Vegan and Vegetarian Meals in West Africa
What’s the Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian?
Before we get into the delicious plant-based food options in West Africa, let’s clarify the basics. Vegetarians avoid meat, poultry, and fish but may consume dairy and eggs. Vegans take it a step further—no animal products at all, including dairy, eggs, and honey. If it comes from an animal, it’s off the menu for vegans.
Can You Eat Vegan or Vegetarian Meals in Ghana?
Absolutely! If you’re visiting Ghana or another West African country and wondering whether you can maintain your plant-based diet, the answer is yes. West African cuisine is naturally rich in plant-based ingredients, thanks to an abundance of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and beans. Many traditional dishes are already vegan or vegetarian—or can easily be modified.
Key Ingredients in West African Plant-Based Meals
West African cuisine features a variety of naturally plant-based foods. Some staples include:
- Grains and Starches: Rice, millet, maize, cassava, yam, and plantains
- Legumes: Black-eyed peas, groundnuts (peanuts), and cowpeas
- Leafy Greens: Spinach, cocoyam leaves (kontomire), bitter leaf, and ewedu leaf (jute leaves)
- Fruits: Mangoes, pineapples, papayas, coconuts, avocados, and bananas
- Spices and Sauces: Palm oil, chili, ginger, garlic, shito (a spicy pepper sauce), and tomatoes
Popular Vegan and Vegetarian Dishes in Ghana and West Africa
Many traditional West African meals are either naturally plant-based or can be made so with slight modifications. Here are some must-try dishes:
- Waakye – A filling popular rice and beans dish often served with fried plantains and shito. Skip the meat to keep it vegan or vegetarian.
- Red-Red – A flavorful bean stew made with palm oil, served with fried plantains.
- Palava Sauce – A spinach or cocoyam leaf stew that can be prepared without meat or fish.
- Kelewele – Spicy, fried plantains, often cubed and seasoned with ginger and chili (pepper).
- Jollof Rice – An iconic, spicy tomato-based rice dish, which can often made without meat.
- Yam, Plantain, and Cassava Chips – Deep-fried yam, plantain or cassava.
- Tofu Dishes – Tofu is available in some places as a protein substitute.
- Moin-Moin – A Nigerian steamed bean dish that’s often vegan.
- Puff-Puff – A popular deep-fried dough snack that can be made without dairy.
Eating Vegan and Vegetarian in Ghana: What to Expect
Ghana has plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, making it easy to eat plant-based. However, in urban areas, the rise of Western style fast food has led to more processed food options. If you’re looking for whole, plant-based meals, consider visiting local markets and traditional restaurants rather than relying on international fast-food chains.
Tips for a Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Trip to Ghana
- Communicate Your Dietary Needs – When dining out, ask if a dish contains meat, fish, or dairy. Many local restaurants are happy to modify meals.
- Call Ahead – Some hotels and restaurants offer plant-based meals, but it’s always a good idea to confirm in advance.
- Explore Local Markets – Fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts are widely available.
- Bring Snacks – If you have specific vegan-friendly snacks, consider packing them, as specialty vegan products may be harder to find.
Final Thoughts
Eating vegan or vegetarian in Ghana and West Africa is not only possible but also enjoyable. From hearty local soups and stews to popular flavorful plantain dishes, you’ll find a variety of delicious and nutritious meals. So, get ready to enjoy West Africa’s plant-based delights on your next trip!
To read more about the vegan and vegetarian scene in West Africa, visit Spicy Tasty Vegan Cuisine’s YouTube Channel for cooking lessons and valuable information. The owners are currently based in The Gambia where they live and train chefs and visitors on vegan cooking and lifestyle. Enjoy!
Planning a trip to Ghana (or The Gambia)? Want to explore the best vegan and vegetarian spots? Let me help! Contact me for travel tips and customized plant-based food tours in West Africa at: mary@maryoluonye.com
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Act of Kindness: One Evening in Kumasi, Ghana
Everyday act of kindness. This time it was one evening in Kumasi, Ghana.
It had been a long day on the road, touring with clients visiting Ghana. We had dropped our visitors off at their 5-star hotel for the night, and then the tour management crew – tour manager, tour driver, and I, – exhausted, went in search of some good food for the night.
Haze from the smoke emanating from roadside chop bars, as local eateries or food joints are often described, filtered through the air, casting a pale golden glow over everything. Taxis and cars with horns blaring, bicycles weaving in and out between them, pedestrians greeting each other, street sellers still plying their wares, a couple of dogs and chickens taking their time sniffing and pecking as they meandered around. Just a typical after-sunset scene in tropical West Africa as people of all ages made their way through crowded streets on their way home, or elsewhere after the day’s work.
This is authentic West Africa at night in the city. This is Kumasi. Ghana.
We were searching for something nutritious and filling to eat before we made our way back to our hotel to crash for the night. I wanted to eat rice and stew, savory, but not too peppery. Ishmael, the tour manager, knew where we could find some. The driver parked the van and we proceeded on foot.
I took in the ambiance as I followed Ishmael. I really do enjoy being back home in West Africa. I like the humid heat with the gentle breezes, the cacophony of sounds, the smell of food cooking on an open fire, and so much more.
We mingled with the moving stream of people talking loudly, and laughing, and I couldn’t help but smile at the playful banter and snatches of conversations and even the occasional, very short-lived arguments I heard as we made our way through the streets.
Before too long, we arrived at the little chop bar which resembled one of those smaller food trucks you often see on some streets in New York City. I figured the food was good because there were people in line waiting to order. We joined the queue.
While waiting for our turn to order, I noticed an older man quietly waiting, not in line, but leaning against a wall. Shirtless, he wore only tattered khaki trousers and held a book between his hands.
A little act of kindness observed
Once the woman had finished serving up the customers who had been in line in front of us, and before she took our order, she reached over for a large plastic bag, something like a large Ziploc bag, and spooned some food into it – some of everything. Then she handed the bag of food to the elderly man who accepted it with what looked like a slight bow of the head in gratitude or thanks. Mind you, not a word was spoken between the two.
We ordered our takeaway food. It came to about 14 cedis (about $1.00) for the two of us. She gave me a good helping portion and mentioned that shito (a flavorful, spicy condiment) would go well with my rice, stew, and beans. Should she add some? “Yes please,” I answered.
I handed her 20 cedis and she gave me back 6 cedis change. As we started to walk away, I felt compelled to ask her if the gentleman she gave the food to paid for it. She said, no, please.” You gave him the food for free?” “Yes, please,” she told me. Ghanaians often add the word, please, to these types of questions—something I find somewhat endearing. I returned my change and asked her to please put it toward the next meal for the old man. I was rewarded with one of those smiles you get from the Ghanaian people. Spontaneous and real. Smiles that transform, inspire, and light up the spirit.
Kindness: Powerful and touching
The kindness of people is so powerful and so touching. Maybe the man is homeless, cashless, or maybe he has some big problems. Does it really matter?
Ishmael told me later that the old man has lived in the area for years and the book he clasps between his fingers is a tattered, old Bible. So, there may be some mental health challenges there. But just look at how people care for each other. He won’t starve. He won’t remain unseen. People will look out for him. He will be given good, nutritious food to eat, and clean water to drink. And he’ll continue to wander around in his world of reality and he will be okay.
These are the little acts of kindness that come so naturally to many. The little kindness that costs nothing. The kindness may seem to be a very small deal but is actually a huge deal. It is kindness that means everything to many, or the few, or the one, and it is kindness that makes all the difference.
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Returning Home Ain’t Easy But It Sure Is A Blessing!
A Mini Book Review
Returning Home Ain’t Easy if it means picking yourself up and moving to a different country, but yes it can be a blessing. That’s for sure!
When many African-Americans and other People of African Descent living in the Diaspora visit Ghana, one place they are sure to visit is a place called, One Africa Health Resort located in Cape Coast. Situated close to the Elmina and Cape Coast Slave Castles and Dungeons, the resort has became an iconic pilgrimage spot for visitors eager to reconnect to their African roots.
One Africa Health Resort
One Africa Health Resort is also the home and brainchild of the author, Seestah Imahkus (and her late husband).
One visit to the Cape Coast Slave Castle dungeons was all it took. After an emotional and gut-wrenching experience , as she states in the book’s introduction, “I would never be the same again! After years of wandering and searching, I have finally found home.”
But, saying it and actually making the move did not happen overnight. They needed to plan and prepare and so between 1987 and 1990, Seestah Imakhus and her husband made several trips to Ghana.
In 1990, despite objections from friends and family, especially on the part of her mother, they made the move.
Reality sets in
And then reality set in. Visiting a country and living in it are two different things. In this memoir, Seestah Imakhus chronicles her experiences over the course of twenty one years of living in Ghana. There are the good times and the challenging times as she and her husband and other friends and returnees adjust in their ancestral African homeland.
She discusses how she learned to be careful not to trust everyone after being taken advantage of by a friend and swindled out of money. Lacing factual information about some of Ghana’s history, culture and traditions, Imakhus addresses the challenges of language barriers, and being viewed as foreigner and called obroni (white person), which she found to be particularly disturbing. But most of all, the book speaks to the joy she has always felt at being home in Motherland, Africa.
Today, many global celebrities make it a point to visit the iconic One Africa Health Resort in Cape Coast. In addition to hosting enlightening Rites of Passage ceremonies, and conducting somber Castle/Dungeon pilgrimages and ceremonies, One Africa is the site of weddings, meetings, burial of ashes and and a lot more.
If you are lucky, you may get to visit with Sister Imakhus herself.
So here is the takeaway
I highly recommend Returning Home Ain’t Easy But It Sure Is A Blessing! for the following reasons:
If you you are thinking about relocating or repatriating to a country in Africa, this book gives detailed insight as to what to expect.
It is as relevant today as the day it was published (1999 and revised in 2009). It’s worth keeping on hand as a reference guide.
It provides Ghanaians with a greater understanding of African-Americans and why they are choosing to return to Africa, specifically, Ghana.
And finally, Seestah Imakhus writes in way that is so relatable, conversational; funny at times, and other times, angry and feisty.
You can purchase a copy of this book at Amazon.com and other online retailers.
Testimonials
Late last year, I was seeking an editor to help out with my cookbook. After searching for countless months, I finally reached out to Mary Oluonye in hopes that she would be able to assist me.
Though this was Mary’s first time editing a cookbook, She has experience in editing numerous books in all genres and I knew she would be the woman for the job. Mary did tons of research on how cookbooks were written and she came up with the game plan of how we should move forward.
During the editing process, Mary was very hands on. She made everything so seamless and easy going. When giving feedback, she always suggested edits and didn’t make me feel forced to use her suggestions. Mary also had very descriptive and detailed notes. She welcomed questions and would always clarify things if I was confused.
Mary made me feel VERY comfortable and I felt like we were ALWAYS on the same page. She had the best ideas and really helped my book come to life. If you are looking for a great editor, I highly recommend Mary Oluonye. You won’t go wrong.
–DawnDra L.
Mary has edited my writings about three or four times, and in all occasions came up super.
It was as if my writings were given a new life. A rebirth. Mary understood the concept deeper than I did and came up with just the right words. Mary’s editing does not change the original flavour. It simply adds value (spices) to it. Mary is flexible. She advises on invaluable and practical options. So far, Mary is my idol when it comes to editing.
-Sam B.
Coming up with lots of ideas and putting them on paper seemed easy to me at first. However, it takes more than just one person to make a piece of writing stand out.
Fortunately for me, I had met Miss Mary Oluonye who not only gave me good advice to take with me on my writing journey, but also motivated me to do my best and never give up no matter what. Thanks to her, having trouble with writing my novels and poems have been a thing of a past and anyone would never regret having her as a mentor.
– Selasi A. (Teen Writer)
It’s no exaggeration, working with Madam Mary Oluonye is like having a human guardian angel for company.
With an amazing zest that equals passion, she walks through your works connecting the dots that links to the possible emotions that influenced each word, sentence and paragraph which enhances her ability to step in through the doors of your inspirations source.
Her intense effort to limit all possible grammatical or typographical errors on your scripts, always afford her the psychological ability to detect each deviation of your moods on your work, even sentences that has less energy with other parts of your work or paragraphs in seeming discordance with your earlier literary intention do not escaper her instincts.
In all maturity and expertise, she will communicate this to you in her editorial report that comes with subtle suggestions that humbly points out to you what she felt intuitively, this re-energizes our authors to make the effort in balancing their literary expression.
Her intense concentration on manuscripts gives our authors a good feeling, knowing that they have her to scrutinize not just their words and tenses, but the coherence of their energies in their delivery has endeared her to all of them.
She also doesn’t miss out in advising you on what is possible within the gambits of the law on plagiarism, image rights and other artistic contents that come with making a perfect book.
We are grateful for having her as our first point of call in every of our editorial needs.
–Cookey Iwuoha, Co- founder Bibiani Consult and Bibiani Books
Editing Process
If you’re writing a book or any other type of document that you want to publish, then having your work edited is a must.
When many beginning writers think about the editing process, they believe it only involves reading and catching typos, spelling errors, formatting issues, etc. This level of checking falls under the scope of proofreading which is actually the final step in the pre-publication process. Much more editing needs to happen before you get to the proofreading stage.
To get the most out of the editing process, your work should be edited at these levels and in this order
- Developmental Editing: An examination of the foundation of your manuscript.
- Line Editing: A closer look at the building blocks of the foundation of your manuscript.
- Copy Editing: A focused look at the smaller, mechanical details of the building blocks of
your manuscript.
Two other parts of the pre-publication process are:
- Manuscript Evaluation: An overall assessment of your manuscript with a focus on what is working and what is not. The assessment lets you know if you are on the right track. If you have a completed manuscript or book proposal (for nonfiction), I recommend you start with a Manuscript Evaluation.
- Proofreading: The last stage in the pre-publication journey and should be done after all other editing is completed and revisions have been made. It is the last chance to catch any missed mistakes such as typos and formatting issues. If you are being published by a traditional publisher, you won’t have to worry about this stage. The publisher will take care of it in-house.
Here’s the big takeaway
Whether you intend to submit your manuscript to a literary agent or a publisher, or you intend to
publish it yourself, it is imperative that you submit your best work, and that means you must
have it edited.
Ready To Quit Your Job and Become Your Own Boss?
Before you do that, read “two weeks notice” by Amy Porterfield
Do you wake up too many mornings thinking that you just don’t want to keep on doing what you have been doing? Quitting comes to mind. You want to become your own boss. But are you ready?
You’re envisioning taking more control of your work and career by starting your own part-time or full-time business. The more you think of it, the more certain you are about becoming your own boss, but you’re just not sure how to get started.
Perhaps you’re a writer like me, and want to take your writing to another level by diversifying what you offer and creating additional income.
No matter what the business you’re thinking of starting, I highly recommend that you begin by reading Amy Porterfield’s book, two weeks notice: Find the courage to quit your job, make more money, work where you want, and change the world.
But hold on! Before you hand in your two weeks notice, please read Amy’s book first.
Yes, I am promoting this book and here’s why. I am a writer, editor and business owner. I want to take my writing and editing business to a higher level, but I am terrible at marketing. I just don’t know enough. I should be more successful than I am, and I know it’s because I am terrible at online marketing.
I want to become better at being my own boss.
Enter Amy Porterfield. She is an undisputed master of online marketing. Check out her top-rated podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy.
I attended some of her free online webinars and was impressed with the knowledge, energy and passion she brought to every session, along with her signature humor and authentic desire to help others succeed. I was equally impressed by the fact that she stayed online with attendees until every question was answered.
She always over-delivered and had plenty of stories to illustrate topics she covered, as well as several scripts that attendees could swipe and make their own. Kind, encouraging and always smiling, by the end of her sessions, attendees and students are left feeling that Amy is a friend who has your back.
After attending one of her free bootcamps on how to start an online business, I decided to take her courses. Since then, I find myself going back to her teachings over and over again. Doing so refreshes my thoughts and keeps me motivated to keep going.
But, could she impart her personality and brand into a book?
Because she teaches on video and students get to see and interact with her in a visual way, I wondered if, or how, she would be able to translate all of her knowledge, as well as her personality and brand into a book. After all, there are some things that are really difficult to feel, or get a sense of, without seeing.
But somehow she did it. And here’s the thing. The book is not even that long, at 277 pages, but Amy has been able to infuse her book with that same enthusiasm, with that same passion, and that same wealth of knowledge.
It’s pretty amazing, given that this is her first book. What’s also amazing to me is that despite her multi-million dollar success, and with all that she has accomplished in her business, she admits she still had a bit of doubt and fear that she could actually write a book about the business she is a master of.
In her book, Amy shares the ups and downs of starting and growing her business. She is very honest about the fears, stumbling blocks, mistakes, crying fits, embarrassments that she faced along the way to creating a very successful business.
We have all felt those things one time or another, right? When you begin to think of starting a business, there’s going to be fear, uncertainty, and looking at others to see if you can possibly be as good as they are, called imposter syndrome, these days.
Still, I was surprised that Amy admitted to feeling uncertain about writing a book about a business that she excels in. She shares this to show how normal it is to feel this way, but she also shows you what she did to overcome and push through that feeling.
Here’s my best advice.
If you are ready to start your own business, my best advice is to start by reading two weeks notice. It’s an excellent, practical guide to get you started. You’ll learn what you need to have in place before handing in your two weeks notice.
Amy has been where you are now, and where you want to be. She breaks it all down in a friendly, conversational way. You’ll get scripts and examples to follow to reach your goal. At the same time, you’ll get strategies that will help you overcome the hurdles that will undoubtedly come your way.
And you’ll feel that she believes in you and is holding your hand as she guides you to success. Like a friend who “has your back.”
It all begins with a single thought. If you are reading this, then I know you are already thinking of taking charge and becoming your own boss.
Be motivated, gain confidence and save yourself time and money. Order your copy of two weeks notice today. You won’t be disappointed.
If you have enjoyed reading this article, or found it helpful, you might be interested in these other articles of mine. Write a Book to Promote Your Business and Think You Can’t Do Something? Think again.
I write about writing, editing, entrepreneurship, self-improvement and travel. I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter! When you join, we’re able to stay in touch, and I’ll send you weekly articles, resources and more, to take your writing to the next level. Subscribe!
When To Write A Book To Promote Your Business
Writing a book is one of the most effective ways to promote or market your business.
You can write it yourself, or you can work with a book coach to help you write it, or you can hire a ghostwriter to write the whole thing for you.
You already have a niche audience who wants to hear from you
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why writing a book to promote your business is a good idea.
Think about it. If you own your business, then you already have experience and expertise in your field. When you write a book about the business you’re in, all you are doing is sharing your wealth of knowledge with your readers.
Your ideal readers are the people who are interested in the types of products or services that your business offers. They are your present and future clients or customers.
As a published author and entrepreneur, you will be perceived as a credible expert in your field and stand out from your competitors.
You’ll reach a wider audience of potential clients or customers.
Writing a book to promote your business can lead to other lucrative opportunities. Someone who reads your book – an individual, or company CEO – may get in touch with you to purchase your book in bulk for their employees.
You may be invited to speak at an event, or perhaps become a consultant for a multinational firm or to appear on tv shows or podcasts.
When your readers consider purchasing products or services from businesses like yours, they will remember you.
And finally, you have the opportunity to add your company story and contact information at the end of the book.
Here’s my story
I’m a writer and an editor. I edit fiction and non-fiction children’s books across all genres and formats, from picture books to teen/young adult. I also edit nonfiction books for adults.
But, I am also in the travel business and co-own a travel and tour operator company based in Ghana and the USA.
In 2017, I noticed that an increasing number of African Americans were considering moving to Ghana. Since I’m very familiar with much of the country and live in Ghana for at least half of the year, I decided to write a book about what it’s like to move to Ghana.
What better way to combine my experience, knowledge, research skills and love of Ghana than to write a book.
In 2018, I wrote and published, “Moving to Ghana: The Essential Things You Need To Know.” I used the book to share what I know about life in Ghana. My focus was on delivering the valuable information my readers wanted and needed.
My ideal readers are people considering moving to Ghana. I had a clearly defined audience that I was writing for. My ideal readers are also our ideal travel clients.
What I didn’t do was write a book to promote my business. I just wanted to be there for them, and to answer the questions they had and offer solutions.
I wanted to establish myself and our company as a “go-to” source of information and assistance for whenever they were ready to travel or move to Ghana.
By writing a book, our company gained visibility, and stood out as credible and knowledgeable about traveling to Ghana and possibly making it a new home.
So back to you. What business are you in?
What business are you in? Think about what you do and how your business helps your customers. What do people want to know about the business your are in and the services and products it offers. What are your clients’ issues or frustrations? What do they really want? What do they need to know?
Now look at what you do. What can you share with your customers that they would really love to know, or would be helpful for them to know?
Your answers may just be the starting point you need to get started on writing a book to promote your business.
With the ease of self-publishing today, you can write and publish a book, promote your business and position yourself as an expert in your field.
You can do it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
#writing #writingtips #businesswriting
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Not Sure What To Write, Then You’ve Missed A Step
You’re ready to write, but all of a sudden, you’re not exactly sure of what to write about, or how to start.
Writer’s Block.
Has that ever happened to you? If it has, then it means you might have missed an important step.
Whether you’re an author writing a book.
Or perhaps you’re a business owner writing a company product or service guide.
Or an employee assigned the task of writing a departmental report.
Or a manager of a nonprofit organization and writing a grant proposal.
Here you have several different writers, but they all have the same problem.
They’re all struggling with the same scenario, sitting at their desks and ready to write. They each have a general idea of what they need to cover, but they are just not sure how to get started.
Sound familiar?
You stare at the blank screen or the pristine white page, but the words don’t come.
The words don’t come because you’ve missed something critical.
Who are you writing for?
The words don’t come, and here’s why.
You have not yet narrowed down who you are writing for. You have to be specific about this.
When you don’t know who your ideal reader is, then you won’t know what to say to them, or how.
Before you write, you have to decide who your reader is and then you’re going to get into their minds and become crystal clear on what they want to know from you. Only then will you be able to write to them.
Once you have identified your ideal reader and keep them in mind as you start to write, you’ll feel the frustration ebb and the words begin to flow.
And in no time at all, you will have written that book, guide, report or proposal.
Know your reader.
Why Writing By Hand First Can Help You Write Better
Writing by Hand is something you can do anywhere, anytime.
Writing by hand (longhand) or direct to computer? I’ll choose pen and paper first. Every time.
I love it.
It all began once upon a time when I was a child in Enugu, Nigeria. My dad used to bring home long sheets of engineering draft paper – unlined white crinkly paper, which we, the kids would spread out on the cool tile floors in our bedrooms and then proceed to lie on the floor writing and illustrating our stories with pencils and crayons.
Writing by hand was a perfect way to spend hours of time
What bliss!
Later in life as I sat in university lecture halls during microbiology, parasitology, organic chemistry, anatomy and physiology and a host of other classes, I’d write copious notes by hand and developed the skill of writing down the essential information I needed to know.
I noticed that I remembered and retained the knowledge I had written by hand, more clearly than just by reading the textbook. In fact, I supplemented textbook reading with my own notes.
I ran across a 2014 Study that indicated what I had noticed all along. You learn and remember more, conceptually, when you take notes by hand. Needless to say, I did quite well in those courses. I really enjoyed them.
It is not inconceivable that writing by hand may help you better remember or keep track of the different aspects and details of your work or storyline as you write as compared to typing it out first.
When I write books, or anything really, I always start with pen and paper. Rarely do I type first. Except for informal email messages. It has something to do with how my brain works.
When I write by hand it’s as though my thoughts form and wrap themselves into cohesion as the impulses flow from my brain down to my fingers.
The creative process occurs at lightning speed as nerve impulses race down my arm and as the words begin to flow from fingers to page.
I am creating as my fingers write. Laser focused.
When I write by hand, everything else fades into the background because my attention is completely centered on capturing all the thoughts before they rush past me.
Ten to fifteen minutes after this process begins, I’ll enter into a zone where my brain works faster and faster and I have to write faster to keep up. And while the first few pages of writing may be rusty or downright bad, the more I write the better, more cohesive the writing becomes.
Ever wonder why sometimes you read over something you’ve written when you were in the zone and you say to yourself, “Wow! This is good.” It almost feels as though someone else wrote it. For me, this is the best feeling in the world. I never get this sensation when I type directly on a keyboard.
And another thing that happens is that when I write by hand and get into the zone, I find that I don’t have to edit as much when I go back over what I have written.
I am fully engaged in creating and editing, consciously and unconsciously.
When creating and typing directly on the keyboard, which I do very occasionally, it actually takes me longer to get a final copy that I’m satisfied with. I don’t seem to get into a writing fast and creatively writing zone.
Perhaps it’s because I’m continually distracted by the blue and red wavy lines popping up on the screen informing me of some mistake.
Or maybe it’s because I’m too busy making sure my fingers are positioned above the correct keys.
I keep having to resist making small corrections in spacing, spelling and grammar as I type. So while typing would seem faster at first, it does not end up saving me time at all.
It seems counter-intuitive, but I save time when I write everything out by hand, and then type and save what I have written.
There’s something so satisfying about seeing the evidence of my writing and creativity on paper in my own handwriting.
I can write wherever I go. All I have to do is carry along pens and paper – on a plane, at the park, library or café. I can write where there is no electricity, no battery charges, no equipment. I can write in bed, or cruising down a river in a small boat!
Just pen, paper and my brain, and I am set.
Here are just a few well-known authors who sometimes write by hand – J.K Rowling, Kristen Hannah, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Joyce Carol Oates.
What about you? What’s your experience? What works best for you?
Think You Can’t Do Something?
Think again.
Think you can’t do something that you would really like to do?
Perhaps due to your age, or for some other reason?
Life is short. Today (which is the only day that we know for sure that we have) is a good day to change from thinking that you can’t do something, to heck yes, you can!
I know. It sounds so simple, but sometimes you need to hear the same message over and over again before it begins to really sink in. I know I do.
Think you can’t do something?
Yes, you can!
You can do anything you want to do. Don’t limit yourself.
For me, I will add, within reason of course, due to my age. After all, I can’t run a long grueling marathon (actually I never did), or do two thousand sit-ups. I mean who would want to do that anyway?
There are just some physical things that I can’t, and might I add, don’t want to do. Period.
But that’s where it ends.
When it comes to starting a business that you’ve always wanted to start, or learning a new skill or language, writing a book, tandem skydiving, or adventuring around in some other country, you can do it at any age.
I changed my thinking and did all those things and more. And more importantly, I continue to do whatever I want to do.
- Learned to play the guitar, and even learned to read music. I’m also planning on taking piano lessons soon.
- Wrote several books. The first one was a children’s book about Nigeria, published by a traditional publisher, and the last one is about Moving to Ghana, the Essential Things You Need to Know which I self-published in 2018. I am currently working on yet another book.
- Parachuted out of a plane over San Diego at an altitude of 12,500 just to overcome my fear of heights. I almost chickened out when the instructor asked me if I had taken the brief pre-jump training. I hadn’t. But hey, I figured I was securely strapped to him so he had a vested interest in making sure that the jump was successful. Besides, I was already stepping into the aircraft.
- Adventured in and around Ghana and Nigeria for several years after retiring early so that I could do whatever I wanted to do. Senegal is on my radar. In fact, I now live part-time abroad.
Want to know my age?
I’m in my 60s.
The moral of the story
Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from doing what you want to do, whether you are in your 20s or 90s, or somewhere in between.
Come on now. We only have this one life to live. So live.
The key is to start little by little. Like the African (Kenyan) proverb goes, little by little, the bird builds its nest.
Go out there and start doing what you want to do.
On a personal note, like the bird, I’ve started my newsletter, little by little. It’s all about three of my favorite things to do. Reading, writing and helping others improve their writing, all with a good dose of encouragement thrown in.
If this sounds good to you, then go ahead subscribe to my weekly newsletter and let’s keep in touch!
