It's almost a week to go before writers and poets level the literary vibes at the popular Book Café in
Above -Samuel Mahuntse performing at Win-Zimbabwe's Literary Treats (ZIBF 2010)
Julius Sekai Chingono
01 December 2010
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 8
Above -Samuel Mahuntse performing at Win-Zimbabwe's Literary Treats (ZIBF 2010)
Julius Sekai Chingono
24 November 2010
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 7
Writers International Network Zimbabwe is proud to announce that it has received a warm welcome at the Book Café and will hold an end of year writers’ event at this venue.
The event, End of Year Writers’ Get Together, will explode on 11 December 2010 at the Book Café from 10 am to about 1pm. This comes after we previously announced that we had closed our calendar of activities for the year 2010. However, this sounded too abrupt an ending, hence this opportunity to mix and mingle and share more ideas and wish each other season’s complements at a cultural hub. As also reported in the previous issue of our Newsletter, that if anything comes up we will not hesitate to rise to the occasion as long as it has something to do with writing, so here we are, ending our year in style. We are expecting to have a good time, a good refreshing moment far from our writing studios. Running under the theme “Building a future through writing”, we hope that this is one of the stepping stones for budding writers to get to the kind of future they want in their different writing careers. The rationale behind it is that in Zimbabwe, some of the great and newly published authors are unknown to the high school literature students, let alone to the general public. Although the students may or may not study these writers at school, one way or another they encounter the writers’ works. Win-Zimbabwe believes that the meeting between students and writers will instil in the young scribes a sense of belonging. There have been instances where budding writers have said they know their local authors but when asked who wrote Waiting for the Rain, a favourite of many of them, some of them say it is Shimmer Chinodya. Wow! Chinodya himself can testify to this, I think. This is the gap we want to bridge through events such as writers’ get-togethers which we wish could eventually turn into an annual writers’ festival.
We also hope that afternoon events such as these will send a message to parents and teachers to support writing talent at home and at school by encouraging the youngsters to read works especially written by local authors.
Editors Announce African Roar 2011 Stories
Emmanuel Sigauke and Ivor Hartmann who are the editors of African Roar, an annual StoryTime anthology of African writers, have announced the stories that will grace the 2011 edition.
Among the selected stories is the late Stanley Ruzvidzo Mupfudza’s story called Witch’s Brew. This is a fitting homage to the late dreadlocked writer who inspired young writers at workshops and seminars and Zimbabwe at large with his creative writings and experience. Through his mentorship, various budding and gifted short story writers broke into print in the Daily Mirror where he was an editor. It is indeed refreshing to note that Ruzvidzo continues to speak to us through his works. The inaugural African Roar anthology published this year received rave reviews on many literary websites and The Standard, a local newspaper, also re-published some the reviews for the benefit of ordinary Zimbabweans with no access to the internet.
Find below the full list of the selected authors and titles of their stories:
Chanting Shadows by Mbonisi P. Ncube
The Times by Dango Mkandawire
Out of Memory by Emmanuel Iduma
Masvingo neCarpet Thamsanqa Ncube
Diner Ten by Ivor W. Hartmann
Missing a Thing of Beauty by Abigail George
Water Wahala by Isaac Neequaye
Longing for Home by Hajira Amla
Snakes Will Follow You by Emmanuel Sigauke
The Echo of Silence Delta Law Milayo Ndou
Snake of the Niger Delta by Chimdindu Mazi-Njoku
The Saxophonist by Anengiyefa Alagoa
Letter to my Son by Joy Isi Bewaji
Waiting for April by Damilola Ajayi
A Writer's Lot by Zukiswa Wanner
Witch's Brew by Stanely Ruzvidzo Mupfudza
To the Woods with a Girl by Masimba Musodza
Silent Night, Bloody Night by Ayodele Morocco-Clarke
Lose Myself by Uche Peter Umez
Uncle Jeffrey by Murenga Joseph Chikowero
Because of my Wife by Kenechukwu Obi
The Orange Barn by Sarudzai Mubvakure
19 November 2010
BE THERE AND GET INSPIRED
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!
12 November 2010
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 6
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)
02 November 2010
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 5
WIN, SMILE!
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!
16 October 2010
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 4
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)
05 October 2010
WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 3
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.