Authors discuss alchemy of fiction writing at SFAL

Featuring Fatima Bala, Chika Unigwe, Nnamdi Ehirim, and Salha Obaid, the session delved into narrative artistry, cultural representation, and the rich inner lives of fictional creations.

Characters are discovered, not created

“Characters are not just invented; they are discovered,” shared Unigwe, the Nigerian author of The Middle Daughter and On Black Sisters’ Street. Talking about her process, she said, “I think of characters as living entities who were just waiting to be found by us. I don’t control them; I transcribe them. It’s important to treat them like individuals, with respect and integrity, whether or not they are likable.”

Unigwe described her approach to narrative as polyphonic. “For me, every voice in a story carries its own distinct language and psychology”. She added that the beauty of writing is that “the reader finishes the story. They carry the characters with them, imagining where their lives go. That’s the beauty of literature: it’s a collaborative creation.”

Intersection of conflict and characterisation

Bala, acclaimed poet and author of Broken. Not a Halal Love Story, emphasised the importance of conflict in driving character development. “It’s conflict that shapes who the characters need to become and how they will face pressures within the story. I think of who they are under stress”.

She candidly admitted that characters sometimes surprise her mid-writing. “At times, despite all my planning, my characters don’t behave as I expect. And when that happens, I follow their lead. It feels almost spiritual, as if these fictional beings have a life of their own.”

Ideas as the building blocks of stories

For Lagos-based writer Ehirim, author of Prince of Monkeys, storytelling begins with an idea. The author elaborated upon the delicate balance between character and plot. “I don’t force my characters into a mould. I think about their motivations and allow them to guide their journeys.” Reflecting on the joy of writing, he added, “While I may forget parts of my plots, I never forget my characters, they live on long after the writing is done.”

Voices that transcend borders

Obaid, an Emirati fiction writer and a local cultural force with three short story collections and one novel, spoke with passion about the universality of storytelling. “At my book launch in Mozambique, they performed a silent play based on my short stories. It was fascinating to see characters from Sharjah adapted into an entirely different cultural context. It proved that emotions, not geography, connect us as humans”, she noted, reflecting on how her characters often connect with readers regardless of their cultural origins.

On revisiting past characters, Obaid offered an evocative analogy. “Returning to an old character feels like meeting an ex. They served their time; their story is done. Fiction mirrors life: we meet people for a season, then move on without knowing how their story continues. And like we don’t always get closure in reality, leaving a character’s fate open reflects the unpredictability of our world.”