adminfrom British Council-Express Management, gave writers an opportunity to explore the beauty of technology in enhancing a writer’s proficiency and give them a competitive edge in the industry.
This was a follow-up workshop, running under the theme “African Literature in the Global and Digital Era”.
Facilitator Harare lawyer Rudo Nyangulu took the writers through a crush programme on the use of social media like Twitter, Facebook, key internet skills for writers, layout editing and proofreading, and internet publishing and marketing.
“In this day and age, you need to edify your product by making use of technology either for writing or just letting people know what you have on your plate.
“Having a personal Facebook account alone is not enough if you are in business. Go a step higher and create a Facebook page to enhance your work,” she said.
One of Zimbabwe’s celebrated authors, Virginia Phiri, spoke on the economic importance of copyright, when she said that writers needed to protect their works by registering them with legally constituted organisations like ZimCopy.
“More often that not, artists have often been ripped off, after failing to register their expressions and projects thinking that it is safe.
“They are often shocked when they realise that their dream project that they wanted to do is now in the public domain, it has since been registered and someone is already working on it.
Phiri, like other artistes at the workshop, also bemoaned the effects of piracy that has left some artistes more impoverished than before.
“It’s saddening to hear that a lot of books are being photocopied and truckloads of these are passing through our borders going to neighbouring countries, where they are being sold for a song.
“And the irony of it all is that nothing, absolutely nothing, is going into the author’s pocket,” she said.
Other authors and artistes who attended the workshop included Memory Chirere, Stephen Tsoroti, Musaemura Zimunya, Beaven Tapureta, renowned author and actor Aaron Chiundura-Moyo, Jen Yon and Monica Cheru-Mpambawashe.
Cheru-Mpambawashe has since published a book titled “Chivi Sunsets”, and she is currently working on two other novels.
“Chivi Sunsets” has received rave reviews in both local and international media.
Online Reporter