It’s time for another #WriterSpotlight feature. Our guest today is Oluseye Ashiru. We love the fact that her dad encouraged her to write while she was still very little. Today, not only does have her own blog, she also writes for Huffington Post. Enjoy her interview with us.
Hello, please introduce yourself
My name is Oluseye Ashiru. I am a wife, mom of three lovely children, passionate about Jesus, women, children and purposeful parenting.
What do you do?
I am a business owner. I have an online store for bed and bath linen items. Then I also blog and speak to inspire women, especially mothers.
Why did you choose to write or what led you to writing?
I won’t say I chose to write really. Writing is something that has always been a part of me. I see it as a way of expressing myself, of communicating my thoughts to people. I find that it’s easier for me to write than to speak. I articulate my thoughts better with writing than speaking. If I would speak publicly, I usually write it all out first before I speak, except it is impromptu. I remember my dad always encouraged us all to write. He’d always give us holiday projects to write a book, a journal, our experiences and so on. At that time, I would just write because he asked us to write. I didn’t even realize it was a gift. I just assumed everyone could write. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized that not everyone could write! I got my first job because I wrote a wonderful essay about my upbringing. The examiner was wowed – I actually got all the marks allotted.
Can you tell us your most rewarding moment as a writer?
Whenever anyone gives a feedback of how any of my posts blessed them or made them take a certain decision or touched them in any way, I get my reward. I write because I want to pass across a message I feel God has put in my heart. Once that’s done, I’m cool. It doesn’t matter if it’s just one person, my mission has been accomplished.
Have you ever been rejected as a writer and how did you handle it?
I’ve never been rejected. I have only written for people who have invited me to do so. Only recently have I thought of taking my writing to platforms where I need to request to be accepted, and I haven’t been turned down by anyone of them yet. And really, I have my blog. I will keep my voice heard through that platform, so rejection isn’t something I’m so bothered about.
Will you ever retire from writing?
Do people really retire from writing? Except I have a reason not to be able to use my hands anymore – God forbid. In that case though, I’d dictate it to some Speech-to-Text App (laugh). I can’t stop writing! It’s who I am.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
Maybe I’d ask God to make me a calmer person. But then, life would be boring!
What do you do in your leisure time?
Read – everything. Paper backs, e-books, online articles, always looking for information.
What would you pick;
Continental Food or African Delicacy? Continental. African is too predictable.
R&B or Hip/hop? R & B
Fiction or poetry? Fiction.
Fashion or music? Must I Choose? Both(Oliver Twist)
Do you consider writing as work or pleasure and why?
Writing is pleasure for me. It’s something I love to do, every time.
Your best article or story so far?
There are so many of them. I guess I’ll let the readers be the judge of that.
Any last words for upcoming writers?
Upcoming? I am also upcoming. We all are. The day you stop growing is the day you start to die. That notwithstanding, I’d say, write from your heart. No need to copy another person’s style. Your style is who you are. The pieces I have written that have resonated the most with people have been the ones I’ve written totally and unapologetically from my heart.