Grow a Spine! –Letter to Aimine (and everyone like Aimine) -By Shalom Kasim

Dear Aimine,

I am a Nigerian. I’m saying that to remind you where I come from: the same country with Chinua Achebe, the man who once said, “A frog does not jump around in the daytime for nothing.” You know why? Because writers should have no business exposing themselves to the scorching light of public opinion without a purpose. That purpose, dear Aimine, is growth.

Let’s start with the basics. Your plot is a trainwreck. It meanders aimlessly and lacks any sense of direction. The pivotal scene where Mirna, your insipid protagonist, for example, spends an entire chapter agonizing over whether to buy a red dress or a blue one, is an insult to readers’ intelligence. This is supposed to be a life-altering decision, yeah? When I remember that it was in this scene that Mirna decides to finally buy the kitchenware that would later kill her boyfriend, I frown, particularly because it reads like the musings of a bored, unimaginative mind.

Your characters are walking clichés. Mirna is a shallow, materialistic caricature with as much depth as a puddle laden with spirogyra. Her interactions lack the genuine emotion that would have made it possible for readers to connect with her. In a particularly cringe-worthy scene, Mirna tries to console a friend who has just lost her job. How? By suggesting a shopping spree!

And then there’s your setting –or should I say, the lack of it? The backdrop of your story is so generic and lifeless, it’s, like I said, as if you scribbled a few urban clichés on a napkin and called it a day. Your scenes? They lack life. Your characters could only survive there because they, too, are lifeless.

Enough of the criticism, Kasim.

I only wrote this piece to respond to my editor who remarked, “On a personal note, while I understand the passion and fervor behind your critique, I believe it is important to consider the potential impact on the author’s career. Aimine, much like any other writer, is on a journey of growth and development. Harsh criticism, while sometimes necessary, can have profound personal effects. There is a probability that discouraging remarks could lead to her abandoning writing altogether – and going back to New Delhi to open a restaurant, as per your suggestion – potentially causing the literary world to lose what might be the next J.K. Rowling.”

In Nigeria, we say, “The child who says his mother will not sleep, will also not sleep.” Let me break it down for you. Dear Aimine, if you continue to peddle such literary garbage, you will forever be haunted by the ghosts of critics like me. I am unapologetic because my review was a necessary wake-up call. Writers (and you are one, yeah?) must be prepared to face harsh truths and grow from them. The notion that my critique might drive you to abandon writing is really, really, really laughable. If you are so fragile that a single harsh review can deter you, then you have no place in the literary world. Writing, my dear, is not for the faint-hearted. It requires resilience, determination, and the ability to withstand and grow from criticism.

Someone believes in your writing career so much he told me, “One day Aimine will grow into a writer you will be proud of!” Yes, perhaps, but certainly not with the drivel I read. What you wrote is an affront to the craft. If you cannot take this feedback and use it to improve, then you are doomed to mediocrity. 🙂

My suggestion for you to return to New Delhi and open a restaurant was not made lightly. Upon further reflection, I believe I was wrong to suggest that. A more fitting venture would be…a bookstore! Perhaps there, where you are surrounded by the works of literary giants, you might find the inspiration and humility necessary to improve your craft. You could observe firsthand the elements of successful storytelling and understand the depths of human emotion and interaction that your current work [very] sorely lacks.

One more proverb: “He who throws stones at the market will hit his relatives.” In English? Actions have consequences! If you continue to churn out subpar work, you will inevitably face the backlash from critics like me. My review was not an act of malice  -I don’t even know you! I only got New Delhi from the 4-line bio attached to your work! The literary world is not a place for coddling. It is a battleground where only the resilient survive –and I want you to become one.

Writers need thick skin. If you cannot endure the fire of criticism, then you are not cut out for this world. I will never apologize for telling someone, “You wrote crap!” because it is often the blunt truth that serves as the catalyst for real improvement. If you are serious about becoming a writer worth celebrating, then you must develop a spine. The literary world is unforgiving, and only those who can withstand the heat will emerge victorious.

Your work was an utter failure, and my review was an honest assessment –we’re equal!–; take it, learn from it, and grow. If not, then perhaps you should consider a new career path, because the literary world does not need writers who cannot handle the truth. Anything less is simply unacceptable. And  intellectually insulting.

Your friend,

Kasim.

Nigeria