.Writers.on.Writing.

Get to know our authors, the foundation and heart of Yellow Arrow Journal, and what writing means to them through our monthly series.

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.W.o.W. #21

Chiazo V.

Describe an early experience where you learned that language has power.

I come from a family of storytellers who are experts at weaving tales in our native Igbo language. My father would often regale us with colorful accounts of his adventures while growing up in the village. My mum was an Igbo language teacher, and I always enjoyed her mastery of it. And my elder sister had a knack for coming up with her own versions of popular, local folktales. The impact of their collective influence is still evident in my writing, to this day.

What does your inner writing voice tell you?

Start. Don’t stop till your heart is satisfied.

How did you first publish your writing and what was it?

My first published work is a small book I self-published in 2019. It was sort of a crash course in writing and publishing because the idea was conceived and completed within three weeks, and published barely a month later. The book, The Five Lives of Me, is a feel-good story about a little boy who, in more ways than one, is just like me. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the lad, but at last, it all ends well. I’ve been told it’s a good first attempt, and though there’s quite some room for improvement, I still love it.

Chiazo joined the Yellow Arrow family from the Ebonyi State in southeastern Nigeria. You can learn more about her in Yellow Arrow Journal’s Vol. V, No. 3 issue (Re)Formation.