So many times I've encountered people who are just kind of like, 'Yeah, Nigeria,' and, you know, thump their chest and seem very sure of, like, being Nigerian. And I'm just kind of, like, I wish I could be that sure. Helen Oyeyemi chestencounterhave share on social
I don't think anything can help me socially, to be honest: I have this terrible personality. I don't really know how to describe it... maybe I'll go with surly. Helen Oyeyemi describehonestpersonality Change image and share on social
I love character and voice, and my favourite books have been the ones in which I've become completely absorbed. Helen Oyeyemi absorbbookcharacter Change image and share on social
A few people have tried to make me see that my writing isn't quite their thing by saying to me: 'What about realism?' To which my general response is, 'What about it?' However, I wouldn't be at all surprised if one of my favorite writers, Marilynne Robinson, was to say something similar if asked 'What about the fantastic?' Helen Oyeyemi askfantasticfavorite share on social
Dickinson is my hero because she was a joker, because she would never explain, because as a poet she confronted pain, dread and death, and because she was capable of speaking of those matters with both levity and seriousness. She's my hero because she was a metaphysical adventurer. Helen Oyeyemi adventurercapableconfront share on social
In my family, telling stories is just a way of life. Helen Oyeyemi familylifestory Change image and share on social
I was a real mess at school. I got a bit of a reputation for being the weird girl: the girl who'd go silent randomly and just kind of write down replies to people's questions in a book. Helen Oyeyemi bitebookgirl Change image and share on social
I tend to prioritize emotional realism above the known laws of time and space, and when you do that, it's inevitable that strange things happen. Which can be quite enjoyable, I think. Helen Oyeyemi emotionalenjoyablehappen Change image and share on social
I remember that I used to get lots of books from the library, and 'Little Women' was one of them. And I used to just cross out the parts of it that really upset me because it's such a sad book in so many ways. I'd cross out the parts that upset me, and I would rewrite new endings. Helen Oyeyemi bookcrossending share on social
I always wanted to be a writer! But I wanted to do other things, too - be a psychologist, a librarian, et cetera. Now I've decided that reading fiction that features characters who are in those professions will do. Helen Oyeyemi ceteracharacterdecide share on social