Bisi Adewale is a family coach and marriage counselor. A prolific writer who has authored over 92 best-selling books on family life. He is also an international speaker on Marriage, Parenting and Family Life and host of Family Life-Line on Radio and TV and host of the popular Singles and Married Lagos Conference.
How the Lagos State University-educated accountant got into writing, what are the secrets of his success, how to improve reading culture and what impact have his books had on the life of readers? Bisi spoke about these and other issues. Excerpts:

How did you venture into writing and what is the secret?

I started writing when I entered the ministry and discovered that one of the best ways to get my message across was to document it. I can only be in one place at a time, but if you publish 10,000 books, the books can be in 10,000 places at the same time.
The number one secret to my writing ability is God. I was a very lazy writer in school and that’s why I always give all the glory to God. I paid people to write me notes in high school and college, when I missed a note I photocopy it. But the story changed after my first book, Belle-mère, which was a commandment from God, I was asked to take up my pen and write; about 20 years now; that’s when grace came.

Another secret was when I was assigned to write Bible manuals for my church for an entire year, about 52 subjects. I sat down and started writing and the grace came, by the time I finished I couldn’t stop writing.

Another secret is that I like solitude and am an analytical thinker. I like being alone and I like the middle of the night. I also like to be driven. When someone drives me, I’ll be with my Ipad and I’ll write and that’s what I miss every time I drive myself. Every time I go on a long trip and someone drives me, I write, and before the trip is over, an entire book will be ready.

I also like to listen to other people’s messages on family life, I buy books on family life. I have a full library and now with the internet I do a lot of research, follow a lot of descriptors and subscribe to websites that send me material. I learned to dig deep, I can’t catch the ideas that come to me. The idea is to put it down, to publish it, someone will need it one day.