Lubna Sufyan: The introvert behind Wattpad’s most compelling heartfelt stories
NP: Name, state of origin, educational background, marital status
My name is Lubna Sufyan and my state of origin is Kano. I did my primary and junior secondary school in Katsina State and did my senior secondary in Kano State. I did a National diploma in architectural technology (Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic), then proceeded for a higher national diploma in Architectural Technology (Kaduna Polytechnic). I’m happily married and blessed with one child.
NP: What inspired you to start writing fiction? Can you tell us about the moment you knew you wanted to be a writer?
I can’t say there’s anything that specifically inspired me to start writing as I started at an early age; right from primary school, I used to be picked whenever there was a writing competition, and I have been representing my school for inter-school essay competitions even back then. I could say if there’s a pen and a paper you’d find me scribbling.
And there’s also no specific moment, it’s like writing chose me not the other way round.
NP: Do you follow a specific routine when writing? Is there a specific time you use for typing, or do you just grab your note when an idea comes to your mind?
I don’t have a specific writing routine. But I do have a specific time I enjoy typing, after Subh prayer when everywhere is still quiet or at midnight; the quietness is my drive as I hate being interrupted.
I don’t just write immediately after an idea strikes, I always take my time, play with it in my head, try to picture a lot of things before I start scribbling here and there, shape the plot, and then start my book map before writing the story
NP: Are your ideas derived from real-life experiences, or do you just create characters from your head?
Some of my ideas are derived from real-life experiences, I just spice them up and shape them to my taste and sometimes it’s purely fictional, I just try and keep them as close to reality as I can.
NP: You’re quite popular on Wattpad and your writings have been read by many. I do not read Hausa books, but your writing style and character twist got my attention; you make us fall in love with your characters, then kill them unexpectedly, and you make your readers cry a lot. Do you enjoy making people cry? Lol
Being a big crier if there’s anything like that, it doesn’t make me enjoy making people cry. But I believe there’s a thing for everyone and tragedy happened to be mine, that’s just it.
NP: What themes do you often explore in your writing? Marital relationships? Family Dynamics? Drug abuse? Addiction?
I don’t have a specific theme; I explore whatever the story comes with I guess. But mostly family dynamics.
NP: Are there any recurring characters or settings in your books?
The recurring settings could be a tragedy; there’s a little of it in almost all my stories.
NP: What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a writer?
The biggest challenge I face and still facing is that I’m an introvert, an extreme one, so much so that being in a crowd gives me anxiety attacks. I always keep to myself even at school. As a writer I get invited to many writing events, and declining them is not helping my career and image in general, and declining several meet and greetings with some fans is also not helping.
I don’t know how to tell people in a polite way that being around them gives me anxiety… And if they are more than four, an allergy reaction. I mean you can’t just tell your fellow humans that you are allergic to a lot of them😀.
NP: What do you find most rewarding about writing fiction?
The most rewarding thing about writing fiction is that it gives me all my friends with the exclusion of one, I met her during my HND, but all the amazing people I’m grateful for right now I met through writing and that’s my biggest reward
NP: Who are your mentors? Who is your support system? What and who pushes you to continue writing even when you feel like giving up?
I really don’t have a mentor, but I do have a support system; that’s my family. What pushes me to continue writing is myself. It has become a part of me to the point of being addicted, and I do find myself looking for my next fix every now and then. Whenever I feel like given up, I remember my fans, those loyal fans I won’t trade for anything.
NP: Do you have a favorite book among the stories that you’ve written? Why is it your favorite?
My favorite book is Rai Da kaddara and it’s my favorite because it was such a hard one that challenged me as a writer.
NP: Have readers’ responses to your work ever surprised you?
All the time, especially now that I take ages to update a chapter, their loyalty always amazes me honestly.
NP: Your readers would like to know your upcoming projects or works in progress…
My work in progress is Tsakaninmu, with less than 10 chapters to finish the whole book, and my upcoming project is going to be a big surprise as it’s going to be a collaboration with a popular writer, and it’s my first time collaborating with anyone.
NP: You do engage with your readers via social media, does their feedback or reviews determine the direction of your work
Their feedback doesn’t determine the direction of my work as the book map is always finished from beginning to end before I start writing and releasing the work in chapters; it does make me want to write the next chapters so I get to surprise them with the twist.
NP: Sometimes, in the course of writing, authors do experience a blockage of ideas or character; how do skills writer’s block?
Is there a way to handle writer’s block? I just keep trying to reconnect with the characters until it works.
NP: What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of writing?
Could being alone be a hobby? I also love cooking, watching movies, and reading.
NP: You publish your books on Wattpad, which is the norm in this digital age. Is there a monetary gain?
No, there’s no monetary gain on Wattpad; I published there for visibility.
NP: How do you monetise your writing skill?
I do sell my books on WhatsApp, Okadabooks, Bakandamiya, Hikayata, Arewa books, etc.
NP: If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and why?
From my books, I would love to meet Wadata (From Alkalamin kaddara) I want to see how he looks like in real life. If it’s from other books, I would love to meet Adrian Ivashkov from the Bloodline series by Richelle Mead; I want to sit with him and just study what makes him stick to me to date; I think it’s been a decade already. and he’s still my favorite fictional character.
NP: If your book were to be adapted into a film, who would you like to see cast in the lead roles?
Ali Nuhu, Sadik Sani Sadik, Yakubu Muhammad, Jamila Nagudu, Hadiza Aliyu Gabon, and Nafisa Abdullahi, etc.
NP: What is your best food
Veggies and anything with them greens I’m game.
NP: What’s your best jewelry or accessory
If my phone could be considered an accessory, that could be it, if not, I really don’t have any.
NP: Thank you for squeezing time out of your busy schedules to answer our questions.
A pleasure.
Very impressive!