What's up?
I have been thinking of what to post for the past two days now and I have come up blank.
I am usually one that has something to talk about but it doesn't seem to be coming today.
Anyways I will just start with my thoughts and my feelings:
Anybody that knows me, knows that I am an avid reader: "especially the romance genre". I love reading. I can stay up all night reading a good novel.
One of my favorite authors is Debbie Macomber. I have read a lot of her novels and she is really a very good writer. The catch is that she has been/ is currently #1 NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR.
I have been made to understand that before you get that kind of rating your books must have sold over 1 million copies: that's on a particular book. Now this lady has several of her books that have sold over a million copies. She is making a huge living from writing contrary to what people think. She has even had a lot of her books made into HALLMARK MOVIES...
I am so happy but sad at the same time.
Why is it that African writers almost do not get to the height of their writing careers?
Let me take Nigeria for example: how many of the publishers in Nigeria have actually come out to say that an author's book has sold over 1 million copies world wide?
Is it that we don't that have bestselling materials? No we do I am very sure of that.
I know we have Wole Soyinka and Chinue Achebe etc but we need more. We have a lot more. too numerous to mention....
Is it that they aren't given the same opportunity like their foreign counter parts? One can say so?
So what are our publishers doing to change this situation?
When I think of things like this I am very impressed with MYNE WHITMAN, Abimbola ESSIEN Nelson AND Lara Daniels. I must say I admire their spirit. They have impressed me and given me hope that a time will come where Nigerian writers will be bestselling authors all over the world.
Anyways don't forget that this is just my thoughts. Please let me know yours.
Have a lovely day and do take care of yourselves.. Hopefully I will have something new to post tomorrow..loll..
Thanks again for your comments.
Ciao
We have talents in Nigeria, they do not just have the opportunity as their foreign counterparts. Before now, our people only patronized foreign entertainment both in books and entertainment. Things are looking up these days and I believe we will get there.
ReplyDelete@Okeoghene i am with you on that. We will get there in Jesus name. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think we will get there too. I'm really inspired by Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele.
ReplyDeletewe will get there
ReplyDeleteI didn't grow up reading novels because only few writers wrote I was interested in. But I do believe a good book has no hiding place and if you believe Nigeria writers were not getting enough credit, it would be because their work wasn't good enough.
ReplyDeleteOne of the cause I see was that we have more writers than storytellers. All because an individual had a degree in Literature or a related field in Language she/he believe they could pen a successful fiction. They write well no doubt but that is all...they only write well. You see the likes of Soyinka, Achebe...they are good writers and a high percentage of people that would appreciate their work are the English Language scholars. People seemed to forget they wrote books meant to be studied in schools and not to entertain. Just like pop music, if want international success in this era "you better dumb yourself down".
Majority of successful western authors were the opposite. They specialise in a different professional field and their fiction were based on that field. It was the job of the editors and proof readers to make sure their grammar was on point...the crop of people that would have loved to author books themselves in Nigeria. For instance, no matter your level of understanding of the English Language it would be difficult to pen a law fiction better than Grisham.
I do know we have potential great authors in Nigeria, I've read their blogs and none of them studied Literature. One in particular is a Doctor...and when she talks about happenings in the hospital if feels like watching an episode of ER.
I don't expect anyone to agree with me...I'm just a Psychologist with an interest in Social Behaviour + Statistics.
Great post. I think on one hand African writers are disadvantaged because our storytelling story is different and a little slow for the global reading intersts - esp in a genre like romance. In fact in Ghana folklore, storytelling is considered an art form. A lot of folktales are told with music and clapping etc. In today's world, very few readers have the patience for a book that describes an entire village before getting into the crux of the plot.
ReplyDeleteThere's also the fact that Africa doesn't have publishers. Most of our writers have to self-publish, which has often resulted in unattractive book covers and limited marketing and distribution.
Hopefully, with new trends we can put ourselves on the map too.
Speaking of Nigerian writers, check out His Treasure by Kiru Taye - from Breathless Press: http://www.breathlesspress.com/his-treasure
I hope that encourages other aspiring writers
@Myne Whitman. I love Nora Roberts too.
ReplyDelete@uciano yoe we will get there.
@Ade Moses very true about Wole Soyinka and Achebe
@Empibaryeh such a good point. I think more writing workshops should be conducted in Nigeria and africa as a whole. will check the book out.
just stumbled on your blog page..love ur posts..now following. you could check mine too.
ReplyDeletewww.trainofhearts.blogspot.com