Friday, August 15, 2014

This Writing Life: Making Chinua Achebe Ghanaian

So this month will be a bit heavy in terms of productivity as all the deadlines come due. For African Arguments I got to speculate about what makes a Great African Writer only to conclude that I don't know. If I did, I would certainly be doing my best to get myself some awards and prize money. But here's a thing: essayists don't get that kind of love. Writing might be writing but the truth is that without a novel under your belt you haven't quite arrived as a writer. 

You know what else helps? Not calling Chinua Achebe a Ghanaian writer. If there's one thing that is consistent about the gods of print, it is their perversity. No matter what amount of effort you put in your most elementary mistakes will always make it to print. Always. 


2 comments:

  1. Lol - re Chinua Achebe! (They said writers publish their mistakes, doctors bury theirs).
    Sometimes the best writers are those who keep going - awards or not; novels or not. Because we hear from you any time we need you, not once in a blue moon! Keep going, old girl! - Loy Nabeta

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  2. Ooh Okay! I in between thinking and speaking my mind aloud. As I flipped open this EastAfrica's prestigeous print my eye captured this direction. So tell me, who can command such attention save a true writer. I agree with Loy Nabeta, the last ie I checked, a novelist/award-winner may be a writer but the reverse is not true. Here I am and I'm trying to throw courage to you so I may keep looking toward you for encouragement to go on following in your footsteps.
    Rewrite history...you shall be suprised
    Great writer-Jose

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