Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia's debut novel is a Giller Prize finalist — here's her advice for aspiring writers
'I would say to keep pushing. It sounds easy to say, but writing can be tough.'
Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia's debut novel The Son of the House is shortlisted for the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize. She started her writing journey by joining community writing groups such as the CBC Books' Canada Writes Facebook group. She has been detailing every step of her journey, inspiring aspiring writers to follow in her footsteps.
Onyemelukwe-Onuobia is a lawyer, academic and advocate who works in health law, policy and violence against women and girls. She divides her time between Lagos and Halifax.
For other aspiring writers, the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize is open for submissions until Oct. 31, 2021.
The CBC Short Story Prize recognizes original, unpublished fiction up to 2,500 words. The winner will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and have their work published on CBC Books.
The Son of the House is the story of two Nigerian women, the housemaid Nwabulu and the wealthy Julie. The two live very different lives, but when both are kidnapped and forced to spend days together in a dark, tiny room, Nwabulu and Julie keep hope alive by sharing stories and discovering common ground.
Onyemelukwe-Onuobia spoke to Sonali Karnick on All in a Weekend about the benefits of joining community writing groups and habits she practices to strengthen her writing.
How did you react when you found out you were on the Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist?
For a second or two or three, I didn't react at all because I blanked out in disbelief. But [my book] was there on the screen: the orange cover and something that looked like my name. In fact, I had to go back the following day to hear the broadcast properly, because I didn't take it in the first day.
It sounds like a surreal experience!
It was so thrilling and it continues to be thrilling even now!
How would you describe your newest novel The Son of the House ?
The Son of the House is about two women. When the book opens, we find two women who have been kidnapped and locked up in a room. It's a situation that is not as uncommon as we would wish it to be in Nigeria today. These two women are obviously in a bad place and they're terrified. But the older woman gathers her courage and tells the younger one, "We'll be here for a little while longer while we wait to hopefully get rescued. Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself and I'll tell you a little bit about myself, so we can pass the time?"
The book then explores these two women's stories. One became a housemaid at the age of 10. She was sent off to work at different houses where she had many different experiences and many things happened to her. The other is a woman in her mid-30s. This was the 1970s and in Nigeria at that time, it was expected that at that age, you're already married with children. Even today, these expectations remain to a certain degree.
That was a challenge for her at the time. She jumps through hoops and does all these things to get married. These women are connected by different things that I explore in the book.
This book is about motherhood, gender, class, the ties that connect us and about the commonalities of women, even when they're divided by other things in a heavily patriarchal culture.
This book is about motherhood, gender, class, the ties that connect us and about the commonalities of women, even when they're divided by a heavily patriarchal culture.
Even though The Son of the House is a novel, do you have a personal connection with the stories you're writing about?
The stories definitely reflect experiences that I've had and that I've seen others have. It was a deliberate attempt to recreate a world that I've lived in and that I have seen, and to open it up for engagement, for discussion, for questioning and interrogation, and hopefully maybe to change people's minds.
A work of art is sometimes seen as therapeutic. Was telling these stories a form of therapy for you as well?
I don't know if I found [writing this book] therapeutic or cathartic in any way. I would say it actually left me with a sense of heaviness and reminded me of all we still have to do to make the world a more equal place. It was definitely a story that I had to tell. I'm really happy that it's now out in the world and that others can read it and engage with it.
You started your writing journey by joining online writing communities such as the CBC Books' Canada Writes Facebook group. What are your thoughts on how these online writing groups help aspiring writers?
I have benefited from having a sense of community, a sense of belonging and a sense that you are not alone in the struggles that writers face. Writing has been a largely solitary activity, so being able to share with others what you're going through has been helpful in my journey.
Writing has been a largely solitary activity, so that sense of being able to share with others what you're going through has been helpful in my journey.
When the shortlist was announced, it was one of the first groups that I went to announce the news. It was received with a warm embrace from everyone. It was the sense that [being shortlisted] was for us. Some people said, "Go get it. Go bring home the prize!"
Being part of this community helps you know that you're not alone. The challenges you face with rejection, the challenges you face with crafting words in a way that communicates exactly what you're thinking — these are challenges that others are dealing with and triumphing over.
What advice would you give aspiring writers who are looking to follow in your footsteps?
I would say to keep pushing. It sounds easy to say, but writing can be tough. Rejections are tough and many people give up. Keep pushing means many things. It could mean: keep working on your craft, encouraging yourself to write one more paragraph, sending out your work again to agents, writing a second book or trying out a new idea.
Many writers are passionate and approach writing from a deep place, whether they win awards or not.
The CBC Literary Prizes are often a platform for aspiring writers to submit their work in hope of getting published. What are some tips you can give to writers who want to enter the CBC Short Story Prize?
I would say two things. First, get writing — especially if you're like me and you have the story in your head. Many people are going to wait and the next thing you know, they don't submit anything. Write it down, as clunky as it may be. Then you can tinker with it.
I would also tell writers to give [their stories] a little time. Allow it to breathe, even if it's only for a day.
I would also tell writers to give [their stories] a little time. Allow it to breathe, even if it's only for a day. Come back to it with fresh eyes and see what you might want to do differently or what resonates most with you.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
