Nancy Oluchi Isiwu, popularly known by the pen name, Nancy Legacy is a Medical Radiographer, Writer and editor. She is the author of ‘Write like a Boss’, a practical guide for new and aspiring writers. In this interview with Mary Nnah, she talks about what inspired the book and more
What inspired you to write the book ‘Write like a Boss’?
When I started my journey to becoming a professional writer, I had no idea of what I was doing. I had no tutor, guide, coach, nor mentor. There weren’t many instructional books on non-fiction writing or how writers could monetise their skills. All I saw were books on creative and fiction writing. I had a hard time figuring it out myself. So, I thought it would be nice to write a guide for new and aspiring writers struggling to master their craft. Write like a Boss is available on my website www.legacycreatives.ng and Amazon (Kindle and Paperback)
What process went into writing the book?
Writing the book was the easy part. It took me only a week to write the first draft. As a writer, I’m privy to a lot of information. So, it wasn’t hard pulling my resources together and putting my thoughts in writing.
However, the bulk of the work was in editing, production and marketing. My editor, Serah Nwoke had to run four edits on the book, which took over a month. Then, my publisher got to work; formatting, interior design, cover design, ISBN and printing. Afterwards, I had to set up a team and run intensive marketing for the book. It was very daunting, but definitely worth it.
Tell us more about the content of the book?
Write Like A Boss is a book every writer needs to kick-start their writing career. It is an easy-to-read guide that teaches you how to write, research, edit and monetise your skill. The book has nine chapters that contain practical guidelines and tips from my wealth of experience as a writer. Write Like A Boss is my first book.
What next now the book is written?
We move onto the next book. I intend to write a collection of short stories based on my experience working as a Medical Radiographer.
Tell us about your upbringing.
I was introduced to the world of fiction at a tender age. My mother is a primary school teacher. Back then, the school management had this policy of including a novel in their academic curriculum. Each class (Primary 1-6) had a designated novel for the term.
I was in nursery two when my mom started giving me a copy of Primary 1 storybooks to read. My favourites were The King’s New Clothes and My Baby Sister. I would read the sentences out to her. She helped with difficult words, teaching me how to pronounce each correctly. To her, it was a mere academic exercise to enhance my reading skill and boost my IQ.
What she did not know was that I fell in love. Not just with the act of reading but with the words, the characters, the plots, scenes and figurative expressions. I was intrigued by the way each story climaxed to either a happy, tragic or comic ending. It felt like time travel, like escaping to another world.
Thus, between the age of 4-5, I found magic in stories. I fell in love with stories, and scribbling words on paper became a pastime. I began to create my own stories just for the fun of it. I didn’t even know how well I could write until my English teacher in SS1 asked us to write an essay about traditional marriage in our hometown. So when people ask how I started writing, I would say, “I started writing by reading”.
Who’s your mentor or favourite author?
My mentor and favourite author is Maggie Smart. I call her the Story Queen. She has written several books, including The Smart Writer’s Handbook and Beyond Now. She has been very instrumental to my success as a writer and author.
What one national matter would you want to contribute to?
It’s always one thing or another, the most recent being the proposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2022. Imagine buying fuel for N340/litre as against N170/litre. With all that is going on in the nation, this will trigger more economic woes and inflation.
While the intent to replace the subsidy with a monthly N5, 000 transport grant to poor Nigerians may sound like a good plan, we can’t fall for that. We’ve been scarred by many unfulfilled promises. And frankly, we can’t ascertain the extent of impact this would make in improving the lives of the poor masses.
The government should reconsider this decision as the risks far outweigh the benefits, taking into cognizance the state of the economy and the welfare of the citizens.
What trending topic would you like to jump in on?
This is sad, but I must lend my voice. The recent events surrounding the death of Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College is quite disheartening.
I’m a product of boarding school and mine was a positive experience, probably because I was a pioneer student. Boarding school taught me to be disciplined, time-conscious and self-reliant.
However, times have changed. With the increasing vices in the society, this is a wake-up call for us to be intentional in raising our kids and instilling the right values in them. No child deserves to be bullied by his fellow students. I hope Sylvester gets the justice he deserves.
Apart from writing, what else do you do for a living?
As a writer and founder of Legacy Creatives, I love helping busy professionals tell their stories and fulfil their dream of becoming authors. In the past three years, I have worked with stellar brands in Nigeria and the diaspora to improve their online visibility by providing content for their digital marketing campaigns.
As an editor, I have managed the creative resources and book projects of several individuals and organizations. My excellent research and content development skills are evident in my unique writing style.
I have also facilitated training on creative writing, content marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). As a Hub Spot certified Content Marketer, I worked with the Enugu State SME Agency during the pandemic to provide skill acquisition training to help small business owners develop skills to promote their brands through content marketing.
My work has been published on top-notch sites like Yolar Magazine, Keepmesafe.tech, Iconic Digital World, Entrepreneurs.ng, Lagos Convo, OkadaBooks and many others.
Write Like A Boss is a practical guide for anyone who wants to transition from writing as a hobby to writing professionally. It will give you the necessary arsenal you need to refine your skills and launch your writing career. Have you been thinking of how to earn from your ability to write, but don’t know how or where to start? Then, this book is the resource that you need. It’s a must-read for new and aspiring writers.
What do you think about Worital?
When I think of Worital, one word comes to mind -Excellence. As a perfectionist, I was very particular about the quality of production. I wanted a masterpiece, and I’m glad my book fell nothing short of my expectations.
