Shitta Faruq Ademola is the featured writer for the March/Shaban 2021 Featured Writers Series on The Muslim Write. He is the fifth featured writer for the series. Read his featured short story: “Qadar.”
The Muslim Write: How did you discover you were a writer?
Shitta Faruq: Writing comes from the heart. I felt I could give the world something, like Lewis Hyde said to the “gifted”, “to give something back”. I wanted to tell the world a story of past wars, of its leftovers, and the joys that would come after it. I wanted to reflect the story of my dead father into the mind of my reader, so that he cries with me. I wanted to tell my Mom that her son is no more a coward”.
The Muslim Write: How do you begin a story and how does it develop?
Shitta Faruq: First, I read. My library is full of books. Then, I play Simi’s music, then I walk outside for ten minutes, then I buy Boluwatife ChinChin and Pepsi. The lesson is: a writer’s beauty is in reading; you can not write if you don’t read (this does not apply to everyone, though.) Then, seeing. I begin my story from what I see on my walk, and it begins to develop”.
The Muslim Write: What writers do you continually go back to?
Shitta Faruq: If I would start to mention the number of writers I admire, I’m sure the ground is going to be filled up. Few of them are Adedayo Agarau, Logan February, Chen Chen, Safia Elhillo and Kaveh Akbar.
The Muslim Write: Have your ideas of what makes a story changed since you began writing?
Shitta Faruq: Sure, it has. One of the beauty of a writer, like I said before is in reading. I am confident to say that the poems/stories I wrote last year are not the kinds I wrote last month. Books open the mind to many things. It not only teaches, it exposes, it brightens the darkened part of the mind. I once read somewhere that ‘What you read becomes a part of you’. It changes your perspective towards things”.
The Muslim Write: Do you have a writing group or community you share your work with? (Who are they?)
Shitta Faruq: Yes, I have. My Twitter and Facebook accounts are always active, so I share my works there. So many writers group on Facebook, and I make sure to share my works with them. I have many friends that do read me, plus I do share to my WhatsApp status.
The Muslim Write: What are you reading now?
Shitta Faruq: I’m currently reading “A Poetry Handbook” by Mary Oliver, “The Poetry Home Repair Manual” by Ted Kooser, and “When I Grow Up I Want To Be A List Of Further Possibilities” by Chen Chen.
The Muslim Write: Thanks so much for your time.
The Muslim Write 