Our September Ink Splat Author Interview features author, writer, collaborator, and masterful creator, Nyasha (Nee-asha) Williams. She shared with us about her journey as a creator, how she communicates her truth through her writing and characters, and her feelings about activism and the power of collaboration with other writers, illustrators, and even her ancestors.

To learn more about Nyasha’s work and what magic she’s up to right now, please visit her at nyashawilliams.online

“The best writing comes from truth. At times it can be difficult to be honest with both yourself and others. I think that the more honest and true you can be with yourself and real is the way you can really enrich yourself as a creator in your stories and writing.“ ~ N.W.

Writing Challenge

“Land of the Unspoken”

You live in a fantasy world where people communicate without talking. Write about an average day in this sci-fi, fairy tale world.

How have your other interests and experiences outside of writing had an influence on your work?

Being both a transracial adoptee and coming into my Black identity has been an internal literary pilgrimage playing a major role in my writing. Although my parents bought the Black literature that existed at the time, it was still lacking. My self-love journey didn’t happen until my late twenties and all of my work started in working toward self-love for the Black community and has expanded towards writing towards the world I believe in and opening space for others to do the same.

We talk a lot about the power of collaboration at the Society of Young Inklings. What has your experience been like working together with different illustrators?

I often go a slightly different route in getting my work published and out into the world. When being traditionally published, as the author your input around the illustrator of your book with the publisher, and personal connection and communication with the illustrator, can vary and is often limited. In order to have my pitches stand out and showcase my vision, I pay to have sample illustrations created with the illustrator I feel is most suited to the project created beforehand. I then, through my literary agents, pitch my projects to publishers with visuals to show what I am envisioning and put a word in for any illustrator I’d like to work with. Due to my unique route, I generally have personal connections with the illustrators I have partnered with. I have only had one project in which the publisher made all the decisions around the illustrator. For the most part, I have been extremely blessed to have a voice in who I see bringing my narratives to life.

If you could tell your younger writing self something, what would it be?

Listen. There are own-voice stories all around us waiting to be heard and shared— particularly Ancestral stories and wisdom. But in order to do the stories justice we must be willing to listen.

A special thank you to Nyasha Williams for sharing with us! 

Writing to Change the Narrative was founded by Nyasha Williams, a passionate social justice griot. Nyasha’s mission is to use words and stories to decolonize literature, minds, and spiritual practices.​

Nyasha is a firm believer that the story lives within each of us and that it is our mission to use stories to spread understanding, healing, and empowerment. Through her work, Nyasha encourages us to uncover and share our stories, so that we can all learn, grow, and create meaningful change.

Nyasha’s writing is rooted in her understanding of the powerful potential of stories to create transformation and reveal truths that have been hidden for too long. She strives to use her words to ignite new conversations, inspire action, and ultimately, help create a more equitable and just world.

Writing to Change the Narrative is Nyasha’s way of bringing her passion for storytelling to life and helping us all to write our own stories. With her help, we can all find our voices and use them to write a better world.

Learn more about Nyasha and her work at https://www.nyashawilliams.online/.