Yeni Fediya
Yeni took part in one of our Voltage Revolution programmes. We had a chat with him to discuss his experience working as a young Black creative, navigating the industry, and their experience on our programme.
What initially drew you to the world of writing, and what challenges have you faced in pursuing it as a full-time career?
The tugging factor that drew me to the writing world was an accident. I wanted to organise a debate class with inspiration from BK Chat. I thought it would be great to delve deeper into topics relevant to those post-16 years. Sixth form and college are where many young people start to find their feet and aspire to what they want to become. Sadly, the idea didn't materialise in the way I planned it, but that's when I had a light bulb moment and realised, "I can cultivate the idea of the debate class into a blog". The rest was history and birthed out of that eureka moment was my blog, Off-Licence. Another factor was a creative producer programme I was a part of last year which quickly pivoted my thoughts to become a person in front of the camera, a producer, and work behind the scenes on skit-writing, journalism, and creative planning; facilitating events, etc. The challenges are time, lack of experience, and economic factors; getting paid for writing.
As a Black writer, how do you navigate and challenge the under-representation of diverse voices in the industry?
Making sure that the topics I write about are open for all to learn and gain insight from and not narrow-minded in writing, giving various perspectives to mitigate such challenges. However, while blogging and writing, I realised that as a writer, the goal isn't necessarily to appeal and cater to everyone, as that can be one way I lose my authenticity.
How do you find inspiration and stay motivated in an industry that can be competitive and demanding?
Watching podcasts, films, skits, and shows and reading newspapers. All of them are mediums and media in which many discussions include taboo subjects and current information, which sparks ideas for me to write about as a skit, for my blog, etc.
How do you balance maintaining your artistic integrity with the demands and expectations of the industry?
I create positive affirmations to ensure that I am confident in my ability and do not stoop into the abyss of imposter syndrome. I ask for a review from those who read my writing and I research information, reaching out to experts, all of this adds to my writing.
Can you share any advice or insights for aspiring young Black writers who want to break into the creative industry?
Be your authentic self. Feed the hunger that made you begin the journey of becoming a writer. Don't throw away any idea that you think isn't currently marketable - one person's trashy idea can be the missing piece to another's grand idea. Keep writing, your audience will find you. Writer's block is an indicator that you have many ideas in the kitchen of your mind, leave the dessert to last and focus on your what and why. All of what I mentioned is a note to myself.
How do you deal with rejection and setbacks, and what advice would you give to emerging writers on developing resilience?
I am still learning how to deal with rejection. However, my advice would be to be self-aware of who you are, be grateful for how far you have come, and be hopeful and determined about how far you can go. Many people see what you are putting out on social media. However, the harsh reality is they are not the reason you will grow, you may need a growing readership absolutely, but in actuality, you will be the determining factor as to whether or not you will experience growth in audience through being consistent and seeking advice from professionals in the field.
What steps have you taken to continually develop your craft and expand your writing skills?
I sought guidance and support from others, asked for reviews, and analysed my writing from past to present.
