[authorafrica] Strategies for African Writers
- From: "Bruce Cook, AuthorMe.com" <cookcomm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: AuthorAfrica ListServe <authorafrica@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:09:12 -0700 (PDT)
Dear AuthorAfrica Members,
I am sitting here in America thinking, what can
someone like me offer to a discussion on African
writers. And too soon I conclude ? nothing ? keep my
mouth shut!
But, seriously, I do have an experience to offer,
something that occurred to me when I read Chika?s
thoughts on how hard it is for an African writer to
get published.
First, when I think this through from the perspective
of most American publishers, I suppose they might say:
?The American audience has little interest in
international stories. This audience wants stories
about Americans, stories featuring whatever is popular
in America today.? I do not agree with them, but this
is how they seem to feel.
In any case, like any business, they want to publish
the ?sure thing.? They don?t want to venture very far
beyond what they have already experienced. Now, if
they had a ?blockbuster? or two from the African
continent, it might open up their eyes. Maybe.
When I tried to approach the Oprah show about doing a
show with winners of the Caine Prize last year, her
staff had no interest. Instead, they wanted ideas for
?makeovers? they could do on the show ? making someone
who looked drab go to Oprah?s beauty specialists and
emerge as a butterfly from a chrysalis.
So that?s the kind of competition we face. Books about
inane subjects like makeovers. Books that are
supposedly written by celebrities. Books by writers
who have been published many times before.
So the problem is, how does a writer in faraway Africa
break in?
Is it our purpose to reveal and document African
experiences for the world to see? Are we addressing
the world and not Africa alone, as Nyankami?s comments
would suggest?
Here?s a list of strategies to consider. I don?t like
them all, but let?s put them on the table and then
collect a few more. After a while, we may identify a
strategy that will work better than whatever we are
trying to do today.
1. Should writers from Africa dilute their manuscripts
to suit western whims, like makeovers or whatever
suits book producers this year?
2. Should writers from Africa create a new setting for
their stories, one that is neither Africa nor the
west, but resembles both?
3. Should writers from Africa continue to create
authentic stories from their homelands and try to
persuade the reading public, and therefore the
publishers, that these stories have great potential?
4. What other solutions may there be?
I don?t have an answer, by the way. In fact, there?s a
good chance I?m not even asking the right questions!
I look forward to hearing your views.
Thanks,
Bruce
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