Writing to Heal: A Candid Conversation with Jenny Aabamu

Summary

In this episode of the Black Writer Therapy podcast, host Ella Shawn engages in a deep conversation with debut author Jenny Abamu. They explore themes of healing through writing, the cathartic nature of fiction, and the complexities of identity and career transitions. Jenny shares her journey from journalism to speculative fiction, the importance of trust in society, and the influence of her Nigerian heritage on her writing. The discussion highlights the power of narrative and the need for more diverse voices in literature, particularly those of Black women.

Takeaways

Healing is a journey of rediscovery.
Trauma and change are often intertwined.
Writing can serve as a cathartic process.
Identity crises can lead to personal growth.
Trust is a crucial element in relationships and society.
Creating complex characters is essential in fiction.
Nigerian heritage enriches storytelling.
Narratives shape our understanding of the world.
Diverse voices in literature are vital for representation.
The act of writing is a form of co-creation with the universe.

Chapters

00:00 New Chapter

03:12 Navigating Identity and Career Transitions

08:07 The Cathartic Nature of Writing

13:02 Creating Multi-Dimensional Characters

18:01 Exploring Cultural Identity and Representation

36:38 The Legacy of Writing in Nigerian Culture

40:33 Exploring Identity and Cultural Layers

44:22 The Importance of Narratives and Self-Discovery

47:28 Rapid Fire: Embracing the Writer's Journey

54:18 The Call of Creativity and Character Connection

01:00:34 The Reality of Fiction and Its Impact

01:06:35 Honoring the Influence of Octavia Butler

01:11:38 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations and Legacy

01:11:54 The Scary Questions We Avoid

01:13:17 The Audacity of Game Changers

01:15:18 Impromptu Storytelling Challenge

01:21:24 Decolonizing the Erotic

01:24:27 Connecting Through Community

01:31:30 Future Projects and Aspirations

01:35:20 BWT OUTRO.mp3

About Jenny Abamu

The Herd is definitely the most cathartic book I’ve written. I started writing it in 2018 while working at a local NPR station in Washington, D.C. At that time, I was already feeling disillusioned with the state of information. It was the first Trump administration, a period when facts seemed to lose their power and public understanding of the truth became increasingly muddled. Now, years later, the situation has only worsened. As a journalist, I entered the field with a mission—to democratize information. I wanted to make complex systems more accessible, especially for communities like my own—first-generation immigrants trying to navigate America. I believed that understanding the system meant having the tools to succeed and hold the powerful accountable. But over time, I found myself questioning whether my work truly mattered. Did people still care? I was doing investigative journalism and could see the real-world impact of my reporting. Yet, within the industry, I witnessed an increasing focus on chasing clicks, sacrificing quality for quantity. This wasn’t exclusive to one newsroom—it was a broader shift happening across journalism. The integrity of our work was being compromised in the relentless pursuit of views, engagement, and advertising dollars. The breakneck pace of content production left little room for depth, care, and the kind of storytelling that truly informs and empowers the public. At the same time, the broken state of information continued to erode trust between the public and the institutions meant to inform them. That disillusionment was what ultimately led me to write this book. I needed a different way to express what I was experiencing and witnessing—beyond the traditional mediums I had worked in.

Stay In Touch with Jenny

What's Up with Ella?

Ella Shawn is a 7X published author of Southern Erotic Fiction. She has presented and international writing conferences, worked with top writers and editors throughout her career and is the proud founder of the start-up hybrid publishing house, Southern Momentum Publishing House, LLC. She has dedicated her every facets of her professional life to amplifying Black and Brown women writers around the globe.

Ella created this space so that Black women writers could sit on the proverbial couch and be their unapologetic, Black woman selves.

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