Amazon goes on periodic rampages trying to ferret out the fake reviews. Their reliance on algorithms has been so heavy handed that many honest and faithful reviewers had years of reviews wiped out, a few years ago.
New questions.
Have you thought about offering a large-print edition of your books?
Have you thought about doing an audio book?
Who would you pick to do the audio book?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/11/2020 02:46:01 pm

Offering a large print edition will now be a top consideration as one of the key takeaways from this interview. Plans are underway to have some of my books in audio book format to cater for the ever-changing needs in today’s diverse world. I have been in contact with some audio book narrators however there has been no agreement signed yet. I’m sure before the end of the year, at least two of my books will be available in audio book format.

Reply
Mark
9/11/2020 03:02:39 pm

With print on demand, physical books are not the big deal they used to be. Traditional publishers still order print runs of thousands of books at one time. They do this because it is the way it has always been done. The books have to be warehoused and distributed to the brick and mortar stores, which are disappearing almost as fast as the publishers. At some point in the (I hope) near future, book stores will have a machine to print a book onsite.
In many ways, audio books are the future for many millions of people all over the earth. So many have only a smart phone to access the internet, an audio book is the perfect format for them to consume.
You might be interested in a recent interview I had with the author, she brought the narrator into the interview and I was able to ask him a bunch of questions. Here is the copy-and-paste link: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/heir-to-a-prophecy-by-mercedes-rochelle-narrated-by-kevin-e-green
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/11/2020 03:21:32 pm

As recent as a year ago, I used to order print runs in the thousands but I no longer have any need to do that now as sales have plummeted with the Coronavirus Pandemic and I only have to print a maximum of 100 copies at a time per book now. I love audio books but my love for paperback books is unrivalled. I don’t see any technological innovation overtaking my love for paperbacks. Recently, I bought 32 paperback copies of old Nigerian Classics, that is to tell you how much I love to read paperbacks.
 
Some of my favourite childhood books are Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, Eze goes to school by Onuora Nzekwu, Sugar Girl and Koku Baboni by Kola Onadipe
Dead Lions Don’t Roar is my favourite as it carved out an identity for me as an Author and a Poet. However, Inferno of Silence and A Booktiful Love are the books likely to win awards and get me the most recognition at the present time.

Reply
Mark
9/11/2020 03:37:56 pm

Have you ever heard of Big Bad Wolf? They sell English language books in huge book fairs all over the world. They purchase remaindered books at a discount and sell them very successfully. That may be useful for you.
When I was a boy, I read only science fiction for quite a long time, until I was introduced to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I was awestruck and read it three times before graduating from high school. I still read lots of sci-fi, but added fantasy to my short list.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/11/2020 04:32:56 pm

I’m hearing about them for the first time, thanks for pointing them to me. Writing spiritual poetry makes me feel like a god. There are times I feel so energized I feel like gliding in the sky. There might be times my nerves fail me when I feel vulnerable through my writings. Overall, I’m super stoked and excited about my writings.
 
Tapping into the emotions of characters can help to drive the reading experience of a book to another level. The advantages of Emotion laden characters cannot be over-emphasised. When readers feel the pulse of the characters, they would invest their emotions into that character and every turbulent wave can be personalised by the reader too.

Reply
Mark
9/11/2020 07:05:11 pm

You are welcome. I have gathered great blogs and links to great blogs on my website, for the benefit of authors.
Not every writer is as fortunate as you, some don't get anything like that kind of a boost when writing. Most do report having a feeling of accomplishment and personal satisfaction.
You nailed that quite well. We are emotional creatures, for all of our silly denials. We connect at emotional levels to those we care the most about. When we connect to the characters in a book or a movie it becomes very personal.
New questions.
What was your goal in writing this book? Did you achieve it?
Has your life turned out differently than expected or planned?
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/12/2020 09:48:55 am

The goal of writing this book was to highlight the many issues men in face in relationships and marriages, lend my voice to racism and other issues affecting black people and mental health issues prevalent in today’s world, and the many other societal issues highlighted within the stories. On this point, the book has achieved its overall aim.
 
The collection has not yet reached its full potential however with the success of “A Booktiful Love” and my forthcoming books “Black ≠ Inferior” and “Never Marry a Writer”. I have a great feeling of reaching gargantuan heights on my literary journey in the years to come. I laid the bricks of Inferno of Silence during Nanowrimo 2019. Fingers crossed for Nanowrimo 2020, although I have nothing planned at the moment as I don’t enjoy writing for the sake of it, as I need my creative muse to be on a full throttle.

Reply
Mark
9/12/2020 10:09:58 am

I think you met those interim goals pretty well. Men don't talk about many of those things much. Cultural attitudes take a lot of work to overcome.
The more books you write the more success you will have, according to many pundits.
Courting your muse seems to be a tricky thing. It seems to work differently for different authors. Like you, some authors don't write without the inspiration from their muse. Other authors write and the muse shows up. As one author put it, the water won't flow until the faucet is turned on.
New questions.
What kind of preparation do you do before NaNoWriMo starts?
Do you prefer dialogue tags or action beats in your books?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/12/2020 11:16:51 am

Yes, I agree on more books leading to greater success as my backlist are doing well too. For a fact, many men have died in the Inferno of Silence.
For the creative muse, I guess it works well for me both ways, either I let the muse show up or I write and the muse shows up. But my preference lies with having the creative muse flowing, then I write. This makes for effortless writing. For Nanowrimo 2020, I have nothing planned as I type this, but things might change.

Reply
Mark
9/12/2020 12:10:49 pm

You are a blessed man, if the muse is so responsive to you.
You have a month and a half to decide about doing NaNoWriMo. It could be a chance to try something different than what you have already done.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?
When working through the excess writing, are you talking about sentences, paragraphs or a chapter that didn't survive the final cut?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/12/2020 03:10:38 pm

I’m guilty of both practices. There are times I under-write and other times I over-write too. I remember having to cut off some paragraphs in Inferno of Silence as the collection could survive without it.
With time; I will find the right balance.

Reply
Mark
9/12/2020 04:11:39 pm

Every book you write will make you a better writer. No question about that.
The very first book can make or break an author. It is very important to be certain that every book is as good as possible, especially the first book. In the early days of e-books, lots of writers were making money simply for the novelty of an electronic book. Many writers started churning out books, first draft books, as fast as they could. This gave e-books a bad reputation for poor quality at the beginning and a lot of readers never went back to find out that the quality of many e-books is as good or better than traditionally published books.
From my perspective, it doesn't matter how a book was published, big 5 publisher or small independent press. They all have spelling errors. Except one a year. Once a year I find a book with no spelling errors, after a single read.
Some editors tell a new author, handing their first book over for editing, this is trash, go write another book. They recommend strongly against publishing a first book, partially because it was a learning process.
Nowadays, I think a lot of writers turn out a good first book, with beta readers, editing, and proofreading, it is quite doable.
New questions.
Do you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?
Do you save the parts that didn't make it into the final version?
Do you prefer dialogue tags or action beats in your books?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/14/2020 04:19:54 pm

I cut out descriptions, especially if it’s unnecessary. I save parts that didn’t make it to the final version, but I doubt if it’s of any use to me now.
Dialogue tags give life to the characters, so I prefer dialogue in my writing. Writing fiction without dialogue tags does not make it feel very believable.

Reply
Mark
9/14/2020 06:59:39 pm

Description is a good thing to cut out. Some authors, new ones in particular, try to use all of what they learned in the course of their research for the book. This can easily result in the dreaded information dump. This excessive verbiage can become boring for the reader and result in the book being closed for good. The action is slowed down to nothing, if the descriptions go for too long. To avoid this problem, a lot of writers give only the amount of description or backstory necessary for the moment. The pace must not stop for very long or the reading momentum is lost.
I agree, writing without dialogue tags can get very confusing and that will give a reader a reason to stop reading. Some authors like to use action beats to get away from the 'he said' 'she said' 'he said' routine. That gets boring in and of itself at times. The action beats involve identifying the speaker through an action of some sort. It can be as simple as a wink, or as folding a map when navigating. Any sort of action that will identify the character in a natural way and keep the story flow in motion.
Last questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
Did your writing process change much from your early writing to your current book or did it stay the same?

Reply
Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/15/2020 06:17:24 am

I agree with you that over-description serves no good. I enjoyed using action beats in Inferno of Silence as it helped to keep the story alive.
Now that I have published the book, I do not bother myself on having it any other way. I will use any learnings from this book for future books.
My writing has evolved over the years, which is every writer’s dream. Growth is a vital part of the process, but the message has been consistent and clear. Also, the mode of delivery remains unchanged.
Thanks for the opportunity to be part of this interview. It’s been a pleasure conversing with a booktiful mind like you that knows the intricacies of the writing and publishing industry.

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Mark
9/15/2020 09:32:56 am

The newest book should always be the best book. Learning more and increasing skill is important for every writer. Because there is always an area that can use a level up.
Thank you for being a guest this last week. I have enjoyed our conversation a great deal. I have another promotion that starts today. Until the next time, keep on writing.

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Tolu' A. Akinyemi link
9/15/2020 12:59:08 pm

Don't stop roaring! Thank you.

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