PUBLISH'D AFRIKA

THEME: KNOCK YOURSELF OUT

TITLE: The Cave Of The Wise Decisions

Written by Julia Lemekwane

Once upon a time, in a tropical town on the outskirts of a small village called Ntshava-Riwa, in Tzaneen there lived a wise, old woman named Amazon. Her special hut was situated amid the mountain and a waterfall. The land had rich soil, fruitful nature, and flowing rivers that spiraled through the leafy vegetation. The people of this village lived in peace and harmony on the saturated ground. They had a profound respect for wildlife and understood the interconnectedness of all things. They knew that every living organism, plants and animals had a purpose and a role to play in the delicate proportion of life and they knew that their very existence depended on conserving this balance.

Amazon had been blessed with an incredible lifespan of one hundred and ninety years. Her name, which was given to her by the tenth descendant of the Kuvatla  clan, was a depiction of a tall, strong warrior. Despite her dark skin, she never wrinkled or withered, regardless of the season. With her owl-like eyes, she had the gift of predicting the future, and her long nails were celebrated for lulling babies to sleep. She could walk miles barefoot without getting fatigued.

Amazon was full of life and showed no signs of illness, which was astonishing for a woman her age. She discovered her spiritual gift of fortune-telling as a teenager, inherited from her late grandmother, Kiwi. Amazon could use people’s palms to prophesy and a mirror to identify the gender of an unborn child. Later on, she became famous for performing miracles in the surrounding areas, taking after Queen Modjadji, the rain queen, as she could change the weather from cloudy to sunny in a blink of an eye.

Amazon was also admired for her kindness and humility and was seen as a great leader of the village. She used words sparingly, but when she spoke, everyone listened. Amazon spent most of her time engaging with the residents because their happiness was all that made a difference in her existence. Some people called her a magician, and some would go to the extent of calling her a witch. Nonetheless, Amazon continued to pursue her calling, which her grandmother had left to her. Kiwi taught her how to read bones, study people’s energetic walls, travel between space and time, and make her own medication using herbs and plants. Amazon’s medicines never failed, and she could cure any disease. Inside her yard, there was a blue gum tree that had healing properties, and it was said that anything declared under the tree happened. The mystery of this place drew people from far and wide.

People came from all corners of the world daily to speak about their troubles, cast their wishes, seeking to discover the secrets of this enchanting place, and each time people came here the feedback was always a positive manifestation. Amazon shared her wisdom and knowledge with the people, teaching them the ways of the land.

Amazon had a fist full of followers and quite a number of enemies. One of her jealous neighbours, named Kwena, despised it when she saw visitors in Amazon’s yard, as no one came into her immaculate hut. Kwena’s personality was the polar opposite of Amazon’s; her heart was filled with hatred and envy, and she could not praise Amazon for being such an inspiration to the community. One day, she decided to visit a wizard who lived in a dark cave far in the mountains to seek advice on how to be more powerful than Amazon. With her heart strong as a lead, she took the trip to the caves of wise decisions. The wizard was a short old man with a creased face and a huge nose. His face was covered with a white beard, and his hair was long and pure like white wool. He took Kwena’s palm before she could explain anything and studied the deep lines. He then told her that he knew she wanted power and everything that Amazon had.

“Witchdoctor,” the woman proclaimed, “You must help me.” 

He didn’t respond for a while as he studied the deep lines in her palms.

“I know you want power and everything she has, am I wrong?”  he said to her, and she nodded, “In your roots, I see very powerful people. You are from a place of royalty. How come you are powerless?”

Kwena was surprised to hear such.

“How did you know all of these?”  she asked, surprised. “My great-grandfather was a king.”

“I know because I am the wisest man on Earth.”

The wizard began to laugh, his voice echoing. He then gave her a potion along with instructions. Kwena was told that before dawn the next day, she should go to the lake and say all she wished for as she faced her reflection on the clear water, shout Amazon’s name four times in different directions, pour the potion in a circular form, wash her hands, and then head to her hut, making sure no one noticed her.

“Don’t be surprised if something strange happens. Our king is on our side, and all you have to do is bow down,” these were the wizard’s final words.

As Kwena made her way home, tears of joy flowed from her eyes at the thought of being more powerful than Amazon. She wanted to make everyone who never believed in her to suffer, and make them pay for not choosing her. Anxiety kept her from sleeping soundly.

Before the breaking of dawn, she found herself in the lake, following the instructions she had been given. After pouring the potion into the water, she yelled in a bold voice, “Amazon!” facing different directions as advised. As she washed her hands, the sound of the water came alive and the river flowed between the rocks, forming gigantic waves. Birds fled from the trees as the rumble repeated itself, louder this time.

Suddenly, a heavy thud shook the ground, and a big black shadow resembling a snake with two heads appeared in front of her. Kwena was paralyzsd with fear when she saw this frightening creature before her eyes, until she remembered the witch doctor’s words: ‘Our king is on our side, all you have to do is bow!’ 

She bowed and worshipped King Python. The sun disappeared behind the clouds, and darkness visited the village. 

Amazon couldn’t perform any miracle any longer because her strength had mysteriously been taken away. Kwena began to rule with an iron fist, casting spells and killing for power. To keep the king alive and gain more strength, she had to throw a small child into the lake every week as a sacrifice to keep her power alive.

People lived in fear, and mothers hid their toddlers. Once Kwena had completed the ritual and made her way back to her hut, strange things began to happen. At first, it seemed like a coincidence, but as time passed, it became evident that her actions had caused a shift in the delicate balance of the village. The rivers began to dry up, the vegetation started to wither, and the animals started to behave erratically. The people of the village were puzzled and could not understand what was happening.

Amazon was deeply troubled by these changes, and she knew that something was amiss. She decided to consult with the spirits and the ancestors to find out what was causing this disturbance. After conducting a ritual of her own, Amazon was able to connect with the spirits and the ancestors, and they revealed to her that Kwena’s actions had caused a great imbalance in the village. The spirits warned Amazon that if the imbalance was not corrected, the consequences would be disastrous for the village and its inhabitants.

One night, Kiwi visited Amazon in her dreams and gave her an idea on how to regain her strength. Amazon found herself sleepwalking and woke up near the lake. Suddenly, something came from the water, making gigantic waves.

“The king of the dark world!” she whispered, remembering the stories her grandmother used to tell her. For the first time in her life, Amazon felt afraid, having lost her power. But she also knew that she was going to die that day. When Kwena appeared riding the snake’s head, Amazon was shocked. However, her grandmother suddenly appeared out of nowhere, more powerful than all of them, and began to fight the king. Amazon’s powers returned, and she struck lightning into the water, electrocuting both Kwena and the snake. Kiwi took Kwena out of the water and saved her, and then Amazon’s grandmother disappeared into thin air, saying,

 “I am leaving now, my child. The war is done.”

The next morning, Amazon found herself asleep next to the lake, and she was teleported to her hut. When the villagers heard that she was powerful again, they were relieved and happy to be safe. Kwena was banished from the village, and the snake never returned. Amazon knew that she had to act fast to restore the balance. She gathered the people of the village and explained to them what had happened. She asked for their help to restore the balance by performing a ritual to counteract the effects of Kwena’s actions.

The people of the village agreed to help Amazon, and they all came together to perform the ritual. They chanted, danced, and sang as they called upon the spirits and the ancestors to help them restore the balance. The energy in the village was intense, and everyone could feel the power of the ritual.

As the ritual reached its climax, the skies opened up, and a torrential downpour of rain came pouring down. The rain was so heavy that it washed away all the negative energy that Kwena’s actions had caused. The rivers began to flow again, and the vegetation started to come back to life. The animals also returned to their normal behaviour, and the village was once again in harmony with nature. Lightness was restored, and Amazon ruled and protected everyone.

Kwena, who had been watching from a distance, was filled with remorse and regret. She realised that her actions had caused harm to the village, and she felt ashamed of herself. She made her way to Amazon’s hut and apologised for what she had done. Amazon forgave Kwena and taught her the ways of the village. Kwena learned to live in unity with nature, and she became a respected member of the village.

From that day on, the people of the village continued to live in peace with nature, and they never forgot the lesson that they had learned. They knew that every action they took had consequences, and that it was their responsibility to maintain the delicate balance of life. Amazon continued to be a wise and respected leader, and her teachings were passed down from generation to generation.

The story shows that while power can be desirable, it can also be dangerous if one becomes obsessed with it. The story also highlights the importance of seeking help and guidance when in need, following your roots and the consequences of one’s actions.

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PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Magazine Facebook Short Story Competition is funded by the National Arts Council, Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme 3

THEME: KNOCK YOURSELF OUT

TITLE: Blamed For Others’ Mishaps

Written by Elizabeth Nafula

She got under the blanket and enveloped herself. Thoughts flooded her mind on how her mother had yelled at her. That was after she was asked to turn down the volume of the television, but she adjusted it to maximum. She felt like taking off the blanket when she listened to the whining sound of mosquitoes. It distracted her.

She gripped her blanket in her hands. The warmth radiated was enough for her to forget her mother’s utterances. Her mind juggled between turning on the lights and killing the stubborn mosquitoes. She lowered the blankets and looked through the dark window. That was the best way she could calm the mind. The night was deep. She changed her posture and moved her head in a hasty manner. She collected her blanket and wrapped herself up. Thereafter, she heard her mother erupt like a bomb, “Wake up!”

Naliaka pulled the blanket up to cover her head as she listened to her mother’s shrill voice. “I wish some people were never born!”

Her ears concentrated on the clinking of washing utensils and the splashing sound of water. She gave a smile for a battle won. Her main concern was her step-sister, Anyash. From time to time, they had a heated argument over who should do what and when. They sometimes exchanged blows, and punched faces to bruising.  Muna intervened in the matter, but never gave her an opportunity to defend herself.

’’I won’t harm her again,’’ Naliaka admitted in a brittle voice, even though Anyash had started the fight.

“I would rather not listen to such nonsense,” she cut her short.

Muna pulled aside the blanket, exposing her body. Naliaka shot up from bed and looked for her pair of sandals quickly, and then walked towards the door.

“The dishes must be clean!” Muna called to her at the top of her voice.

“Not me, mama. I’ve done much this week.”

“The kitchen sink stinks,” she said, covering her nose with her palm. “Child labour? Not my children.”

 “Does it have to be me all the time?”

“How many times have you skipped a meal in this house?”  Muna questioned, looking at her with black eyes. She blinked her eyes, and retorted in an undertone,”None.”

“I’m counting to three…”

Naliaka darted into the kitchen and burst the door open. Anyash scrubbed the cooking pan with the scouring pad like that would be her last time using the pan. She hadn’t realized Naliaka was standing beside her.

“They should sparkle like diamonds, okay?”

“I’ve heard you; don’t make a big thing out of this!” she broke in.

She scrubbed off the utensils, towel dried them and set the milk to boil. As she finalised her washing, a plate slipped off from her hands and broke into pieces. Muna shot into the kitchen.

“How many have you broken?”

“It’s not me, it’s her,” Naliaka said, pointing towards Anyash with her mouth.

“Be careful next time, I will replace it.”

It was a moment of epiphany for Anyash, when she thought back to the milk she had set to boil. The cream layer spilled over the cooker.

 “You’re the cause of all this. If you weren’t here, it wouldn’t have spilled over.”

Anyash collected a table cloth and dipped it in water before she rubbed the cooking surface. She splashed over the water she used to rinse the utensils at Naliaka’s feet.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Naliaka pointed a finger at her.

 “I can’t harm you,” she replied with a plastic smile on her face.

Muna stormed into the kitchen. “What’s happening here? Get out now!” Muna directed her to the balcony.

“Do I deserve this?”

“You can report to your father, who brings you gifts every evening. He has never brought Anyash and Omosh gifts.”

 “Where is Omosh?” Muna broke the lull in the kitchen.

“I haven’t seen him. Though, he looked unwell yesterday.”

“Go check if he’s awake.”

Naliaka walked past them into Omosh’s room. She flung the door open and sat next to Omosh. He had developed breathing problems. She thought of waking him up and giving him her word after her mother’s reaction.

***

Mayi Nanjira was gone. She was not breathing. Her hands straightened like legs of wooden stools. She had been ailing for a fortnight. She had a reputation as a woman who stood her ground. ‘No’ was ‘no’ and ‘yes’ was what she wanted. Her eyes were like glass; she would predict what one planned to do and what was done already. She chaired women’s monthly meetings and helped resolve disputes. But, if one dared cross her, she would ensure she paid for it.

One evening, after winnowing the grains, she saw a woman plucking a ripe banana from a bunch in her farm.

“You’ll have to return my banana,” she screamed in a loud, piercing voice.

The woman threw away the banana and ran, thinking she had escaped.

Nanjira and her husband, Kolwe had been engaged for six years. He didn’t know what he wanted. Likewise, he would leave home as Nanjira went farming. Later in the day, he would begin a fight and call Nanjira all sorts of names. Naliaka tried to come in between them, but Kolwe pushed him aside.

Early in the evening, Kolwe arrived home and found Nanjira spreading her body in the grass. She hadn’t prepared a meal for him.

“Where is my food?” he yelled at her.

“Why can’t you find your own?” she replied in an audacious tone.

Kolwe moved an inch close to her and collected the axe next to the split wood. Nanjira spread her legs further. As she turned herself to sit, Kolwe hit her back with the axe. She fell and hit the back of her head on the hard ground. Kolwe shook his head and narrowed his eyes to the body. He knew Nanjira was dead. He helped carry her to the house. Naliaka had visited her aunt. She was to be back the following day. Kolwe tried waking her, but she was motionless.

Naliaka arrived home the following morning and was informed Nanjira was no more. Whimpers and hiccups could be heard from the room. Her mother’s death ripped a piece of her heart out. Naliaka lay down her face first in the broken grass. They brushed against her skin as she bent. She thought of how life would be in her mother’s absence. She sat upright and looked at the dancing trees. Her eyes felt scratchy.

***

 “What should I do now that the dishes are clean? I hate seeing Omosh sleep while I’m busy. If I report him to dad, definitely he will defend him.”

Muna was back in the living room. She walked in with a whip in her hand. She sauntered out from Omosh’s room, unaware of Muna’s intention.

“I am tired. Nobody listens to me,” Naliaka screamed her lungs out, but that only earned more whips. Muna gave her the final whip, which landed on her left eye.

 “There is a heap in my room. In an hour’s time, they should be clean, and dried.”

Naliaka dragged her feet to her mother’s room and assembled all the clothes.

 “Remember to scrub the jeans!” Muna called at the top of her voice as she peered through the window.

Naliaka washed without complaint, and returned to her room after she was done. Muna knocked on the door. Naliaka was deeply asleep.

“Am I speaking to someone?” her voice was cold and heavy with a threat. She woke up and collected the broom from the store. Muna pushed the dustpan with her feet and threw the rake at her. It landed on her ankle.

“This is too much. Anyash broke the plates, she wasn’t punished.”

“What are you thinking about?” Naliaka listened and tilted her head to the opposite direction. She motioned the broom sideways as the wind howled, blowing off her transparent skirt.

“The broom should be flat. Why is your back raised?” Muna yelled at her picking up a stone. She rubbed her brows and bent as Muna preferred. Her eyes were focused on the ground. Naliaka let her mind stray to the thought of how simple it would be to lose her mother. When she saw her mother’s grave sitting by the corner, she sobbed.

Late in the evening, Kolwe entered the compound. His skin was dry and dwindled after walking in the scorching sun. His neck was thin, and it held the motionless head firmly above the skinny body. He swung the Daily Nation Newspaper in his left hand. Darkness readied itself to embrace the fading light.

“What are you looking for in the dark?”

He stopped and peered in the dark to see her.

“Kolwe pulled up her hand and stormed into the living room, ready to spit venom. Muna had spread her legs on the table, watching.

“Why are you doing this?”    

“I’m tired of her. She burnt my dress this morning.”

“Where is Omosh? I thought he would be here.”

Anyash stared at Muna for a moment and said, “He’s been asleep the whole day.” Kolwe turned to Naliaka,

“I apologise for all that happened, and I’ll take you somewhere tomorrow.”

Muna looked at them as though she were about to say, “Why aren’t you concerned about Omosh’s health?” Muna was on her feet. Her eyes breathed fire. She lifted her leg and stood on the couch.

“I think you’re running mad!” Kolwe exclaimed.

“Did you just called me mad?” she asked, folding her arms ready for war. 

“I want all siblings to receive equal treatment.”

“She’s your daughter, not mine. She’ll have to do what I say. If not, she should find herself a new home.”

“I’ll send you away if you dare me.”

Kolwe looked at Naliaka and asked her to rest. She left the room relieved.

***

Muna woke up early. She sneaked into Naliaka’s room carrying a cooking pan with hot water. She placed it near her bed. She looked everywhere to be certain no one saw her enter Naliaka’s room. Muna got back to her room. She opened the door silently. She wasn’t aware Kolwe had woken up before her. He had followed her and saw the pan she was carrying. It was Naliaka’s turn to wash the utensils. Stepping out of bed, Naliaka lost balance when her left foot landed in a pan with hot water. She screamed as she tried to regain balance.

Naliaka was at a crossroads. Things were going too far. However, she decided the first thing to do was to wash the utensils. She dragged her feet to the kitchen and washed, then put them away in the cupboard after drying them. All the time, Muna glared at her.

“Why did you wake up late? I’m talking to you!” Muna gritted her teeth. Kolwe joined them in the kitchen.

“Where did you get my cooking pan?”

“I woke up and found it next to my bed.”

“Since when did the kitchen equipment be stored in the bedroom?”

“I saw you carrying the pan into her room,” Kolwe cut in.

Muna fumbled for words and said, “From today, she’ll rest.” She listened with worried attention, for she knew her siblings would rebel.

Anyash and Omosh burst the door open, “Dad, you love Naliaka more than us. We have never received gifts from you.”

“But you dislike her, whom do you expect to love her if not I?”

Kolwe invited the family to the table. They all sat up to listen. He began, “From today, there should be no raising of voices.”

Muna was moved by Kolwe’s words. She got up from her seat and walked towards Naliaka.

“I’m sorry, for all the mistreatment,” she said and shifted her gaze towards her father. Muna held her arms and rubbed her palms against hers. Kolwe looked at her with eyes urging her to forgive. She turned her shoulder to Muna and sobbed. Omosh and Anyash glared at Muna and embraced her. Kolwe walked behind them and patted them on their shoulders.

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PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Magazine Facebook Short Story Competition is funded by the National Arts Council, Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme 3

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PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Short Story Competition
64 stories submitted
64 195 words written
167 pages length of submissions
Which ones made it into the competition?

The April leg of the PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Short Story Competition boosts a total of 44 stories that have been submitted, which totals 64 195 words. This translates to 167 A4 pages. Of course, some will receive the chop for, amongst other reasons, grammatical errors, poor grasp of the English language, spelling mistakes, and the biggest elephant in the room – dialogue tags.
Most of the stories in this month’s leg of the competition were disqualified because the writers just cannot write dialogue and aren’t clued up on the use of dialogue tags. Most of the writers would close the dialogue with a full-stop, and still add a dialogue tag – capitalised. Example: “Sorry Mom, but I am not going.” He said.
Some would put quotation marks ahead of a comma: “Sorry Mom, but I am not going”, he said.
Some would leave a space between the quotation marks and the first word of the dialogue, or even write the first word in lower case: “ sorry Mom, but I am not going,” he said.
Some quotations marks were left open-ended: “Sorry Mom, but I am not going” he said.
Probably the biggest sin in writing dialogue was lining the dialogue of two or more characters in the same line: “Sorry Mom, but I am not going.” “What do you mean you are not going?” “I mean I don’t want to go, Mom, and you can’t make me.” “You shouldn’t speak to Mom like that, Tom!” my sister intervened.
Also noted were writers who wrote an entire piece of dialogue – as much as ten lines – and only put a dialogue tag at the end. At times, it will only be a ‘he said’ or ‘she said’, which creates an even bigger confusion on who had actually spoken the words: “He said he is not going to go. It’s okay though, he can stay. He should not blame us though when something happens while we are all away. There is too much crime in this neighbourhood and criminals are always staking these houses out. They will notice us leaving and they will know he is home alone. They will storm the house and harm him,” said Rebecca.
It’s all good and dandy if it is only two characters talking and by some action description, you made it clear which character is speaking. But if it is more than two characters, the narration should identify the person speaking after the first line of dialogue, like this: “He said he is not going to go,” Rebecca said. “It’s okay though, he can stay. He should not blame us though when something happens while we are all away. There is too much crime in this neighbourhood and criminals are always staking these houses out. They will notice us leaving and they will know he is home alone. They will storm the house and harm him.”
And then there were homophones (words that sound the same but spelled differently and do not have the same meaning). “It is not the car he new.” Clearly, here, the writer meant to write ‘knew’.
“The red hat complimented her blouse.” Here, the writer was looking for ‘complemented’.

These could have been honest mistakes and even typos, but when you come across the same error several times in the story, it becomes clear that the writer still needs to put a bit of work in his or her writing.
Some of the stories had minor errors, which we asked the writers to fix after giving them the assessments. Some stories just couldn’t be rescued. Some were just plain essays and thesis.
Which stories made it through, you ask? You just have to keep an eye on the page on the 20th of April, midnight.

Writers are generally creative people; they can make up a story within minutes, and get you carried away by it. So creative are writers, they can pen a story about a con artist – a King and Queen Con – and lay out such elaborate tricks on how to scam people, they would leave the reader with a jaw to the floor.
As such, you would expect that all writers should then be immune to scams, and can never be caught napping by these silly tricksters. FALSE. More and more writers fall prey, especially authors of self-help books such as motivational, empowerment, business and skills development books. These are the authors most prone to scams, and are fraudsters’ darlings.
CON 1: The Publicity Scam. Every author wants maximum exposure for his or her work, be it on TV, radio, newspapers or magazines. And King and Queen Cons know this too.
Author Godfrey Malibe couldn’t believe his luck when he got a WhatsApp text from a well-known national TV news anchor, who expressed interest in interviewing him live on TV on his book, Happily Ever After. But there was a catch – the news anchor needed 10K to make the interview happen. We knew immediately that it was a scam, and encouraged Malibe to blow the lid on it. Needless to say, the news anchor had no idea someone was using her name to con people. She was just as shocked, and went on to lay charges with the police.
The scam artist hasn’t been unmasked, which means he is still out there prowling the author streets. He could have diversified his approach to not baiting authors with just TV, but also using radio, newspapers and magazines.

CON 2 – Last year, PUBLISH’D AFRIKA unearthed an elaborate scam where a ‘wealthy’ medical doctor approached an author, who opted to remain anonymous, after reading a PUBLISH’D AFRIKA post promoting the author’s book. He said he needed to speak to the author urgently, and needed her numbers.
“The first red flag was that this ‘doctor’ said he had read the author’s book and it touched his heart, so he wanted to speak to her and thank her for writing such an interesting book,” said PUBLISH’D AFRIKA co-founder Sukoluhle Nontokozo Mdlongwa. “The problem with this was that it was impossible that he could have read the book, because we had only just started promoting it.”
His story then changed – he now wanted to donate to the author, and have the books given to those who cannot afford them. The author gave us the go-ahead to give him her number. He offered to purchase R20 000’s worth of books, which totaled 133 books. He promised to pay the amount at the end of November. However, two days later he contacted the author, this time needing help with petrol money. He did not neglect to remind the author that he would be donating R20 000 towards the purchase of her books. What’s more – he forwarded emails from his employer, showing that his pay that should have clocked in on the 15th, had been moved to the end of the month, hence he was as broke as a church mouse.
“As much as I would have loved to help, I didn’t have the money,” said the author. “I had just spent it on printing the books.”
FACT – the guy isn’t even a doctor. He is just a King Con preying on authors’ desperate need to sell more books. He requests something as little as R300 to R500 for petrol, but if you multiply that by 50 authors, this man is making a killing on a daily basis, as much as 15K and that’s just on a bad week. As soon as you send him the money, he vanishes quicker than Houdini.
Note: He could have many eliases. He could pretend to be a businessman, a representative of a charity organisation, etc.

CON 3: We want to win awards; the more the better. Nothing boosts an author’s profile than a trophy on the mantelpiece –it tells the readers that this author’s work has earned the respect of his peers, and is therefore worth reading. The King and Queen Cons of this world know it too, and have already set out to cash in on this ambition.
A big scam PUBLISH’D AFRIKA has unearthed is where a con artist gets on social media and makes a call to authors to submit books for some awards, which of course, carry a purse of thousands for the best book. Yes, the authors are asked to submit hard copies, possibly three to five because each judge has to have a copy. To spice things up even further, on top of the prize money, the winning author will get mentorship at some posh literary agency that you have never even heard of. Of course, the disclaimer is that if you don’t hear from them within a month, assume that your book didn’t make the cut.
FACT – no one ever makes the cut. These con artists, most probably one individual too, is simply stocking up his or her own little book shop somewhere. They might even be running an online bookshop and you, the author, get zero royalties.Before you submit to any awards call, first check if they have any track record. Is it an annual call for submissions? Has there ever been any winners? Where are those winners now? Have you seen their books at any bookstore? How credible are the conveners of these awards? Google often has all the answers.

CON 4: A scam similar to the one above made the rounds last year. They asked authors to submit books for Provincial Library Services in the Northern Cape. Every book submitted (100 copies per title) would be accepted and payment made in two months.
No questions asked, acceptance was guaranteed. That was the red flag. Library Services wouldn’t guarantee acceptance of every book submitted; every submission would first have to be evaluated for its educational value. The second red flag was the Gmail email address supplied for inquiries.
Although some authors had already submitted books by the time we got wind of it, hundreds of other authors were dissuaded from submitting their books.

CON 5 – Quite a number of writing contests have cropped up over the years, where writers are promised publishing deals and prize money if they win certain contests. But for your entry to be considered, the writers have to part with a certain amount of money. “Basically, the writers are asked to fund the contest, in the process bagging the organisers a bit of jingle in their pockets,” said Thokozani Magagula, author and co-founder of PUBLISH’D AFRIKA. “If 200 writers entered the contest, each paying R350, the organiser smiles all the way to the bank, having scored himself a R70K nest egg. If the contest is genuine – most of the times it isn’t – the organiser will use less than R20K to award the winner and publish his book. A real con artist will award himself, announcing a winning author that doesn’t even exist.”Again, should you want to enter such contests, check if they have any track record. Is it an annual call for submissions? Has there been any winners? Where are they now? Have you seen their books in any bookstore? How credible are the conveners of these awards? Again, Google often has all the answers.
“Writers shouldn’t pay to enter writing contests, it should be the other way around,” said Thokozani. “If a writing contest organiser cannot find a corporate sponsor for such awards, he isn’t passionate enough about the craft and isn’t worthy of your hard-earned cash.”

CON 6 – The author submits a manuscript to an ‘international publisher’, and a day later is told that it is the best book they have read this year so far, and that it will hold its own in the market. They will handle the distribution, and will see to it that it goes international. Except of course, that it will need a bit of editing first to fit their titles, and they have an editor who has worked with them for years who can do the job. The author, however, has to handle the editing costs, which run into thousands.
Now who doesn’t want to be an international best-selling author? So the author takes the bait, pays the requested editing bill, which often is around 10 to 15K. It’s a worthy investment, I am about to become an international bestseller after all. The editing done, the author is ‘knocked for six’ to discover that he has to pay the printing costs as well. The print run has to start at 500 copies, no less. After all, the books will be distributed across the globe. Why not, I have already parted with 15K anyway. The only direction is forward from here on, so he makes the transfer – another hard-earned 20K.
An email pops in a few days later – they are sending him 100 of the 500 copies, and he has to pay the shipping costs himself. The cost? 5K. Hey, I have been gloating on social media that I will be published internationally, and the people can’t wait to lay their eyes on this international book. So he parts with the 5K, and a month later the shipment arrives. He is pleasantly surprised to discover that not much editing had been done – it’s still the same book, only this time it is packaged in a trashy little cover that doesn’t really say much about the story contained. Anyway, it’s an international book.
FACT – you have been scammed. Although you were told that the editor is an independent contractor who does freelance work for the publisher, the fact is that the editor and the publisher are one and the same person. They are only good at marketing themselves – these guys can sell ice to an Eskimo – but they are not proficient at publishing books.
As soon as they are done with you, they move on to the next gullible victims, some of them referred by you. Of course, some writers give up along the way because they cannot afford the exorbitant costs of publishing an ‘international book’, and these guys don’t care. They had already made money out of you when you paid for the editing costs, but they won’t stop sending you nifty marketing literature, each one more tempting than the last with even juicier carrots dangled in front of you.

CON 7 – The author is promised that if they publish with Publisher X, they will get as much as 40 to 50% royalties on the first of the third month. That’s a cheque in the mail four times a year! His book will be sold not only in bookstores, but also on the publisher’s website.
FACT: Not every book will find shelf space at Exclusive Books, Bargain Books or CNA, especially one that has been self-published. Bookstores run a business, and every business has to make money. As an independent author, you first have to prove that your book will sell, that there is a market for it and that it won’t gather dust on their shelves. The bigger the following you have, the better your chances of retailing your work.
Anyone can sell anything online, but you also want to sell where there is a lot of traffic. How much traffic does Publisher X have on his or her website? Books do gather dust online too, especially on a website that doesn’t see much traffic. It is impossible for an author to get 40 to 50% royalties on their work, mainly because both the bookstore and the publisher have to take a cut from the book sales. A publisher who promises you this off the mark, without having even read your manuscript or been privy to the following and fan base you have amassed, that publisher is a KING CON.

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PUBLISH’D AFRIKA is a registered B-BBEE Level 1 company

Contact us for all your editing, proofreading, ghostwriting and self-publishing needs.
Call / WhatsApp: +27 83 487 4440/ +27 84 311 8838
Email: info@publishdafrika.com

Writing poetry isn’t easy; it takes application and a capacity to draw on inspiration. At the same time, it shouldn’t be mystified. In this regard, the attitude of many would be different if they understood that poetry appears in the lyrics of songs and in nursery rhymes. Poetry is thus more widely present as a human form of expression and – by extension – poetry writing is more widely accessible as a craft or practice.

Here are some tips for those interested in writing poetry or developing their budding poetry skills.

Firstly, if you want to be a writer, you have to put pen to paper. You cannot be a writer of poetry without actually writing. In the old days, the advice was to use a journal or scrapbook. These days, youth write in the Notebooks or some other space on their phone. Many people think they need ‘guidance’ about the elements of a poem before writing. That would be great if you could get that.

However, you don’t need any technical advice as a prerequisite to writing. You can draw from you’re the relevant knowledge and experience – from powerfully-written songs, from nursery rhymes and from how people such as mbongi have been sharing ideas and telling stories for ages. From these, you already know the basics such as using line breaks, creating stanzas for new ideas and deploying devices such as rhyme and rhythm. Just begin to write. Far too many people who say they want to write and want to publish, but don’t take the first step. They ask for all kinds of advice but seem to miss the simplest tip; you must actually write. When you do write, regardless of how your inner critic belittles what you have produced, you have content to work with or the seed for trying something new. For most aspirant writers, referring back to their journal or scrapbook after some time is almost always a rewarding exercise.

Secondly, you need to read poetry. Read (or listen to) at least three different types of poetry. There’s much to choose from: spoken word poets, poets in the African tradition like Mazise Kunene or S.E.K. Mqhayi, poems from other countries, verses in old school poetry textbooks such as Inscapes and so on. And many of these poems are available on the internet.

Reading poetry helps you grasp what poetry appeals to you. On a second or third reading of a poem, you can pick up devices being used by poets: How do they use sound or repetition? How do they use verses or stanzas to separate main ideas in a poem? How do they play with symbolism, comparison or exaggeration feelings, ideas or a story? In what ways do they use imagery that others can relate to but that simultaneously pushes the reader’s imagination to seeing old things in new ways? Reading poetry broadens the mind about the different ways words can be used in a poem to convey feelings or ideas.

Thirdly, as part of poetry practice, try to take part in poetry activities that involve the use of prompts. A prompt is a word or an image used to jump-start your writing. Various Facebook-based poetry groups issue prompts and, for example, poetrypotion.co.za, challenges poets with a daily prompt. Such exercises help to exercise your poetry muscles. The outputs from such activity do not necessarily result in complete or completed poems. I find that, playing with prompts, I only generate a completed poem 40% of the time; and even that is after honing my efforts a week or two later. The one advantage with the prompt is that you can bring pen to paper without waiting for a flash of inspiration or being dependant on a surge of strong emotions. The other advantage is that, often, you are engaging together with other writers. In that engaged process, you gain positive energy as you observe other writers working with the prompt, flexing their creativity.

Here are some exercises to get you started: Free write for 7 minutes on a topic of your choice. Once you write your first word, don’t stop until the time is up. Write whatever is in your mind at the time. This is called free writing. In some exercises I’ve been involved in participants have written about – for example – the fear of the blank page, an unresolved issue, on ‘inspiration’or the kind of day it was. In the next step, read through what you’ve penned, underlining as many striking phrases as you can. Select at least four. Now (either through rewriting or by using a scissors) place the phrases on different lines on a page. Move them around until you feel comfortable with the placing, and so that it resembles a poem. Add a title. After a few days, look at the poem you have constructed again and make any changes, for example adding, taking away words or replacing a word with a more appropriate one.

Exercise on place: As part of the warm up, list three places you have lived in or spent time at and that left an impression with. Next to each place name, write a sentence or a phrase about what you liked or disliked about the place. Then, thinking of that place as a person, write a poem of between four and ten lines about the place. The lines could refer to what the place means, its qualities or about the feelings it invokes in you.

Exercise three: Look at the image below. You don’t know anything about the details. However, you allow your imagination to fill in details about her: who is she, why is she there, what thoughts are swirling in her head? Now write a poem of four lines about the image. It can be from her perspective or from the perspective of someone close to her; from inside the four walls or outside.

Revising and editing are an integral part of creating poems. In revising, you strive to retain the initial idea or feelings or sense of inspiration that inspired you. At the same time, you take the opportunity to make changes. You might want to make the poem less long-winded and punchier by deleting superfluous words – or by re-ordering the lines. You may want to replace a word with a more appropriate one. Additionally, you want to extract clichés – those tired phrases that numb the mind – and replace them with fresh images, for example replacing “as cold as ice” with “as cold as a watermelon left outside in a Free State winter.”

About Frank Meintjies

Based in Johannesburg, Frank Meintjies was raised in an under-resourced community in KZN and, in his youth, worked in community organisations in Pietermaritzburg. He worked in the field of social development and hasbeen engaged as a Research Fellow at Wits University’s School of Governance. He has also worked in government, in the private sector and in organisations advancing community development.

He has also been engaged in cultural organisations such as the Congress of SA Writers, the visual arts body VANSA (as a member), and Vakalisa Arts (part of the collective). He has been involved in steering committees of a music initiative (Zimology Institute), a performing arts organisation (Performing Arts Workers Equity, PAWE) and arts journals (Staffrider and Calabash).

Frank is a skilled facilitator, with a Master Instructor certification from Deloitte Consulting. He has a diploma in counselling, has a certificate in Gender and Development (from London University’s UCL), has a certificate in ‘Working With Groups’ from an institution linked to the Tavistock Institute and has designed and implemented a southern-African leadership course for the British Council (SA). Frank also has business and entrepreneurial knowledge — he has been directly engaged in enterprise projects such as the launch of a radio station (he was chair of Mopani Media which conceptualised the radio station Y-FM), a social housing project and his own consultancy.

In 2020, he ran – for a cohort of 60 poets under 35 years of age – a poetry skills course called Power of the pen: Emergent Voices. In 2022, he ran a course consisting of five master classes on short story writing which covered topics such as character, the story arc, ‘show don’t tell’, ‘point of view’, writing scenes and the place of ‘story’ in African culture. Frank was co-editor of the multi-disciplinary book, Voices of the Transition. With Mi Hlatshwayo, he edited a special Staffrider edition focused on Worker Culture. Frank remains active in cultural work: he was interim President of the National Writers Association of South Africa. Frank contributes to the world of poetry through participation in public readings/spoken word events. Frank’s creative writing has been included in several South African anthologies –his work was used in collaboration projects of William Kentridge’s Centre for the Less Good Idea. Frank’s most recent poetry collection is Wind in The Trees; previously released poetry collections are Unfettered Days, Connexions and My Rainbow. Frank’s Afrikaans poetry can be seen and read here: https://ink.org.za/lede/frank/.

He has also written several children’s stories and short stories. These short stories and children’s stories continue to be widely read and can be accessed via the internet. Frank’s children’s stories include the following e.g. https://freekidsbooks.org/mystic-moon-saves-day-animal-story/ and https://live.fundza.mobi/home/fanz/essays/the-old-man-the-wise-woman-and-the-african-pot/). Others can be read here: https://live.fundza.mobi/writer-profiles/meet-the-fanz/frank-meintjies/. Frank has in recent times penned a range of culture-related articles. This includes pieces on the emergence of worker culture ( https://asai.co.za/an-explosion-of-worker-creativity-in-natal-cwlp/); on the Katlehong Arts Centre, on the renowned Drum-era writer Can Themba (https://frankmeintjies.wordpress.com/2021/10/19/can-themba-giving-voice-through-journalism-and-literature/); on renowned poet Don Mattera (https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-07-22-frank-meintjies-don-mattera-constantly-shuffled-the-deck-between-anger-and-compassion/), and; on James’ Matthews’ short stories (https://herri.org.za/8/frank-meintjies/). He was a collaborator in a project on social transformation through the arts (see https://stias.ac.za/fellows/frank-meintjies/); he was also a collaborator on and co-author of the book Changing Our Worlds (see Changing our Worlds – new publication in the STIAS Series – Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study).

Appeal to people who would rather watch a DVD than read a book

Every book that hits the bestseller list does so in the first two weeks of release; every sale thereafter depends on how good a marketing plan you have executed at sustaining longevity, and in converting people who would rather watch a DVD than read a book.
It is much easier to create a buzz on a new book rather than an older one that has been gathering dust. Secondly, it is on the bestseller list because the author had taken the time months before release day to market and promote not only the book, but him or herself as a brand.
But you don’t want to make a ton of money in one week and then die a sudden, painful death without anyone remembering your name, right? You want your book to keep selling and to connect with more readers. You want your book and your name to live on in the minds of readers for generations to come.

The work starts months before the book is released.
A solid marketing campaign should kick off at least six months before your book is released. This is the time when you should be growing your name, recognition, credibility and visibility. This means garnering sales in advance, while you are still writing.
Easier said than done, isn’t it? How do you go about achieving this? Many best-selling authors haven’t necessarily sold books, but have sold themselves as brands and as a result sold thousands of books. They have positioned themselves as the go-to experts on the subject they have written about, indirectly promoting their books. This approach has given them a significant, competitive edge.
Selling yourself rather than your book gives your target audience an opportunity to know who you are, and inadvertently know about your work / book. This generates more exposure and can help drive sales. It also ensures you build a solid market and a loyal audience that will consume every book you write as soon as it tumbles off the assembly line. Longevity in the minds of readers.

Does the book have public appeal?
Your book has to appeal to a specific audience. You cannot sell to just about anyone. Does it meet your specific audience’s needs? If it does, you can rest assured than reviews from readers and word-of-mouth referrals will keep the readers trickling in. The more relevant your book is, the more likely people will recommend it to friends and family. Bestseller status takes more than just writing talent, it is as much about the writing as it is about marketing and promotion. When I released my first book, Out Of The Ashes, in 2017, it sold over 2000 copies in the first three months because the target audience was clearly defined from the word Go. It was aimed at politicians and political activists. An error made by a journalist who didn’t bother to read the book and misunderstood the press release, drove the sales even higher. He assumed the book was a real-life story, and mentioned former president Jacob Zuma in his article. Of course, I allowed the error to slide for a week before asking his editor to correct it.
My second book, A Woman’s Essence, is a real-life story of Grace Nkosi, a slay queen who discovered that a life of luxury always comes at a price. She is now serving a 25-year sentence for killing her wealthy lover. Pre-orders of the book reached the 1000 mark two weeks before the release date, because of the snippets and teaser chapters I had posted on the book’s Facebook page. The biggest sales of the book came from Grace’s hometown Osizweni, in Newcastle. The residents, most of them not even readers, bought the book because it resonated with them and were curious about the life story of one of their own.

Reviews
Create a result-driven review plan. If no one is talking about your book out there, no is going to know about it. If people are talking about it, it instills some kind of trust and tells readers that it would not be a waste of their hard-earned money. Goodreads is the best place to start. Giving away free copies of your book in return for a review also helps to get the word out.
Usually, the drop in sales, or no sales at all, can be attributed to authors who assumed that getting published is the beginning, middle and end, and that their books will simply sell like hot cakes. The rude-awakening that they aren’t really the next Stephen King, and that the world has not been eagerly awaiting them to drop their masterpieces, comes as a shock for some. For the rest, it is the discovery that they can’t really write.
The mistake made by new authors is to leave the marketing and promotion of their books to the day the book is published. There is no book promotion magic wand that will suddenly draw queues of eager readers to your doorstep, and there are no bookstores that will come knocking at your door to ask you to let them sell your book for you.
Start spreading the word about your book long before you launch it. Facebook is the best place to start to build your audience well in advance of the book launch, if you will be having one. Yes, everyone is doing it but start that author page. But don’t just invite the friends you already have on Facebook to like and follow your page. Chances are you didn’t become friends with them because you are a writer. They might have been your friends from your high school days and liked you for your fashion sense and not literature. Their hundreds of LIKES might boost your ego, but they will not translate to sales.
Search elsewhere for readers. Search for groups that are specific to your genre. Talk about your book there, drop excerpts with links to your page. Join Facebook bookclubs and post regular updates. Visit other author pages and befriend those readers who engage the most with the story and who offer the most feedback. Chances are they have friends who share similar interests in literature, and will alert them to your work.

Online Presence
Create every online account there is and pile them rotten with content. Start a blog, website, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Follow accounts and blogs you have literature in common with. It will soon become clear where your audience really is, or where you are connecting more with readers. Don’t dump the other accounts just because Twitter gives you the best results. Continue building them into an audience, even though they give you a few or no sales. Interaction alone is currency, an investment that will mature over time.
Post teaser excerpts to generate reader interest and anticipation. Many people appeal to photographs accompanying the text often, the picture draws them to want to read what the book is all about. If it is your book cover you will be using along with the teaser, put as much effort into it as you would the story. Your book is made or broken by the cover and blurb, simply because these are the first interactions the reader will have with your work. It is your ‘hello, how do you do’.

Proposal Sheets
Create advance proposal sheets and send to media houses to ask if theyd like to review your book. Yes, book stores aren’t too keen to stock self-published books, but do send the advance proposal sheets. If they bite, great! If they don’t, at least you tried. Your media and online presence might change their minds over time, and get them to order a few copies from you. Remember that they are a business and will only reserve shelf space to books that are in demand. It is nothing personal. Get in touch with independent bookstores and interest them into holding book readings at their premises. They rarely say ‘no’. Any book-related activity is welcome because it generates traffic through their doors.

Network With Fellow Authors
How many author friends do you have? How often do you network with them? It does not have to be face-to-face engagements. The web and social media has made the world so small a place, I have made friends and constantly interact with authors from all of Africa and the Diaspora, as well as Europe and the United States. They have introduced me to ways of promoting my work effectively online, on their own pages, groups and other social media platforms that I didn’t even know about.

Local Events
If you prefer face-to-face engagements, try checking up on local events, and find a way to be a part of it. Event organisers always welcome ideas that will draw in numbers, even if it is just ten people. Ask that you be included in the program as a local author who has released a book. Your book launch can happen every time there’s a music show in your area, or a community meeting, or a community outreach program. Be unashamed. You have books to sell. Keep your eye on current events and latch on to topics that are closely related to your book.

Radio Stations
Contact local radio stations and ask if they would let you speak about your book. I have found that proposing a topic that will benefit their readership, rather than just you speaking about your book, appeals to local radio station programme managers. The 15-minute interview could then reserve the last five minutes to your work, and the lion’s share of the time to the topic at hand. Be certain that you propose a topic that you are well versed in, so that in the end it will be mentioned that the guest is the author of such and such book, which is now available for purchase. The topic, obviously, should be closely related to the theme/genre/subject of your book.

Newspapers / Magazines
Call on magazines and newspapers, both community and national rags. Don’t just assume that they will say ‘no’. In 2006, I had never written a sponsorship proposal but my then editor gave me the responsibility to ask local businesses to fund a project for local schools to visit our offices and learn how the newspaper is made; from gathering news, advertising, to layout and eventually printing and distribution. I obviously suffered a debilitating stage fright. What if they say no? I wouldn’t only be letting down a bunch of school kids, but also my boss who trusted me with such a mammoth task.
But I found that not only were some people within the businesses willing to assist, but went a step further to giving me ideas on how to draft a killer pitch that will appeal to their bosses, and to other executives anywhere. Ever since, I had assisted and been part of planning of regional and national seminars and awards ceremonies, each one of them proving to be successful. All it takes is the willingness to try. If it fails, you would have learned a few lessons along the way.

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New platform will give your work global exposure

Have you been struggling to find a publisher for your short stories? Have you had to watch your anthologies piling up and gathering dust simply because no one seem interested in publishing them? Well, PUBLISH’d Afrika may have found a solution for you.
Authors of Short Stories will have almost certainly encountered the difficulties in getting in print. Publishers just do not like the genre. Many literary agents will not even consider Short Story submissions. When you consider the continuing readership of Kafka, Chekhov, Saki, Joyce, Maupassant, et al, you do wonder just where this aversion has its origins.
‘Short Stories Now’ provides a platform to put your writing online and reach out to a worldwide audience. Short Stories. Novellas (40.000 words max.) You can submit as many stories as you want to.
To register, go to https://shortstoriesnow.com/
You then go to ‘Contribute’ to upload your details and writing.
Acceptable file types. Word. PDF. RTF. Endeavour to make the work presentable as possible. Good formatting. Spell checked. Cover Graphic (optional). No limit to the number of short stories you can upload following on from the initial registration.

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PUBLISH’d Afrika is a registered B-BBEE Level 1 company
Contact us for all your editing, proofreading, ghostwriting and self-publishing needs.
Call / WhatsApp: +2783 487 4440 or +2784 311 8838
Email: info@publishdafrika.com

Traditional publishers are notorious for rejecting works by relatively unknown writers. This is because publishing is a costly business and publishers tend to gravitate towards writers who will give them returns on their investments. Established writers with a big following and fan base guarantee publishers such returns on their investments.
However, there are African publishers who venture to give new, unknown but talented writers a chance to showcase their works not just within the African continent, but internationally as well. Below are seven publishers with offices in South Africa, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Cassava Republic Publishers
This is a top African publisher with offices in Abuja, Nigeria, and in the United Kingdom. This publisher has published books by many of Africa’s top scribes. Visit their website for submission guidelines, titles and genres that they publish.

Kwela Books
This is a South African publisher based in Cape Town. They recently celebrated a quarter of a century of publishing books from Africa for Africa. Visit their website for submission guidelines and submit accordingly.

Black Letter Media
Black Letter Media is another South African based publisher that was founded in 2011 by Duduzile Zamantungwa. Their focus is on unearthing new African authors.

Mwanaka Media and Publishing
This publisher gives African writers a chance to get published and have their work distributed all over the continent and internationally. Founded by author Tendai Mwanaka, they publish fiction, scholarly books, poetry, art books, plays, cook books and other media in various languages. They are looking for work that is innovative, original, inspired and brilliant.

Love Africa Press
This is one publisher that has given new African authors a platform to showcase their works to a global audience. Visit their website for their submission guidelines and titles they have produced thus far.

Farafina Books
This is the publisher that publishes and distributes Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche’s books. They are based in Nigeria.

Africa Read
This is the largest online bookstore in Africa with an audience spread in many African countries, amongst them Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Malawi and Botswana. Go to africaread.org for all their submission guidelines.

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Need help with editing, proofreading, ghostwriting, manuscript development and all things self-publishing? Contact PUBLISH’D AFRIKA today.

Call / WhatsApp: +2783 487 4440 or +2784 311 8838
E-mail: info@publishdafrika.com
http://www.publishdafrika.com

Building Author Profiles That Surpass Selling To Friends and Family

How does an author go about convincing a reader to buy a book, even though it doesn’t carry the Big Publishers stamp of approval? How does a self-published author convince readers that the book may be an independent brand, but the content is just as good (if not better) than what is dished out by Big Publishers?
How does the author dig himself out of the trap of sympathy selling (sales dependent only on friends and family) to becoming a brand that is recognised and sought outside his circle?

One of American comedian Chris Rocks memorable jokes was how his mother always bought no-name brands not Tastic Rice. The packaging simply says Rice. Not Lucky Star, the tin simply says Fish. The no-name brands are cheaper, and that was what the comedian’s mom always looked for each time she went grocery-shopping. She was getting the same product, at a fraction of the price.
Unfortunately, in the literary world, brand recognition is everything. The packaging is just as important as the contents.
What is this packaging? It is the name of the publisher, which tells the reader he is buying a quality product, as well as the name of the author – the recognisable name of the author. These are the two things every reader looks for when purchasing a book. Is it published by a reputable publishing house with a track record of releasing great literary works, and is the author a name the reader recognises. Often, the reader will still buy the book even if they don’t recognise an author’s name, provided the publisher is reputable.
So how does an author go about convincing a reader to buy a book, even though it doesn’t carry the ‘Big Publishers stamp of approval? How does a self-published author convince readers that the book may be an independent brand, but the content is just as good (if not better) than what is dished out by name brand publishers?

PATIENCE: After typing ‘The End’ on a manuscript, most aspiring writers immediately start thinking of self-publishing, without first taking the time to ascertain if the masterpiece has the potential to get traditional publishers to put their names on. Traditional publishers’ turnaround times are between four to six months, a turn-off for most writers who are convinced they will be awaiting rejection letters anyway. But the answer can also be a big YES, which can be accompanied by a sizeable advance cheque.
The downside to rushing to self-publish is that the author, most of the time, had not done the marketing groundwork other than posting excerpts of the manuscript on Facebook and twisting the arms of friends and family (sympathy buying) to buy the book. The momentum dies down after selling less than 50 copies.

REQUEST READER REPORTS: Traditional publishers, when they reject a manuscript, often rely on Reader Reports. Readers are experts in various fields, or specifically, in the field or genre you have written the book. They look for facts, if the research is spot-on, plausibility issues etc, and then write a report on your manuscript for the publisher. Of course, some manuscripts don’t make it through the slushpile. Either way, request the report if it had not been supplied along with the rejection letter. The Reader’s name will be omitted before it is forwarded to you. Mole through it not just to better the current manuscript, but also for future reference.

GET MANUSCRIPT EDITED: Having worked as a journalist for 16 years, a decade of that as a regional editor for South Africa’s biggest daily, I chest-thumpingly believed I could pen a book at the drop of a hat. Until I finally had to do it, and it was a rude-awakening to discover that as much as my prose, puns and crafty adjectives might turn the Queen of England green with envy, literature was a completely different ball game. I was a relative expert in my field, but I had to grudgingly accept that literature has its own experts, and I didnt measure up at the time.

AUTHOR PROFILE: Who is the author of this work? Does he have enough authority and credibility on the subject? Whether your work is self-published or you went the traditional route, it is important that your name be synonymous with literature, with writing or at the very least, be a name readers will recognise. Of course, there are newbie writers who have knocked the ball out of the park at the first swing of the bat, but for most of us, we have to pull up our sleeves and work hard at it.
Author Mark Twain once said, “Write without pay until someone offers to pay”. A majority of literary magazines do not pay writers for their work; the reward is the exposure that it grants the writer, and there are a number of success stories. Some magazines do compensate writers. It is the responsibility of every writer to seek them out, and submit according to submission guidelines.

LITERARY CONTESTS: Enter as many literary contests as you possibly can, especially those with a publishing contract as part of the prizes. Winning these contests boost a writer’s author profile, and so is getting shortlisted. Also remember that judges of these contests are often associated to various publishing houses, and chances are one of them might notice the bright spark in your work that a publisher has been searching for and would not hesitate to nurture.

BE MODEST: Every writer thinks that their work deserve to go global, or worthy of the Pulitzer Prize. Kirsten Miller, the winner of the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Contest for 2016, probably one of the biggest international writing contests, should have had publishers pounding and jostling each other at her door with publishing contracts. Instead, she was the one who still had to go knocking at publishers doors, manuscript in hand.
Instant success and fame is rare in writing, and building an author profile that will have publishers lining up to take a patent on your brain even harder. Thousands of manuscripts are rejected the world over each year. Amazon has also confirmed only 40 of every 100 authors who publish with them see any success with their work. It is not always because the books are badly written, but because the author had not invested as much time to building an author profile as he did penning his masterpiece.
Last but not least, do not be afraid of putting yourself out there. Every advert you see on TV is not meant for you to immediately leave your couch at 10pm to make the purchase of the product that has been advertised. The idea is to ensure that the product is in your face so many times, when you finally go shopping, your mind will only recognise that particular brand, and you won’t even know it is happening. The same goes with putting yourself out there. Be unashamed.
However, continuously piling your Facebook page with posts of your book will not drive people to buy it. On the contrary, they will eventually scroll past because you have become more of a pest on their timelines. Be creative; post snippets of various chapters, latch on current events that relate to the subject matter of your book and ask fellow authors to promote your work on their timelines. As they say, my client could be on your timeline.

A good author profile sells books. It cannot be bought. Every author has to work hard at building it, and it takes time and patience. Readers do not miraculously descend on your doorstep just because you have published a book.

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A Potrait of a Vicious Cycle of Abuse and Neglect

He draws a deep breath, lets go of the door handle and steps towards me. I cringe, because I know what comes next.
“Kahle kahle who do you think you are, mara wena?” he roars. “Queen Elizabeth? Futhi are you ever gonna tell me whose child that is? Because it surely ain’t mine.”
“Yazi yini Themba, you can go back to your floozies,” I spit back. “I bet they are waiting for you. Baba ka-girl, I know it’s that time again. Do not worry, you are free to go and do whatever you want.”
“Uthini wena s’febe?” he says, reaching out and grabbing my arm. “I am not the father of your child, wena. That is Fezile’s child, not mine. Stop calling me Baba ka-girl.”
And with that he unleashes a blow that catches me on my left cheek. I could have sworn I saw a few stars, and the moment I open my eyes, he has the ironing board in his hands. He strikes me on the back as I duck, the blow pushing me against the window. I collapse in an untidy heap onto the floor and hit my head against the wall.
“Stand up and fight nja!” he hisses. “The only thing you know how to do is opening your legs, you good for nothing bitch!”
At that moment, I believed him. I am a good for nothing bitch with no education. I had only gone up to Grade 11 when I got pregnant with his first child, a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
He glares at me, his eyes fiery and filled with so much hate I expect him to stomp on me like an ant where I sit. But then the amazing thing happens. His face softens, and he heaves a deep sigh. Slowly, he extends his hand towards me. I flinch and recoil deeper into the wall.
“Julz, get dressed nawe man, hawu,” he says, handing me back the towel. I didn’t even realise I am naked.
“Bathing water coming right up,” and he is out the door.
I sigh dejectedly and amble to the corner of the room, where the basket with his laundry sits. While he was dancing the night away last night, I sat here, in his backyard room, and scuffled my hands raw washing his clothes. I had to – the stink of dirty socks and discarded underwear had already sucked out all the oxygen in this tiny space, and smacked you in the face as you walked through the door.
Of course, there were other items of clothing that were not his – unless the women’s underwear meant my Themba was now a transgender who was yet to come out of the closet…

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Be In My Shoes tells the real-life story of Juliet Lee, who has endured all sorts of pain and heartache dating back from a troubled childhood. She strips herself bare in this riveting account about a young life marred by a series of sexual abuse, neglect and ultimately becoming an adult who had to go through the same vicious circle all over again. Finding love proved to be an even bigger torment, with a series of failed relationships that left her broken, used, defeated and unloved.
Take a walk in Juliet Lee’s shoes as she relates how a strained relationship with her mother, with her stepfather and with her estranged biological father, and how life’s harrowing punches meted out by two-faced lovers, co-workers and gossip-mongers, has forced her to develop a thick skin and a dim view of the world around her.
This is a story about an unalloyed girl whose innocence was repeatedly stolen by a family friend and a family member, and an ex-lover’s goons who had her kidnapped and raped for dumping him. Walk with her as she takes you through a journey of abuse, hate and lust where falling in love seemed to have brought her nothing but premature motherhood, pain and heartache.

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