African writers body to train writers, editors

May 24, 2012

Nii Ayikwei Parkes, a performance poet, novelist, editor and socio-cultural commentator based in the UK, is conducting a poetry and mentoring workshop for emerging Ugandan poets and university students.

By Martin Kanyegirire

Nii Ayikwei Parkes, a performance poet, novelist, editor and socio-cultural commentator based in the UK, is conducting a poetry and mentoring workshop for emerging Ugandan poets and university students.

The 10-day workshop started on Tuesday, courtesy of the African Writer’s Trust (AWT), an organisation that facilitates interaction between African writers in the Diaspora and writers on the continent.

According to renowned writer Goretti Kyomuhendo, books published in Africa rarely fi nd their way outside the continent.

As such, literary output of Ugandan writers seems to be lacking. Some of the greatest books like Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart have been on the national curriculum for long and are perhaps about to be taught as history, possibly, only that there are no great novels out there.

But to address the problem, AWT is holding a public dialogue for book lovers and later an editors workshop dubbed the literary feast.

“We have had winners for short stories and poems in competitions like the Caine Prize but where is that big novel? Perhaps there is lack of input from professional book editors,” Kyomuhendo notes.

The dialogue whose theme is ‘Where is Africa’s Great Novel?’ will run for three days from Monday, May 28, at Fairway Hotel. Participation is free for all book lovers.

Ellah Wakatama AllFrey, the former judge on the panel of the Caine Prize 2010 and 2011 and deputy editor of Granta Publishing in the UK, will chair the discussions.

AWT has, over the years, brought successful African writers in the Diaspora to mentor young writers. Last year, Ellen Banda Aaku, a Zambian author and winner of the Penguin prize for African writing, 2011, mentored over 20 university students and independent writers. Views on how several African writers can grow and even sell more books in the west will be discussed, Kyomuhendo notes.

The west is the biggest market for African works. Kyomuhendo recommends that institutions in the country should introduce an editing course.

“Editors have a big role in producing a book? However, most editors in publishing houses here are former good writers who jump into the editing profession, but they need to understand what editing entails.

Lack of professional input from editors is highly likely another challenge,” she notes

In fact, the editor’s workshop is aimed at offering professional aspects of the editing process. It will train 10 editors from different publishing houses.

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