On May 3rd Thinker, Writer, Reader, Tochi Onyebuchi spoke to an audience of 300 students from 11 classes, the Literature Club, and the Black Student Union. After a brief lecture about his background and history with becoming a writer, Onyebuchi spent a good hour answering questions. As Ms. Swann, our VAPA coordinator later said, “it’s like we all just gathered for a cup of coffee and a chat.”
Tochi Onyebuchi is the author of Beasts Made of Night, the first novel inspired by Nigeria and his Nigerian heritage, and its sequel Crown of Thunder. He has two upcoming books: War Girls, inspired by Black Panther, the movie, is forthcoming from Razorbill in October 2019 and Riot Babyis forthcoming from Tor in 2020! He has also published numerous essays, often examining the intersections of popular culture and representation, and short stories.
Onyebuchi gave students a realistic view of what it takes to become a professional writer: perseverance. Though he has graduated from Yale University, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia Law School, and L’institut d’études politiques with a Masters degree in Global Business Law, it was the discipline of writing — he has authored 20 books though only 4 have reached publication — that allowed him to leave his day job in technology to write full-time.
With the sets for the school musical designed by and for many in the audience, Onyebuchi gave lengthy, heartfelt answers to the students’ questions from advice on how to get beyond writer’s block to the philosophers who influence and inspire his work. He also talked about the importance of diversity in literature and the importance of seeing oneself in books. He shared how it took him time to realize that he could write those books. Moreover, he noted how significant it is to be able to read about someone other than the self and see that person as hero. It is only through building such empathy that we may create kinder, better world. After the assembly ended, students and teachers came to have their books signed and to ask more questions. As he did before the assembly, Onyebuchi chatted with students as if they were long separated cousins catching up on their latest fandoms.
At the end of the assembly, Literature Club co-presidents raffled off copies of Beasts Made of Night and pairs of tickets to Yallwest’s opening keynote with Angie Thomas and Nic Stone by asking trivia questions from the presentation and Q&A. Thanks to Yallwest each teacher also got a book to raffle off to one student in their class. Yallwest is a one-day young adult literary festival held each May at Santa Monica High School. Each year they sponsor author visits to schools around Los Angeles the day before the festival.
As Ms. Wilson shared with me later, one the teachers who accompanied her class to the assembly, Onyebuchi was inspiring.
The library has copies of Onyebuchi’s current books for check out and looks forward to adding his forthcoming novels to the collection.
Finding Your Voice Literary Assembly 2: Special Guest, Tochi Onyebuchi On May 3rd Thinker, Writer, Reader, Tochi Onyebuchi spoke to an audience of 300 students from 11 classes, the Literature Club, and the Black Student Union.
