[authorafrica] Re: Focus of Discussion
- From: Nyankami Atandi <m_atandi@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: authorafrica@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 01:10:32 -0700 (PDT)
Dear all,
my warmest regards to you ? back here, this is the coldest time of the year,
and everyone?s busy rushing to some place or other generally to get away from
the chill outside.
Anyway, to the issues at hand: concerning some points raised by Bruce, I am in
total agreement with post by some of us ? V. Umelo, J. Oryem et al. On the
matter of diluting our works in order to flow with the so-called mainstream, if
I may refer to an article written some time back by Bruce titled ?Weeping The
Readers?, in short, of what I understood he was putting across, the purpose of
writing?s to put down one?s experiences clearly and objectively as possible, if
I may add, after understanding that ? C. Onuoha has beautifully captured this
concept by his statement, and I quote verbatim ? ??i have come to understant
how hepless it is sometimes for an inventor to be in perfect control of his/her
invention.Most times, our imaginations are carefree and uncontrolable flow of
thoughts, making it impossible for us to think of diluting the product or
something. When we try this we get out fo the tract.
Therefore, he who must write must write without any intention to alter what he
is sure has not come by chance. Writers write out of experiences. Our troubles
here in Africa can not leave us immediately we pick our pens to write.?
That is, whatever?s put down by a writer finally for the public consumption
should evoke in the reader, the passion, intent of purpose and possibly, get
the latter to walk the former?s path of reasoning in order to somehow fathom
what could?ve induced in the respective writer particular thought patterns
symbolized by the weave of words effusing the author?s wit. Of the forgoing, is
there creatively threaded the author?s ethos that?s characterized by a mesmeric
grip emotively intertwined through their powerful, catching storylines.
If I am not wrong, out there on the fast lane, these?re the killer punches the
established publishing houses use to make volume sales; hire editors who know
how to knead, without killing the content, a shapeless dough of words into
mouth-watering delicacies. Point is, inasmuch as they could be accused of all
manner of things, bottom line?s that, by giving the devil his due credit, they
know how to palpitate their reading public. And that?s what, in my opinion, we
should strive for ? how to make the readers ?weep? by inspiring in them
feelings of pity, hate, puke, laugh, love?learning to?ve a finger on their
pulse. So, a story, anything, shouldn?t be written to please anyone, but the
question should be: How constructive, purposive and objective was the writer?
My point of view concerning no. 2; of course, just as my setting?s different
from yours, so do writers from other areas?ve issues peculiar to their
surrounding and reflective of it. In conjunction with no. 3, new writers in the
diaspore?ve approximately the same prob: being viewed as crazies emeritus?Ok, I
take back my words. Largely, they?re looked upon as coach potatoes who can?t go
out there and look for mullah.
Sometimes once beaten?s not twice shy ? from your allegorical experience,
Bruce, with Dr. Sydney, sometimes you stand up to the master again and again,
no matter the number of times he floors you coz he?s agile, till you learn how
to outwit him coz you?ve become agile like him, or he tires owing to your
persistence. Ok, I wouldn?t settle for the second option coz you could be
persistent, but wrong. That?s why I am of the opinion that instead of having a
diffusion of listserves scattered across the internet, there should be one
that?s a melting pot for all; in Physics, there?s what?s known as the Resonance
Law ? broadly, it states that when different things coordinate in their work,
less energy?s expended than when each?s taken separately doing so. The guy in
Bangkok has a different p/spective about a prob someone in Seychelles could be
having, thus could be in a position to offer a solution. Those that can?t be
solved, well, at least we?ll have tried. As aspiring writers help
ing
other aspiring writers connected by a common purpose.
Our inability to move forward, yes, is hampered by lack of capital. In the
current world we?re living in, good ideas can?t be implemented without its
garnish. But if there?s the will, one could try to etch a way. Hence, for
consideration, in addition to J. Oryem?s idea, for example, can?t AuthorMe
approach a body like United Nations something for Education or Development and
work out modalities of how to distribute its literatures to both the so-called
developed and developing countries? The spread of the PC across rural India?s
very impressive, if not the best in the world ? by giving to the said UN body
e-versions of various AuthorMe?s books to distribute across a country such as
this, this?d ensure that AuthorMe resounds therein wonderfully. If the same?s
repeated in other areas, one thing?s for sure ? the wide audience riding on the
publicity AuthorMe deserves. Sometimes, one?s got to take a shot at having the
tango with the heavy weights. These?re my opinions, what do yo
u think?
On the said literature, why not pour from all the four winds and?ve books with
a global outlook, which could give the guy from the Comoro Islands, Brisbane
alongside that from Africa an equal chance of being read and heard of; a
question of killing two birds with one stone?
I am tired, other related ideas, tomorrow. Now, where?s the food - ?Two Stupid
Dogs?, Cartoon Network?
Wishing you all the best. If wishes were horses, well, I?d give each of you
aaa?yes, that.
Nyankami.
"Bruce Cook, AuthorMe.com" <cookcomm@xxxxxxx> wrote:Salaams, everyone,
And thank you all for our conversation so far. I know
we are all busily engaged in making a living, and I
appreciate every word we can share, for it has to be
carved out of the small amounts of free time we have
available.
And, yes, I agree, African writing should indeed be
genuine and represent the truth about Africa. We
cannot dilute this.
Here are some more challenges to think about?
Part 1 ? Why would we focus our discussion on needs of
African writers?
Part 2 ? Do writers in other areas have problems that
differ from ours?
Part 3 ? What is the main problem new writers have in
common?
Part 1 ? Why would we focus our discussion on needs of
African writers? I feel that, to be effective, a
discussion needs to be limited. Too often as new
writers or new students, etc., we tend to broaden the
scope of our consideration, thereby weakening our
work. Once I wrote a seminar paper on international
broadcasting, the whole world, for Dr. Sydney Head,
who wrote several books on this and related subjects.
When I attended the next class I expected him to
praise me. Instead, he said, ?This is just an
introduction. Now you need to write the paper!? I was
crushed. I had earned the hard way, again, that I
would be more effective if I would limit the scope of
what I did. Thus my instinct has been to limit our
discussion to African writers, but to watch for
international implications to be sure.
Part 2 ? Do writers in other areas have problems that
differ from ours? Let?s look at other geographical
areas in particular. For example, we could have a
listserve for Indian writers or for European writers,
etc. And, if you become familiar with these areas, you
will soon realize that the problems of writers in
these areas differ markedly from those in Africa. In
each area, writers need to examine the limits and
opportunities afforded by their distinctly different
cultures. (And, like Africa, each area has many
countries and sub-areas with problems all their own.)
Part 3 ? What is the main problem new writers have in
common? Access.
It is my personal view that all writers face the
problem of monopolies in media. For example, we all
notice that a news broadcasting station repeats the
same news stories again and again to the exclusion of
other stories we may wish to hear. Another example: in
an American political election, maybe 3,000 political
candidates are being elected in a given area on a
particular day. But, when you want to hear the
results, all the broadcasters do is to repeatedly
describe the results for 12-20 candidates, again and
again, with no mention at all of the other candidates.
In the same way, book publishers become a powerful
monopoly. They have the revenue, the distribution
channels, and everything they need. We individual
writers have almost nothing of this, but they are
willing so sell us access in little pieces. A fee to
print a book. A fee to edit a book, A fee to put a
book in a catalog, or list it on a publisher?s
website. A fee to stock the book in the publisher?s
warehouse. A fee to feature the book on radio. Fees
fees fees.
But we do not want these fees. We cannot afford them.
Nor are we looking for a handout. We are asking for
equal access when it comes to editorial consideration.
And it is demonstrably true that we do not have that
equal access. Every kind of prejudice seems to thwart
our efforts to be considered. Even a British contest,
made for our benefit, seems to be biased against us!
Our goal is to have the publisher recognize the
quality of our work, be it African or Indian or
Italian or Irish. We desperately want the publisher to
print the book and front the money to publicize it and
to send us a small royalty. Even the smallest royalty
would satisfy us.
As little known writers, as writers from Africa or
India or Europe or the US, we do not have equal access
to consideration by the editors. Literary agents
intervene, for one thing. But commercial prejudices
also get in the way. And the very best books are
trashed simply because the publishers will not ?
perhaps cannot ? consider and publish the best works.
Instead the publishers follow the easy track, and they
republish established authors. They seek out
celebrities who don?t even know how to write. And, in
so doing, they pollute literature and exploit it for
commercial purposes.
What does technology offer to allow new writers like
us to solve this problem? Do websites like AuthorMe
solve it? They are a help. But they are not the only
solution.
I wonder if we as writers can achieve what Napster did
for music. Can we do for publishing what small
Internet news websites have done to cripple the
ability of broadcast networks to restrict information?
Specifically, I look to the power of the ebook and
audiobooks presented in bite-sized chunks (e.g.,
chapters) to be consumed as desired by readers who are
stranded in a waiting room or in public
transportation, thus having a moment to read or listen
to our works via cell phone. This is inherent in the
new ?Podcasting? movement, which is not tied to the
iPod, as I understand it. Can we individual writers
achieve equal access to interested readers by using
these new technologies?
For example, the ebook gets more viable every time the
mobile computer gets more mobile, like the new Nokia 3
by 6 inch portable. And this will be especially true
when the screen becomes flexible and we have a
?floppy? ebook to curl up with when we relax in a
local park and read whatever we want. And if we can
download each other?s ebooks we not longer have to
restrict our reading to the books that
publisher/monopolists chose for us.
I hope some of these ideas will strike a nerve or two.
Let?s talk!
Thanks,
Bruce.
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