Wazua
»
Club SK
»
Culture
»
Why don't we have young Kenyan authors?
Rank: Elder Joined: 12/9/2009 Posts: 6,592 Location: Nairobi
|
So, young authors seem to be coming up fast and doing very well in the world and Africa but the books being written by young Kenyans are mediocre, poorly edited, uncreative covers while some have notable spelling errors and embarrassing auto-corrects like the ones found in the Nation newspaper. But that we could forgive, what I find hard to forgive is the luck of creativity in carrying forward what could be very captivating stories. And so that you know I'm not just bashing Kenya, get books written by Ugandans, Nigerians, South Africans, Ghanaians, Egyptians and other countries that are similar to us in stature. Is this an area we should put more effort in directing our youth to because it's almost a guaranteed win and money maker?
BBI will solve it :)
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 9/19/2015 Posts: 2,871 Location: hapo
|
I don't mean to demean but I hope you get my non-meaning When you have the best writes on the internet today being Alai, Itumbi, Nyakundi? Why should a young person learn how to write in prose? Ngugi wa Thiongo was exciled. But if I write like Pauline Wanjiru, I become an MBE? Please don't blame the young people. Just here on wazua, just read harrdre, gathige, amores, impunity etc. 50 million posts between them and you know what they are going to say. As in you write and you know, they shall say this. These are the people right now in Kenya. The online writers and poets. You need to get into the program. In Kenya, it's what can get me a Toyota. Not Ngugi wa Thiongo stuff. Education and prose is overated. If you think further than raira and uhuruto, wewe ni jinga sana. On my FB account I have Chinua Achebe as my face. I was asked, "why do you hate Kenya so much?" By some bimbo who's now in parliament. I was talking about a poem about the US and Trump. Lakini this bimbo thought I was talking about Uhuru. You know? Kukosa kuenda form 6. Having said that. I'm happy to have mentored a young boy. He was 19 when I got to meet him. He told me he loved swahili. He's now in Dar es Salaam Uiniversity being taught Swahili even though I wanted him to do internet marketing. And his twitter posts are to die for. It's the society to decide. Kama hawataki kikuyu ya Ngugi wa Thiongo wanataka ya Moses Kuria, there's nothing you can do about it. Just pray. Thieves are not good people. Tumeelewana?
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 3/18/2011 Posts: 12,069 Location: Kianjokoma
|
Perhaps because writing books doesn't pay Been reading in the literary part of the Saturday Magazine how many writers are frustrated after writing they're given peanuts Kenyans also dislike buying books. We want pdf copies and even photocopies. Kinyanjui Kombani or some other writer once lamented how he was invited by a university's literature class only to find none of the students had the original copy of his book Guess that's why he is still a banker
|
|
|
Rank: Veteran Joined: 5/5/2011 Posts: 1,059
|
If you ever have a chance to read through KCPE, KCSE insha and compositions, plus the various papers and university projects you will understand why, To Each His Own
|
|
|
Rank: User Joined: 8/15/2013 Posts: 13,237 Location: Vacuum
|
Lolest! wrote:Perhaps because writing books doesn't pay
Been reading in the literary part of the Saturday Magazine how many writers are frustrated after writing they're given peanuts
Kenyans also dislike buying books. We want pdf copies and even photocopies. Kinyanjui Kombani or some other writer once lamented how he was invited by a university's literature class only to find none of the students had the original copy of his book
Guess that's why he is still a banker The writers should consider writing biographies, historical fiction/reality, fiction etc etc. That's why Nigerian writers are more successful because they do not write biology and chemistry books.I think Ngugi wa Thiongo,Grace Ogot,Imbuga,Oludhe,Margeret Ogolla realized this long time ago The few Kenyan writers I have read including KK are only good at documenting their lives. Who told them their lives are interesting and we want to read about it? If Obiero did it, Who Am I?
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 3/18/2011 Posts: 12,069 Location: Kianjokoma
|
Swenani wrote:Lolest! wrote:Perhaps because writing books doesn't pay
Been reading in the literary part of the Saturday Magazine how many writers are frustrated after writing they're given peanuts
Kenyans also dislike buying books. We want pdf copies and even photocopies. Kinyanjui Kombani or some other writer once lamented how he was invited by a university's literature class only to find none of the students had the original copy of his book
Guess that's why he is still a banker Writing books pays.However writing educational books in Kenya and Africa at large doesn't pay. The writers should consider writing biographies, historical fiction/reality, fiction etc etc It's the opposite. Educational books are making money while the likes of fiction aren't selling at all. Biographies are doing somehow better than fiction. I think most Kenyans only want to read for exams. There are guys who haven't read a single book since completing studies. The only work of fiction they've read being the set books at KCSE. I have noted that bookshops are becoming scarce or reducing shop space, or like the case of TBC, becoming heavily reliant on educational books because they're more profitable. Getting simple non-educational titles from TBC is becoming harder and harder. I often have to check with Prestige
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 3/18/2011 Posts: 12,069 Location: Kianjokoma
|
The only type of books Kenyans are hungry for is motivational books. A few writers are going that way now
|
|
|
Rank: Member Joined: 9/27/2006 Posts: 503
|
A lot of people in Kenya just don't read for fun - as Lolest! said, if it isn't motivational books, people are just reading to get through their (narrow) studies.
One of my work colleagues completed her masters degree this year, and she surprisingly referred to the 18th century as the medieval period just the other day.
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 7/11/2012 Posts: 5,222
|
alma1 wrote:I don't mean to demean but I hope you get my non-meaning
When you have the best writes on the internet today being Alai, Itumbi, Nyakundi? Why should a young person learn how to write in prose?
Ngugi wa Thiongo was exciled. But if I write like Pauline Wanjiru, I become an MBE?
Please don't blame the young people.
Just here on wazua, just read harrdre, gathige, amores, impunity etc. 50 million posts between them and you know what they are going to say. As in you write and you know, they shall say this. These are the people right now in Kenya. The online writers and poets.
You need to get into the program.
In Kenya, it's what can get me a Toyota. Not Ngugi wa Thiongo stuff. Education and prose is overated. If you think further than raira and uhuruto, wewe ni jinga sana.
On my FB account I have Chinua Achebe as my face. I was asked, "why do you hate Kenya so much?" By some bimbo who's now in parliament. I was talking about a poem about the US and Trump. Lakini this bimbo thought I was talking about Uhuru. You know? Kukosa kuenda form 6.
Having said that.
I'm happy to have mentored a young boy. He was 19 when I got to meet him. He told me he loved swahili. He's now in Dar es Salaam Uiniversity being taught Swahili even though I wanted him to do internet marketing. And his twitter posts are to die for.
It's the society to decide. Kama hawataki kikuyu ya Ngugi wa Thiongo wanataka ya Moses Kuria, there's nothing you can do about it. Just pray. I take it you also want an MBE?
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 7/11/2012 Posts: 5,222
|
We have many many Kenyan writers. Many. Get into transcribers Kenya, and you'll see. They make quite some money from their efforts. I think its about time we realized that we are old. That change is taking over at a much faster rate than we can handle. That is if we are asking questions like this, and comparing ourselves to lesser developed nations. Audio books, soft copies have taken over paper backs. Same way DVDs phased out cassettes. About time we introduced audio-visual aids into our learning institutions. Every classroom, in my opinion, needs a TV and CPU. How else do we make technological strides and catch up with our Cousins in Obama-land?
|
|
|
Rank: User Joined: 8/15/2013 Posts: 13,237 Location: Vacuum
|
Mukiri wrote:We have many many Kenyan writers. Many. Get into transcribers Kenya, and you'll see. They make quite some money from their efforts.
I think its about time we realized that we are old. That change is taking over at a much faster rate than we can handle. That is if we are asking questions like this, and comparing ourselves to lesser developed nations.
Audio books, soft copies have taken over paper backs. Same way DVDs phased out cassettes. About time we introduced audio-visual aids into our learning institutions. Every classroom, in my opinion, needs a TV and CPU. How else do we make technological strides and catch up with our Cousins in Obama-land? I tried audio books nikashindwa, I cannot even read on kindle. I prefer paper books and their smell If Obiero did it, Who Am I?
|
|
|
Rank: Member Joined: 7/27/2014 Posts: 560 Location: Eastlando
|
Swenani wrote:Mukiri wrote:We have many many Kenyan writers. Many. Get into transcribers Kenya, and you'll see. They make quite some money from their efforts.
I think its about time we realized that we are old. That change is taking over at a much faster rate than we can handle. That is if we are asking questions like this, and comparing ourselves to lesser developed nations.
Audio books, soft copies have taken over paper backs. Same way DVDs phased out cassettes. About time we introduced audio-visual aids into our learning institutions. Every classroom, in my opinion, needs a TV and CPU. How else do we make technological strides and catch up with our Cousins in Obama-land? I tried audio books nikashindwa, I cannot even read on kindle. I prefer paper books and their smell The same thing happens to me... I have decided to buy a book every month, to re-cultivate my reading culture. Am now reading"The remains of the day"by ishiguro
|
|
|
Rank: Elder Joined: 7/11/2012 Posts: 5,222
|
Swenani wrote:Mukiri wrote:We have many many Kenyan writers. Many. Get into transcribers Kenya, and you'll see. They make quite some money from their efforts.
I think its about time we realized that we are old. That change is taking over at a much faster rate than we can handle. That is if we are asking questions like this, and comparing ourselves to lesser developed nations.
Audio books, soft copies have taken over paper backs. Same way DVDs phased out cassettes. About time we introduced audio-visual aids into our learning institutions. Every classroom, in my opinion, needs a TV and CPU. How else do we make technological strides and catch up with our Cousins in Obama-land? I tried audio books nikashindwa, I cannot even read on kindle. I prefer paper books and their smell  I hear you Sir. Same way somebody somewhere prefers the typewriter. With its sounds and smell.
|
|
|
Wazua
»
Club SK
»
Culture
»
Why don't we have young Kenyan authors?
Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.
|