Tag Archives: Writivism 2015

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Writivism Workshops 2015: Kampala 28th-31st January

Class is in Session

Then there was Kampala, Uganda. Kampala is very important to the Writivism narrative as this was the country where the initiative was first implemented. The workshop at the biggest city in Uganda was at the Uganda Museum and facilitated by Nyana Kakoma and Dilman Dila.

Nyana Kakoma is blogger in the dark art of the literary type with her blog So Many Stories and is a fiction writer in her own. Then there was Dilman Dila who is a writer with the short story collection A Killing in the Sun and other titles as well as a film maker; read his interview here.

The list of participants included Sydney Mugerwa, Saba El Lazim, Margaret Muthee, Lilian Akampurira Aujo, Harriet Anena, Anne Kirya, Emily Achieng, Charlotte Bossa, Nabimanya Praise, Emmanuel Ssebagala, Jacky Kemigisa, Paul Kisakye and Emmanuel Anyole.

Here is a sample of tweets from the event;

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Writivism Workshops 2015: Dar es Salaam 23-25 January (Images)

Jackie Kamau

While the folks in Johannesburg were living it up their workshop East Africa was busy doing the first of its workshops in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The three day workshop was being coordinated by Zukiswa Wanner and Ayeta Wangusa and the participants were Valerie Bah, Magunga Williams, Maimouna Jallow, Peter Ngila, Sima Mittal, Jacqueline Kamau, Wairimu Muriithi.

The workshoping was done both at CDEA and at the Mbalamwezi Beach Club and several writers were selected to be in the list of those in the running to win the big prize at the end. Fortunately for all involved you can read a full report from Magunga Williams on the Dar workshop.

With the work done then I hearby give you some images from the weekend in Dar.

Magunga Williams

Maimouna Jallow

Peter Ngila

Wairimu Muriithi

Sima Mittal

 

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Writivism Workshops 2015: Johannesburg 23-25 January

Then there was Johannesburg. This has been considered by many to be the richest city in Africa, especially those pesky economist types. The creative writing workshop in this town was being run by Yewande Omotoso and Saaleha Idrees Bamjee.

Omotoso is celebrating a “happy birthday” today (Happy Birthday to you!) but she isn’t just about being older. She has a book out called Bom Boy published by Modjadji Books that I really loved. And I wasn’t the only one as she was shortlisted for the Etisalat Prize last year narrowly losing out on the big prize. This year she was selected to be a Miles Morland Scholar proving that her writing is something serious.

Bamjee on the other hand is a poet and prose writer as well as a photograper who won last years Writivism short story competition. She was also kind enough, which I always appreciate, to share her pictorial experience of the whole thing.

Being mentored by these folks were Saaleha Bhamjee (another one go figure) Greta Schuler, Siyabonga Lerumo, Chivimbiso Gava, Chris Djuma, Hellen Herimbi, Jafta Odendaal, Khanyile Joseph Mlotshwa, Lerato Molisana, Michelle Ainsile and Chumisa Ndakisa.

Here is a sample of tweets from the event;

 

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Writivism 2015 kicks off with creative writing workshop in Botswana

Lauri Kubuitsile

Botswana writer Lauri Kubuitsile and actor Donald Molosi were the folks who started off the biggest edition of Writivism 2015 with a creative writing workshop at the National museum in Gaberone, Botswana.
Kenyans will fondly remember Lauri Kubuitsile for the period when she was in town for the 2012 of the Storymoja Hay Festival. Kubitsile who is published by Kwela has a large body of work including children’s books, detective novellas and collections of short stories for children. Molosi on the other hand is an official Ambassador for Brand Botswana and the youngest-ever recipient of the Khama Brilliant Spirit Award (2003), a prestigious Presidential award, for his contribution to the arts in Botswana.
The participants scheduled to be in the workshop included Gomolemo Morwa, Matlhogonolo Motshegwa, Sharon Tshipa, Janet Mudongo, Tshepo Bogatsu, Florence Phuti, Thato Chuma, Ofilwe Powe, Priscillar Matara and Katlego Kol-Les. According to a blog written by Lauri Kubistile after the fact only eight of these ten attended the workshop.
Here are some tweets from some of the participants from the event that was a three day affair;

The next #writivism2015 activity will be the Lagos workshop on Jan 16-18 facilitated by Dami Ajayi, Richard Ali and Ukamaka Olisakwe.

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Writivism Short Story Prize 2015 is coming

Tendai Huchu

The short story prizes are lining up with the latest one on the block being the Writivism Short Story Prize. The panel of judges for this year’s prize will be chaired by Chika Unigwe. The judges include Mukoma wa Ngugi, Ainehi Edoro, Tendai Huchu and Rachel Zadok. Entries for the short story prize will be open February 1st.
This prize winner will be announced at the Writivism Festival which will be held in Kampala, Uganda. There will be a lot more happening at the festival with the theme Engaging the Makerere Literary Tradition: Conversations across generations of African writers. There will be keynote addresses on the theme, panel discussions, conversations on sub-themes related to the over-arching theme. There will also be master classes, a stage play and book launches.
Bwesigye bwa Mwesigire, CACE co-founder, says “The 2015 program is exciting at many levels. We have three Caine Prize winners, Tope Folarin, Okwiri Oduor and Rotimi Babatunde as mentors, and will, during our annual festival make connections across generations of African writers, from the Ngugi wa Thiong’o generation to NoViolet Bulawayo’s. These conversations will also engage a cross-section of readers of African Literature. Indeed, it’s the best time to be a reader of African Literature.”
For more information on these activities, please contact the Writivism Team on [email protected]. The Writivism website is http://writivism.com/.

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Creative writing for 2015: Rhodes University and Writivism

Kgebetli Moele wrote the most awesome Room 207 Photo/Bookslive.co.za

You want be having dinners in your honour, mad change being tossed at you as you travel world capitals and all bow in your way? Creative writing might not be the best route for fame and fortune as we all know seeing as writing isn’t the most glamorous of jobs especially in this part of the world.

If you however insist on being a writer then I have a couple of opportunities for you. One of the better opportunities comes from South Africa’s Rhodes University which is currently accepting full time applications in an MA in Creative Writing for 2015 with the deadline date of 30 October 2014.

Some the teachers you will encounter will be Lesego Rampolokeng, Joan Metelerkamp, Mxolisi Nyezwa, Kgebetli Moele, Paul Wessels, Anton Krueger, Ingrid Winterbach, Rian Malan, Eben Venter, Vonani Bila, Stacy Hardy and Robert Berold. These lads and lasses are practicing writers.

To take part in this program you want to visit www.ru.ac.za/isea/maincreativewriting for more information and application forms.

Dilman Dila Photo/Wikipedia

If you are not up to going to South Africa another option is the recently announced Writivism 2015 workshops aim at identifying emerging African writers. Announced at the Storymoja Festival 2014 on Sunday they will be held in various dates in January 2015 in five different African cities. The three-day non-residential workshops are planned for Lagos, Gaborone, Kampala, Dar Es Salaam and Johannesburg. Applicants will attend workshops in the cities closest to their residence.
Dami Ajayi, (Lagos), Dilman Dila, (Kampala), Yewande Omotoso (Johannesburg), Donald Molosi (Gaborone) and Zukiswa Wanner (Dar es Salaam) and Ayeta Anne Wangusa alongside other writers. For all the details you want to visit the official Writivism website here though most basic guidelines that one must be a resident of the African continent and not have been published before. That’s a lot of you. Deadline for submission is 31st October 2014.

If you are selected among the 25 longlistees your name will be announced at the Ake Festival next month so you want to hurry hurry while stocks last.