Writers International Network Zimbabwe: WIN Newsletter, Issue No 69

EDITORIAL

Aspiring writers mixing and mingling after a meeting on July 6, 2013, at the National Art Gallery

We hope we find you well. Writing is incomplete without publishing, hence while we offer manuscript reading services, we have come to believe that we can as well be a publisher of our members' works such as short story and poetry collections and novels. We urge our new writers to be patient. Meanwhile, the deadlines for our '4 in 1' Poetry Anthology and the annual WIN/GAT Short Story Writing Competition are fast approaching. Go ahead, submit yours! Last but not least, we would like to thank writer Aaron Chiundura Moyo for the wise words of advice on July 6 and the National Art Gallery for the support. Enjoy!

WIN PONDERS VENTURING INTO PUBLISHING

Renowned writer Aaron Chiundura Moyo who was Guest of Honor at the WIN meeting to discuss the publishing idea

WIN ongoing manuscript assessment programme has taken a new route as the writers association now considers possibility of expanding its wings to cover publishing writings of its members.

The idea to work with existing publishers to discover new writing talent was discussed at a meeting held recently with some of WIN members who have so far handed in their works for assessment.

The meeting, held on July 6, 2013, at the National Art Gallery in the afternoon, was graced by renowned actor and author Aaron Chiundura Moyo.

In the past few years, the publishing industry had given up on the risk to publish new authors due to a number of factors such as difficult business circumstances and poor general book buying culture leading publishers to fix eyes on profitable textbook publishing.

Furthermore, the disappointing death in the late 90’s of the Literature Bureau, a government-run institution which discovered some of the writers being celebrated today, left a gap in the book industry.

In his speech, AC Moyo, now author of about fourteen books, recollected his early days as a writer when he, despite just too many rejections, constantly submitted his manuscripts to the Literature Bureau. He explained the Literature Bureau’s process of manuscript assessment and how impatient sometimes he and fellow new writers grew while waiting for feedback. He said as an upcoming writer, he cried many times when his manuscripts were rejected.

Admitting that publishing may be a long road, he praised the new writers for coming together to discuss what they need; saying meetings like these hardly took place during his days as a new writer.

“You are lucky because your manuscripts are being read and returned to you with reports that show you new ways of improving your work,” he said.

Patience, he said, is important for a writer. Regarding the new WIN publishing concept, AC Moyo strengthened the association to keep the dream alive.

During open discussion, the members pointed out areas that matter most in this new publishing initiative such as doing a book market research and encouraging each other to do focused writing. Although they so much want to reach out to their communities with their works, the members said it would also be worthwhile for WIN to engage in dynamic ways of reaching out to the international book market. They also called for novel writing workshops to improve their skills.

So far, about twenty manuscripts, mostly Shona and English novels and poetry collections, have been submitted to WIN by its members for assessment. Some have been returned to their authors with reader reports, others are still being read.

With enough professional attention, WIN believes the manuscripts it so far has witnessed have the potential of making it into the limelight as valuable contributions to the growing Zimbabwean literature.

Below are Pictures from the Meeting

Upcoming writers: Freedom Gengezha, Tawanda Kandenga and Aloius Sagota

Hatina Dube (upcoming poet), Tendai Chinhoro (upcoming novelist) and Liberty Chaza (upcoming poet)

WIN Director presenting

Brainstorming

Catching them young, Annabella Kumbewu, listens attentively

Nosta Kumbewu, upcoming novelist

Shuvai Mashongwa, upcoming novelist

'We got style': Group photo of new writers who attended the meeting

KWANI? MANUSCRIPT PROJECT WINNERS

Here are the winners of the Kwani? Manuscript Project as announced by Kwani Trust

First Prize

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (Uganda)

Title of manuscript: The Kintu Saga

Second Prize

Saah Millimono (Liberia)

Title of Manuscript: One Day I will write About This War

Third Prize

Timothy Kiprop Kimutai (Kenya)

Title of Manuscript: The Water Spirits

Read More About the Winners here...

THE REGULAR WRITER

Creative Writing Tips

With

Christopher Mlalazi

Perseverance

Many of us, from the time we start writing, have a deep wish to be ‘big’ writers one day, and we have our role models from the creative writing world who inspire that dream, those big names, Dambudzo Marechera, Salman Rushdie, Joyce James, etc. With those names in mind, and the aura of fame around them, we often make the mistake of thinking that they got to peak of the proverbial Mount Everest overnight, or instantly. With that we find ourselves writing in a rush, thinking that as soon as we finish our manuscripts tomorrow we will be sitting with the Gods and basking in the glory. But this is not the case at all, all great writers toiled through years and years of manuscripts that first did not work, of frustration, of even thinking of abandoning writing, until, years and years later, and now through experience, and countless manuscripts, they finally wrote something that worked. Invest in patience, your day is waiting ahead for you in the future, you only have to work that much more harder for you to make it come nearer.

NGATINYOREI

Bhachi Ramukoma Mutsemhure

Na Clever S Kavenga (Mutare)

Chikamu 2

Nguva nenguva ndainetsekana nebhachi ramukoma Mutsemhure. Bhachi rainge rake pedzezvo ronge harisi rake zvakare! Bhachi tsvuku iro vaisamboda kuti rive zvaro nekanonzi katsvina zvako. Bhachi tsvuku raipfekwa roitazve serisingapfekwi! Nguva zhinji waingoriona rakabatirwa mumaoko.

Zvino ndichiri kudhonzana nepfungwa dzavazhinji dzokuti bhachi iri rinenge risiri remunhu anoripfeka ndakasangana nevamwe vasikana vana. Vaikurukura zvavo vakatakura masvinga avo ehuni. Vaikurukura vachitoseka chikuwe sezvinonzi vakatakura zvinhu zvisingareme! Vaitaura nezvebhachi ramukoma Mutsemhure hongu. Mazwi avo aive azere nekarufaro kaiunzwa nezvo vaikurukura panguva iyi. Ndakanzwa sevaiti bhachi iri rinenge raive bhachi rechikadzi! Ndoda kunyatsonzwa vabva vangoti uyu kwake uyu kwake sezvo vaive wotopinda mumisha.

Ndazongosara nepfungwa yokuti zvinoreva here kuti mukoma Mutsemhure vaisaziva kuti bhachi ravo , bhachi ravanodisa nokuti rakanaka, bhachi ravaibatisisa sezai, raive bhachi rechikadzi?

Pandakazoona mukuru uyu ari munzira inopfuura nekumagirosa ndakafara.

Vaimbumura fodya yavo vachiita sevainyatsoteerera mafambiro aiita hutsi nemunhuwi wefodya iyi mutsinga dzenyama dzavo. Takasweresana vakadavira zvakanaka-naka.

Ndaigaya kuti ndoitanga sei nyaya iye, nyaya yebhachi iye.

Takafambidzana kwekachinhambwe ndipo pandakazovabvunza zvangu ndichiti, "Ko nhai mukoma hindava kusapfeka bhachi renyu nhasi? Pose pamunenge makapfeka bhachi renyu munenge muri ‘ Huzu’ chaiye! Hapana anoti pwee mumana rino rose hapana. Handinyebi ini , kana VaTaswerera chaivo vanotokuzezai vachikuonai makaripfeka."

Apa dzakanyemwerera zvadzo ndokukweva fodya yadzo zvinyoro nyoro ndokuti, “Hohoo bhachi?” nezwi rinenge raive nezvaraifunga panguva iyi.

Dzatanga kufuridza hutsi huye wadzaive dzambokweva muhwezva wacho huchitsakatikira mumhepo ndinoutarisa zvangu.

Dzadzokorora zvakare nezwi rakapfava; “Ho hoo unoreva bhachi rangu nhai?”

Apa ndamudavirawo ndichiti, "Hongu bhachi renyu tsvuku riye rakanaka sezvinonzi harina parakasonwa! Bhachi rakanaka rinoita sezvinonzi harizombofi rakasakara richibvarukawo zvinoita zvimwe zvipfeko."

Mukoma Mutsemhure vanoseka. Vanoramba vachiseka votozopedzisira vakatyidzwa! Ndaona twumisodzi mumaziso mavo, twumisodzi twekufara ndinodavira kudaro ini.

Mukoma Mutsemhure vanditarisazve kwekanguva vachingonoseka zvavo zvinombovhiringidzwa nekakukosora.

Ndazonzwa vachiti; “ Heya bhachi ndoraunoreva nhai?”

Vambonyararazve ndokubvisa gararwa riri pahuro pavo vachirisvipira kwakadaro uko .

“Rungano unoda kuziva nezvebhachi rangu une mari here iwe.?”

‘Mari!?’

Ndabvunza kudaro.

“Ehee mari handiti unoda kuziva? Mazuva ano hapana chemahara mupfana ndikuudze!

Patumari twako twekumaricho twuye chingobvisa dhora zvaro dhora chete chete ndobva ndangokurudunurira nyaya yose.”

Apa ndinomboseka apa.

Pava paye ndazonzwa woti, “Kutamba zvangu mupfana, handisikuda mari yako handidi kuti pose paunozotarisa mhoni dziri muzvanza zvako wondiridzira tsamwa wofunga dhora rako. Zvino chinzwa unzwe, bhachi riye rine nhoroondo. Ibhachi randakatenga ndiri mudenga rechinomwe ndakadhakwa nerwunonzi rudo. Hongu ibhachi randakatenga ndizere netariro yerufaro rwaizotevera mangwana nemazuva mazuva nemazuva aizouya.

“Zvaunoona mupfana dzimwe ndangariro dzinodzimba kwazvo dzinenge chironda hachidi kuramba chichingopenengurwa hachipore waona. Asi chirega zvako unzwe kani mupfana wangu.”

Apa vambotarisa rutivi , pada havadi kuti ndione misodzi iyo yoangarara mumaziso mavo.

Dzingadaro dzaive ndangariro dzaive dzoita mudzuwerere mupfungwa dzavo.

Vatanga zvino kutaura nezwi rakaderera zvinogombedzerwa netsamwa apo nepapo vachiti, “Sinodhiya wakaenda unozviziva newewo Rungano, chaakasiya ndiroro bhachi rakasonerwa ndangariro dzerudo rwangu kwaari. Bhachi raSinodhiya raasina mumwewo zvawo musi waakaripfeka. Bhachi tsvuku randakatenga moyo uzere nerufaro ndichibaiwa baiwa nerudo rwaindipa manyemwe. Ndakaritenga pakati kati pemoyo weguta reHarare. Raive muchitoro chakashongedzwa nemaruva matsvuku akanaka sezvo zuva randakaritenga bhachi iri raive zuva rinopembedzwa nekurangarirwa kwerudo. Ndakaritenga ndichingonyenyeutsa nyemwerero ndichitizve Sinodhiya paachazoripfekawo acharipfeka achinyemwererawo nekasingapere!...

POETRY

In our previous issue, under this poetry column we published a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. In this issue, our focus still remains on African American women in literature and we continue to celebrate Brooks.

Old Mary