On March 16, 2026, when I received a couriered copy of Kofi Otutu Adu Labi’s latest book, THE ESSENTIAL WRITER’S GUIDE’, my plate was already full for the month: there were too many to-dos crying for priority.
My decision, therefore, was to put it on ice for a while, for if I knew Kofi’s books, they were un-put-downable, so gripping that once I start reading, every other activity is put on hold.
But a name caught my eye. And then another! A book foreworded by the venerable academic, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, and endorsed by Yaw Nsarko, the well credentialed thought leader, was not one that could wait. Without exception, Kofi’s books are packed with wisdom and are well written, and if these two personalities have put their reputation on the line for , that’s more than one reason why all other things should wait.
And wait, everything else did, till I turned the last of this 119-page masterpiece.
The pace at which ‘Essential Writer’s Guide’ is written suggests that Kofi is enjoying every minute of retirement. It is serious content (I call it textbook) written at an unhurried pace, albeit deliberately, by a teacher who is determined that each word counts and must sink in. Didactic is the word, and for good reasons.
The author becomes a student of his own instruction. To get home his message, he instructs the ‘students’ to “use stories”; “keep it simple”, and is at pains to recommend that “a conversational style of writing keeps the reader engaged and immersed”. As every writer – from Shakespeare to Achebe to Soyinka – will stress, “The passion with which you write should infect your reader with a desire to stay with you to the end”.
Kofi just found himself another job: he will soon be teaching WRITING in a school near him. Does he qualify? What a question! With 17th books under his belt, each of which has become a best-seller in its own right, Kofi eminently qualifies to teach a thing or two to cub writers.
The proof of the fufu is in the eating; it is here, in ‘Essential Guide’.
To those guilty of the sin of procrastination, he poses a question: “Why have you not written that book?”. From experience, he proceeds to provide the diagnosis: they have fallen into the writer’s biggest pitfall, namely “producing books in your head”.
From Chapter 2, the lecture starts in earnest. Briefly tackling genres, he touches on style and some sine qua non of good writing, recommending simplicity, the conversational approach, the imperative of suspense, especially for fiction writing.
Next is content creation. As a rule of thumb, he recommends “paying attention to your surroundings”. He advises: “Make it a habit to move beyond just looking at things. You will see the story or lesson if you make it a point to see, and not just look”. An essential habit is to take notes, he recommends, insisting that “the shortest pencil is superior to the longest memory.”
For writing that is arresting, be it fiction or not, the use of imagery is strongly recommended to keep readers glued. From one of his own previous works, the author illustrates how imagery breathes life into content.
Chapter 5 is essential reading. A take-away from the chapter is the warning: “Don’t pay too much attention to the initial nonsense you write. The important thing is to write something every day. It is a raw draft that can be refined later”.
On Page 46 is another important essential guide: “That first sentence”! s every writer will confess, the first sentence is “the most difficult part of writing”. Many a budding writer will one day remember this essential tip and go looking for Kofi to give him his “stone”, as we say in Ghana.
The book does not set out to teach grammar or lexis and structure but if you have a strong desire to write and you possess the right foundation, this book is a must have. It demystifies writing, but most importantly, it deals with the two demons of procrastination and laziness.
To be successful, he counsels, the writer must be a good reader. To be a good reader, he counsels against radio, mobile phone and television addiction. “If you live with headphones on, always listening to music or a podcast, then you are not ever giving yourself time to just think. And if you cannot think, then you cannot write.”
Next time you attend a Christian event, look out for Kofi Otutu Adu Labi. If, from where he is seated, you find him scribbling furiously on a note pad, approach him, but do so gently, on tip toe: he is gathering nuggets out of a goldmine of stories!
‘Essential Guide’, like all of Kofi’s other books, is written from “the hilltop.” From what I know about the author, his personal life and the rich content of his works, ‘hilltop’ is not necessarily a geographical location.
It is, as the dictionary says, a “a literal, elevated perspective where one gains a better understanding of life, similar to seeing the ‘big picture’ from a summit, allowing for reflection on life’s journey.”
Here is this reviewer’s call. To the Hilltop Academy, let all budding writers make a beeline.