Ayobami Adetayo is an author, ghostwriter, and law student who has written a book called Bucket List.

We met on Twitter as a result of a prompt challenge. I saw her writing for the prompt and loved the content she created with it.

I knew immediately that she would be a good fit for this blog so I reached out to her and the rest is history.

Below is the interview. Enjoy.

Describe yourself in a few words.
I’d say I’m one of those people who would always see a half filled glass rather than an almost empty one. I am a law student, a writer and a mental health enthusiast. I love creativity and the freedom it gives the creator to express themselves. I am an ambitious and persistent person. I am usually motivated by success stories because they drive me to do better. I consider myself a loveable person and the only reason you might not like me is because animals scare me, no matter how cute they are.

At what point in life did you decide to be an author?
It was when I first fell in love with a book. It wasn’t a bestseller or a popular book. It was a short children story: A Rainbow for Dinner, the literature text I read in primary two. I knew almost all the words by heart and at that point, I knew I was going to write my own book someday. It was when I first fell in love with a book. It wasn’t a bestseller or a popular book. It was a short children story, A Rainbow for Dinner, the literature text I read in primary two. I knew almost all the words by heart and at that point, I knew I was going to write my own book someday.

Talk about your first book.
My first book is Bucket List and it is my first published book. Bucket List is a contemporary Nigerian story that cuts across several themes including family relationships, privileges and the duties that come with it, secrets, sexual assault and realities that may lie behind seemingly perfect homes. Bucket List is not your “happy ever after” story neither can it be described as a tragedy.

For how long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember.

What course are you studying at the University?
Law

Describe your writing process.
For me, writing involves random and spontaneous bursts of ideas. And when the fountain begins to dry, I drop my pen and find inspiration in the littlest things. I read books and enjoy my other hobbies till I feel like a writer again.

What do you enjoy most about writing.
The ability to create a whole world and watch my characters take form and develop, to me, is a superpower. The process is magical too.

What did you find most challenging in writing your first book?
Consistency. At the time I started writing Bucket List, I was fully into writing short stories and so writing a piece longer than five thousand words seemed like a big deal. Couple that with academics and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it was a lot.

What has been the toughest criticism you have received as an author?
As a ghostwriter, criticisms come all the time and you have to take it with a smile because you don’t want a bad review. However, as an author, I can say the criticisms for Bucket List ended at editing level and the book has received mostly praises.

What has been the best complement you have received as a writer?
I don’t remember exactly but every single time my work has been complimented, I feel giddy.

Share some advice for aspiring authors.
Doubting your writing doesn’t mean it is poor and It’s absolutely okay to participate in essay competitions and not win. Writer’s block happen and even legendary writers have them. Trust the process, trust yourself, trust God.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I read books, listen to music, surf the net and listen to people gossip and give me topics to write about.

Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
Yes it happens and it is usually disheartening. I step out and allow myself to enjoy other things and yes, I get ideas from random discussions and even memes.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I wanted to be a lawyer. I’m on the way there now.

When did you write your first book?
2023.

What are common traps for aspiring writers?
I think bottling yourself down to a niche limits your creativity as a writer. You should keep exploring and testing new grounds.

How do you get clients as a Ghost Writer?
People approach me in person or reach out to me via my social media accounts. I also used to work on Fiverr. Recently, I have migrated to Upwork.

How do you receive payments from abroad?
I have a Payoneer account. I also just found out about GeegPay and I’m hoping to use it to receive payments.

How do you use social media as an author?
My social media has a brand identity. On X, Instagram and even WhatsApp, I am known as The Wordsmith. On every bio, i include my passion and work. This has actually brought me lots of work opportunities and allowed for good networking.

Bucket List is available on Selar. Grab a copy today.