WRITERS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
Presents
End of Year Writers Get Together
“Building the Future through Writing’
Venue: The Book Café
Time: 10am to 12:30pm
Date: 11 December 2010
Come and witness
“Un-clipping wings of the imagination”
Join the network!
It looks like at Writers International Network
African Roar: An Anthology for Only the Best Stories
By Fungai Machirori
(Review first published in Wordsetc#8 August 2010), photos> top: Ivor W Hartmann and below: Emmanuel Sigauke)
An African roar will begin to reverberate throughout the 
continent’s literary scene with the release of African Roar, an anthology of stories drawn from the best short fiction featured in the popular African e-zine, StoryTime.
The first edition of the anthology, which is to be published from this year onwards, takes the reader into the lives and circumstances of such a vast array of characters that it is hard to believe that there are only 11 stories to be savoured, stories written by some of the continent’s emerging and established authors.
Throughout the anthology, the reader takes a journey into the mind of a teenager who watches how a mythical tree causes an irreparable rapture between religion and tradition within a community. The reader is also taken behind closed doors of an HIV test, visits rural
Of the 11 writers in this anthology, there is a predominance of 
Zimbabweans (six in total) and this can be explained variously – either by the fact that StoryTime is a product of Zimbabwean author Ivor W Hartmann (who is also the anthology’s co-editor and one of its contributors); or by the reality of the scarcity, for so long, of publishing opportunities for many Zimbabwe’s talented writers.
Regardless of the reasons, it is refreshing to note that the stories written by these Zimbabweans move away from entrenchment in themes of socio-political and economic strife – themes which have been widely interrogated over the last decade, allowing even for the glorification of much mediocre literature due to its difficult subject matter. Instead, the stories here describe personal pain and yearnings – many of which are products of the status quo – without making politics their locus of minute detailing and attention.
And this is true of the whole anthology, in fact. These are stories about the banal, beautiful and even the bizarre things that happen, could happen, in everyday life.
Every story in this eclectic anthology is enlightening – in tone, imagery and content. Many lines left me smiling in awe at the amazing depth of imagination and description each writer obviously possesses and wields with their own unique flair.
African Roar is indeed a must read for followers of African literature. And if this first edition is anything to go by, this is one roar whose echoes will reach far across the world.
(Fungai Rufaro Machirori is a published poet, short story writer, journalist, blogger and researcher working in the field of HIV and AIDS communication)
In everything, people want to win and no wonder the old adage goes like: No one enters a war without the will to win it. In whatever you write, make sure you win! It has been very exciting to witness the gradual and honest growth of our writers’ association. We have grown from a seed planted in January to a promising tree in which birds play and sing. Tribute goes to our members, colleagues and also our Board which supported us in all seasons. Not much did we do since our coming into the literary arena but each time we held an event it was special and refreshing and pointed to a better future. As a baby association in Zimbabwe, we also had our own difficulties and weaknesses but we did our best even when working from home. We have closed our calendar of events for the year 2010 but not our writing spirit; if anything demanding comes up we are ready to tackle it. However, the blog continues to run our stories and other stuff. Due to examinations going on in the Zimbabwean schools, it will be hard for students, those who affiliated to us, to attend writers’ events and therefore we take this opportunity to further plan for the future. We might, if the Board deems it necessary, close the year with a special get-together some time in December. I would love meeting all of you in Harare/Chitungwiza who bestowed such unconditional trust in Win-Zimbabwe. Bravo I say to you! Next year we will be branching to other provinces. I will be sending a postmortem report by post (others have received it already by email) to all our affiliates and colleagues so that you get to know what actually happened during our first year in the writing zone. Our activities were mainly foundational, no serious workshops or fully fledged literary discussions were held. Some times were very difficult, but you never got tired of our knocking on your doors. Our network continues to grow and it is by faith, and the mighty power of the pen, that we shall conquer. Yours Truly,
Beaven Tapureta
Producer Looking For Sitcom Script Writers
Producer Luke Rous is working on a re-commission of 26 episodes of the popular SABC 2 Setswana sitcom, Ga Re Dumele, and he’s specifically looking for Setswana writers. The writers should be willing to write in Setswana language and translate into English. They should also have experience in the sitcom genre. The sitcom is a proven show with a good following and it would look good on any writers’ CV. It is being head written by industry veteran and show creator, Martin Koboekae, and script edited by the Rous Brothers who have been responsible for such shows as City Ses'la (SABC 1), Askies (SABC 2) Ga Re Dumele (SABC 2), Jabba Time (SABC 1 - announced 2011).
Please feel free to send a sample of your work to Luke so that he can evaluate. His contact details are given below.
Luke Rous
072 210 1516
Executive Producer
Rous House Productions
www.roushouse.co.za
Lion Press Republishes Albert Nyathi’s Anthology
By Beaven Tapureta
(Article first appeared on the Zimbo Jam www.zimbojam.com )
Albert Nyathi
Echoes from Zimbabwe, an anthology written by Albert Nyathi, one of Zimbabwe’s accomplished dub poets and musician was re-worked by UK-based publisher, Lion Press, after the anthology was first published by Zimbabwe Publishing House in 2008 but it had to be kept in the warehouse because it had numerous mistakes.
The new version of Echoes from Zimbabwe (ISBN 978-0-9562422-5-9), wrapped in a colorful hard cover, carries the same poems as those in the initial ZPH version which include Nyathi’s popular poems such as My Daughter, Welcome to Zimbabwe, Thandi, and Senzeni Na? which is a title of a song on Nyathi’s 1994 debut album called For How Long? The anthology has also a section of photos taken while Nyathi performed in different countries such as Denmark and England and while he posed with different high-profile artists such as South African poet Mzwakhe Mbuli.
“Actually we collectively agreed to transfer the job from ZPH to Lion Press Ltd. The first version was hurried because I wanted to take the book with me on my European tour,” revealed Nyathi in an interview with The Zimbo Jam.
Lion Press hopes to launch the book in Harare in a few months time, according to Nyathi for whom the official launch of the anthology will signal the end of a long journey and the beginning of a new one, as the anthology will cater for people who would like to read his poems rather than only see him performing them.
Nyathi was born in Kafusi in Gwanda, Matabeleland North. He has traveled worldwide with his band Imbongi. So far he has done four musical CD’s namely For How long? (1994), Ngenkani (1998), Welcome to Zimbabwe – a Land of Contradictions - (2000), and Nozindaba - also known as My Daughter - (2004). In 2005 Nyathi produced a DVD called The World as We Dance Along, a collection of his live performances. The anthology will soon be available on Amazon.com.
Trace the love a mother shows to her son
Trace the love a mother shows to her son
Sun burns truly shove down her tough pace
Case of the unknown father’s fierce plan
Done deal she says she is not willing to race
Her determined husband blisteringly drunk
Junk she tells him on the spot, right there
Where his responsibilities have sunk
Punk he is, he hardly gives love and care
Show him a little hated lovely mercy
Scarce his love, he has been so raw
Pour hot stuff on him then he is messy
Stacy his mistress gets him on her call
Mind games love plays them deeply
Steeply she admits he is one of a kind
Hind stories brought up HIPLY
Fairly they let go of love, they bind
Bind in quitting, take care of him kindly
Trevor Makonyonga, Harare
KEEP WRITING! KEEP WRITING! KEEP WRITING!
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 4 |
HE: Darling, where is the dust that was on the table? I drafted a poem on it!
SHE: I wiped it off!
“From off our foot dem teck di chain now it seem dem put it pon wi brain.” – Mutabaruka, reggae poet/musician from the
Dai Pasina Mitemo
Dai pasina mitemo
Ndaiita barika remapurazi
Mamwe kuno mamwe uko
Ndoarima pamadiro
Ndichiamaneja ne cell phone
Andibvunza ndomudzvokora nedzvuku
Aigondidini seane mazino?
Dai pasina mitemo
Ndaifumura mukadzi wa Sabuku
Svondo rapera akarima nechisi
Zvino kune mitemo yakagwinya
Kufumura vakuru kuzvizora hurukuru
Dai pasina mitemo
Ndaipombonoka segaro riri muhovhorosi
Ndaimhanya neruwa rwose
Ndichirurudza idi rezvandinoona daily
Ndaifumura vanoita chaibva mumba
Ndaifumura nhundira mutsime
Ndaifumura vanosevera mudama
Kana vanopfuchurira vamwe mweya murima
Zvino handina icho ndinogona
Nokuti kune mitemo
Inotema sematemo
Kuita madiro a Gire
Kuzviregedzera mweya mujira
Rawakafuka muna June!
Na Patrick Hwande
Street Mother
Child strapped on her back
She crosses the street
Staggering, halts at the white
middle of pitch-black tarmac
Plate in hand
-on her way to Destiny:
Rumble of hunger
She loses control
as
a car hits her
to the pavement she flies
a piece of blood
plate still in hand
her life, broken
brain scatters all over
at only fifteen
SILENCE
There is a muffled cry
Beneath the little bundle
Lying beside her
By Courage Muganji, Braeside
TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS
Before you start
…If you are writing on a topic of your own choice, you must, of course, first determine what you want to write about. Each mode of writing has its own characters which you should remember:
What do you want to write?
A novel
Short stories
Detective stories
Mystery stories
Science fiction
Travel stories
Stories for children
Autobiography
Poetry
A script for theatre, film or television
Articles for a magazine or newspaper
For whom do you want to write?
Yourself
Public readings
Children
Local magazines
Foreign magazines
Literary journals
Radio
Community theatre
Theatre
Television
Film
Religious groups
Health groups
Audio cassettes
The Internet
If you have not yet decided what to write, you can choose an unblocking mechanism. For example, take a headline from a newspaper and then write your own story.
(Adapted from Creative Writing by Norma Kitson, ISBN 0-949229-48-2, Baobab Books, 1997)
WIN-ZIMBABWE ON THE MOVE
Writers International Network Zimbabwe (Win-Zimbabwe) made a valiant step when it set up a voluntary Harare/Chitungwiza Cluster Committee to properly structure the growing association on Saturday 2 October 2010.
The meeting, attended by students from Vimbai High (Norton), Glen View 2 High, and some members from different parts of Harare, took place in the afternoon at the Theatre in the Park, Harare Gardens.
Gracing the occasion were Win-Zimbabwe Board Chairperson Josephine Muganiwa, Ms M Mumanyi who accompanied students from Glen View 2 High, and Noah Mangwarara, a renowned motivational speaker, author and owner of Veriest Solutions International. Mangwarara made a life changing speech at the meeting.
The students and poets Tinashe Muchuri and Samuel Mahuntse, spiced up the meeting with gripping, enlightening and entertaining performances.
Large part of the committee is composed of students, reflecting Win-Zimbabwe’s character to make the youths have ownership of the association and all its programmes.
In her speech, Win-Zimbabwe Board Chairperson Josephine Muganiwa thanked Heads of the two schools and urged the students not only to read for examinations but for enjoyment and general purposes as well.
“In order to grow in your writing, read other writers’ works also,” she said.
Muganiwa is one of the editors of the 2010 Cover to Cover magazine published by the Standard to promote young authors in Zimbabwe. An author as well as lecturer, she encouraged the budding writers to be strong and work towards achieving their goals.
Mangwarara, author of twenty five motivational booklets, inspired the young writers with his ‘abnormality mentality’ speech.
“The difference makers of this world were all abnormal thinkers. We need the ‘abnormality mentality’ if we are to change the world around us,” he said to an attentive audience.
Giving examples of great women and men such as William Shakespeare, Nelson Mandela, and many others who are known for their outstanding different achievements, Mangwarara said life was full of challenges but one only needed not be too normal to be bogged down by failure.
“If you ever want to be a great writer, you must be prepared to spend sleepless nights reading, inventing, finding the right words. In other words, be ‘abnormal’,” he said.
On another note, Mangwarara said his publishing company is in the process of scouting for talent with the view of publishing an anthology. He also announced that Veriest Solutions International has come up with a new branch called Veriest Multimedia which is designed to record literary works such as poetry on audio and video CD’s.
THE WRITE HUMOR
Policeman: Where was the novelist when you ran over him?
Motorist: The write side.
TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS
Expand your writing ability
If you only write fiction, and only try to publish fiction, it may be long time before you see your name in print. Editors like to see clips, even if they are only peripherally related to what you will do for them…they are able to see that someone has taken a chance on you before, and that you have delivered.
Take yourself seriously
This doesn’t mean be arrogant about your skill. Rather, work as if your goal will be achieved, and do everything within your power to achieve it, setting regular work hours, loving to learn as you go.
Don’t depend on friends or family to edit your work
Someone who does nothing more than pat you on the back and give you an ego boost is not of any help to you. It may be a good idea to form a loose reciprocal arrangement with another writer whom you trust, working on each other’s writing, honestly
Aspire to write book reviews
This is a great way to get clips. Get the name of the person who is responsible for book reviews on a particular publication. Find out if it uses freelance work. Ask questions about format, length, style and so on and try to understand the editor’s preferences.
Your way is not always the right way
Editors have a particular task in the writing process and need to know that you will co-operate with them. This doesn’t mean that you should not be vested in your work, but you should realize that others can sometimes see your work more clearly than yourself and that you need to listen to them.
WIN-ZIMBABWE will hold its monthly writers’ meeting on Saturday, 2 October 2010 at its traditional venue Theatre in The Park (Harare Gardens). The meeting will be running from 12 to 3:30 pm. WIN-ZIMBABWE’s meetings are open to all those who wish to be part of the writing gusto gathering momentum in Zimbabwe. Later on in our issues, we will publish an exclusive interview with one of our Board Members highlighting the history, cause, activities, among other issues, of the organisation. In this issue, we publish a poem by our late hero Dambudzo Charles Marechera as we pledge our homage to him and other great literary voices ever to emerge from our country.
JAMAICAN DUB POET MUTABARUKA COMES TO HARARE!
Accomplished Jamaican dub poet Mutabaruka, real name Allan Hope, will be one of the poets set to thrill poetry lovers at the Poetry Africa in Zimbabwe 2010 festival on 28 -29 September at the Book Cafe and Mannenberg in Harare.
Many people will recall Mutabaruka’s echoing, powerful Jamaican voice when he put up a shining performance at the ZIBF some few years ago. This time the dreadlocked dub poet comes to Harare to bless Zimbabwe with the enduring spirit and positive cultural influence of poetry.
Other enchanting ‘voice throwers’ drawn from the African continent who will perform at the two-day function are Frank Chipasula (Malawi), Lebo Mashile (S Africa), Barolong Seboni (Botswana), Concord Nkabinde (South Africa), Erik Paliani (Malawi), Pikita Ntuli (S Africa), Ngwatilo Mawiyoo (Kenya) and Mama C from Tanzania.
Poetry Africa in Zimbabwe 2010 has come up with an assorted bag of young and old poets from Zimbabwe such as Batsirai Chigama, Julius Chingono, Chirikure Chirikure, Freedom Nyamubaya, Musaemura Zimunya, Outspoken and Comrade Fatso and his group Chabvondoka.
“It is a wonderful lifetime opportunity for poetry lovers to be part of this dynamic get-together of poets. The festival is coming to Harare for the first time and therefore poetry lovers should come in large numbers,” said Pamberi Trust Arts Administrator Penny Yon.
She also said there will be a small and friendly cover charge but the whole excitement is in experiencing the influence of poetry from different parts of the world.
On 28 September at 8pm, Mannenberg will host music and poetry by Conrad Nkabinde, Erik Paliani, and Comrade Fatso and his group Chabvondoka, followed by a special appearance by Poetry Africa poets.
A panel discussion dealing with the topic ‘Poetry and Social Transformation’ follows on the next day 29 September at 5:30pm at the Book Cafe. On the same day in the morning at 10am there will be House Hunger Poetry Slam and the Magamba Youth Group Workshop. The 5pm discussion leads to a music and poetry slot starting at 8pm with Nkabinde and Paliani again dishing out different musical flavours before leaving the stage to poetry performance by Zimbabwean and the visiting poets.
The event (Poetry Africa in Zimbabwe 2010), a satellite programme of the Poetry Africa festival, aims to promote development of dialogue and exchange between countries and cultures with particular emphasis on Africa. It is being presented by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) in partnership with Pamberi Trust, Book Cafe, African Synergy, ProHeveltia Arts Council of Switzerland, Mimeta, HIVOS, and the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund who are the principal funder.
Poetry Africa will tour Cape Town and Malawi, building up to the main festival to be held in Durban from 4 to 9 October 2010.
IN JAIL THE ONLY TELEPHONE
IS THEWASHBASIN HOLE
BLOW AND WE’LL HEAR
Write the poem not from classroom lectures
But from the barricade’s shrieking defiance
From the mortuary’s brightly frozen monocle
From day’s gunburst to night’s screaming human torch
From bleeding teeth that informed to underground
Perception of black fire
Write the poem not from the rhyme and reason of England
Nor the Israeli chant that stutters bullets against
Palestinians
Nor (for f*’s sake) from the negritude that negroed us
Write the poem, the song, the anthem, from what within you
Fused goals with guns and created citizens instead of slaves
Do not scream quietly
We want to hear, to know
And forge the breastplate a poet needs against THEM!
By Dambudzo Marechera
(Adapted from the book Dambudzo Marechera 1952 -1987, compiled and edited by Flora Veit-Wild and Ernst Schade, Baobab Books, 2008)
