At some point, practicality requires that you reach out to people in the business. You have to take care of business if you value your work.

I don't have much of an imagination, but I have a mind bank of details, which I play with. It's how I daydream, so writing like that is natural for me.

What works for me is that I read widely and stay focused on my writing. I'm no longer concerned about what happens in the literary marketplace. It is distracting and can lead to discontent.

I never wanted to be a writer; I just had stories I needed to tell.

I never wanted to be a writer; I just had stories I wanted to share so I learnt how to write and kept going. If I could sing or paint, I would.

I don't remember being a keen reader, but apparently I was. My aunt told me that whenever I was teased for reading, I would say, "To each his own."

People don’t fear the wind until it fells a tree. Then, they say it’s too much.

I don't have a schedule, but I can write for hours non-stop. If I'm drafting a book, I try and do a chapter a day. I dislike first drafts. Revision is a lot more fun, but it takes years.

I have to say that writing about my writing process is more daunting than writing non-fiction.

I read Macbeth as a secondary student in Nigeria and it was like an African play to me. It had all the right elements - witches, kings and assassinations.

For all forms, writing dialogue is almost like writing music. I pay close attention to rhythms and tones.

Whenever you see this much wealth, assume that someone dirtied his hands. Fortunes don't come to saints.

It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.

Some persons, instead of making a religion for their God, are content to make a god of their religion.

Education can't make us all leaders, but it can teach us which leader to follow.

You know, in a way, 'Dear Santa Claus' is rather stuffy... Perhaps something a little more intimate would be better... Something just a shade more friendly..." "How about 'Dear Fatty'?

Time doesn't necessarily happen in chronological order.

I think media are at their most interesting before anybody's thought of calling them art, when people still think they're just a load of junk.

A martyr's disciples suffer more than the martyr.

I always try and do everything I can to the best of my abilities, single aspect has to be perfect.

A plan without action is not a plan. It's a speech.