After writing 10 books in 10 years, Akwaeke Emezi is choosing rest
In a recent interview with Zikoko, the award-winning author explains why rest has become an essential part of the creative process.
10 books in 10 years?
For most writers, that sounds almost impossible. Publishing a single novel can take years of planning, writing, rewriting and waiting. Yet for Akwaeke Emezi, the past decade became an extraordinary run of stories that captivated readers around the world and established the Nigerian author as one of the most distinctive literary voices of this generation.
There was Freshwater, the novel that introduced many readers to Emezi’s fearless storytelling. Then came Pet, The Death of Vivek Oji, Bitter, Dear Senthuran, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, Content Warning: Everything, Somadina and several other books that crossed genres with remarkable ease.
Looking at that body of work, it is easy to assume the books simply kept coming. The reality was far more complicated.
Speaking in a recent interview with Zikoko, Emezi reflected on what it took to publish 10 books in a decade, revealing that the relentless pace eventually led to burnout and forced a complete rethink of what a sustainable creative life should look like.
It is a reminder that readers often celebrate finished books without seeing the physical and emotional work that goes into creating them.
When success starts taking a toll
Emezi’s literary journey has never followed a conventional path.
After leaving a Master of Fine Arts programme in the United States, the author published Freshwater in 2018. Drawing on the Igbo concept of the ogbanje, the novel received widespread acclaim and earned nominations for several prestigious literary awards, announcing the arrival of a bold new voice in contemporary fiction.
What followed was a remarkable period of creativity. Almost every year brought another book. Literary fiction, memoir, young adult novels, romance, fantasy and poetry all became part of Emezi’s growing catalogue. Readers admired the consistency. Publishers welcomed the steady stream of manuscripts.
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But, as Emezi told Zikoko, constantly creating came with consequences. There was a period when writing felt almost effortless. Manuscripts came together quickly, sometimes within months, fuelled by years of discipline and an intense creative rhythm. Eventually, though, the body began pushing back.
During the interview, Emezi revealed developing a neurological disorder that affected the ability to write by hand. At one point, parts of a manuscript had to be dictated during the editing process because writing had become physically difficult.
It became a turning point. Instead of asking, How much more can I produce? the question became How can I keep creating without destroying myself in the process?
Redefining what productivity means
For many creatives, productivity is treated like a badge of honour. The more books, films, songs or paintings produced, the more successful an artist appears to be. Social media has only amplified that pressure, rewarding constant visibility and endless output.
Emezi’s experience tells a different story. Speaking to Zikoko, the author explained that writing no longer revolves around marathon sessions or trying to finish projects as quickly as possible.
Instead, only a few hours each day are dedicated to active writing, leaving room for something that had become increasingly rare during those intensely productive years: rest.
Ideas are allowed to develop gradually. Stories are given time to breathe before they reach the page. The shift represents more than a new writing routine. It reflects a different philosophy, one that recognises creativity is not measured solely by how much work can be produced.
Still creating, just differently
Choosing a slower pace has not meant stepping away from storytelling. Emezi continues to expand creatively, working across literature, film, visual art and music while exploring new themes rooted in African mythology, spirituality and identity.
The author’s romance novel You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is also being adapted for the screen by Amazon Studios, with Emezi serving as an executive producer, further extending a career that has consistently pushed beyond traditional publishing.
That willingness to experiment has become one of the defining features of Emezi’s work. Rather than staying within one genre or audience, every new project has challenged expectations, making each publication feel different from the last.
The lesson beyond the books
Burnout is rarely part of conversations about literary success. Readers celebrate bestseller lists, awards and publication deals. What often goes unnoticed are the long hours, creative exhaustion and personal sacrifices behind the finished work.
Emezi’s story brings that reality into focus. Publishing 10 books in 10 years is an extraordinary achievement by any standard. But perhaps the more important lesson is not about the number of books produced.
It is about recognising that success loses its meaning if it comes at the expense of health. In choosing to slow down, Akwaeke Emezi is not walking away from creativity. The author is showing that sometimes the most important chapter is learning that rest is not the opposite of work. It is what makes the next story possible.
