Salim Hussaini is a 16-year-old SS3 student at Lead British International School, Abuja who has debuted a science fiction novel called: ‘Bionic Evolution’. In this interview with IBRAHIM RAMALAN, Hussain advises aspiring writers not to pay attention to distracters and distractions and write to express themselves no matter what.
Introduce yourself to our readers
I was born in 2001 in Kaduna state. I grew up there till I was 14 when I moved to Abuja to continue schooling at Lead British International School. I am currently the Head Boy of the school.
You recently published a science fiction novel called: ‘Bionic Evolution’. Could you tell us a little about it?
Bionic Evolution is a sci-fi fantasy novel coming in at 208 pages. It tells the story of Zakari “Zak” Nebula after being abducted by General Leo and turned into a cyborg, his escape from Leo’s Facility and his joining with the Cyborg Rebels to free the other abducted children.
How did you get the story idea?
This book was an idea that came to me in November, 2014 and I was successfully able to finish writing in April, 2015. The idea just came to me in class. The whole editing process took about two years to finish and I was finally able to finish it on the first week of March this year. This is my third attempt at writing. I started writing when I was nine and unfortunately, I lost all my works. Then I tried again when I was 11 and once again I lost it. But this one is the one I said would finally get published.
How were you influenced by Sci-fi movies?
Well, I won’t say I was influenced that much by movies, but am a fan of science fiction and fantasy. However, I think that probably trickled in the writing. But what I want to say is that my story idea was original.
Why science fiction?
I picked science fiction because my first two attempts before this one were both fantasy. Also, at that moment, science fiction was the plot idea that I had the most ideas on. That is the only reason I picked science fiction to be the genre for this book.
Who are the writers that you are looking up to?
I love reading J. K. Rowling and Rick Riordan because they are both fantasy writers. I think that really help me because I didn’t want new ideas to come from any science fiction books. So all the while I was doing this, I was reading fantasy books.
Where do you see yourself in the nearest future?
In the future, I expect to have published a lot more books and I want my books to have garnered unimaginable audience. While doing all these, I also want to see myself as someone who has graduated from university with a very good result and more than likely working in my own company.
Considering that you are one of the few people who achieve this feet at this tender age, how would you advice your peers to do the same?
I think it is not something you can force on people. It has to be something that comes from you. So if they want to write, they should have all the freedom and support to write. But if they don’t want to, it doesn’t have to happen now, it can happen any time soon. All they need is support from their parents and the country as a whole.
How supportive do you see your parents in the course of writing this book?
They were very supportive. My father told me that if I finish writing it he would get it published which he actually did. So he has been very, very supportive. My mum also has been supportive, because any time I finish a chapter I always give it to her to read.
How do you juggle between writing and schooling?
Normally, I just use free time to write in a note book. So if I am in school and maybe at a period I have nothing doing, I would start writing. Some time I would write a paragraph and stop, while other times I would write up to a chapter. At the time I was about to submit my book for editing, I was also having examinations to write. So it was not easy juggling the two. By and large, I can say that it has been sweet and challenge experience for me.
Any challenge faced during the course of writing this book?
I was surrounded by very discouraging people. Some people were just saying that I was only wasting my time, that nobody would read what I wrote.
Then how did you summon the courage to keep moving?
I just ignored them because I was not doing it for them. This is for me, for my future. They can do or say whatever they want. I am writing my path, they should go to hell.
It may interest you to know that you are one of the few young writers in the North that have, especially, written on a very difficult genre: science fiction. How does it touch you?
Firstly, I feel satisfied for having successfully completed this novel, and proud for the fact that I came up with my own original idea. The fact that I am one of the few young writers in the North means that I am being an image for the next generation who will hopefully be inspired by this and write their own books and become successful.
What is your message other young aspiring writers?
It doesn’t matter your age, just write what comes to your mind. It doesn’t matter if people say it is rubbish, it’s not going to do well. Just write what you have to. Express yourself. A book isn’t meant to be the best of the best, it is meant for you to express yourself and what comes to your mind. So, to anyone, to the future, just express yourself.
