For the young authors who won a publishing deal with the Charmza Literacy Club in Knysna, 2023 has presented itself as the year of opportunities.
Charmza, in collaboration with the Knysna municipality, hosted the Emerging Writers Workshop on November 4-5 at the Masifunde Library.
The workshop was offered to up-and-coming writers to experience a curriculum designed to develop and support their imaginative writing across different literary genres.
According to Charmaine Mrwebi, founder of the Charmza Literacy Club, the publishing opportunity was meant to be awarded to only one person but because of the amount of talent, three writers were chosen.
After writing her first book in 2008 and struggling to publish it, Mrwebi saw an opportunity to create a room for upand-coming authors where they would be assisted with not only publishing, but selling their books as well.
“I saw a need to start a foundation that will create a room for writers. When I started this foundation, the aim was to help up-and-coming first-time authors.
“I was inspired by the amount of talent in Knysna and decided this should be a permanent partnership,” Mrwebi said.
Phelelani Best, 21, one of the winning authors, said she was excited to start the year on a positive note.
“I once gave up on writing because no-one believed in me or motivated me,” Best said.
“But I chose to stand by my dreams and because of that I was rewarded with a writing opportunity.”
Best said she had seen the post on the Knysna municipality Facebook page about entering a writing competition and leapt at the opportunity.
She already had a manuscript called “Pain Changed Me”.
She then attended the three-day course, where she learnt about poetry, scriptwriting and storytelling.
She was then selected alongside two other equally talented authors, Zukhanye Lama and Siyamamnkela Yalolo, to publish their books with the help of Charmza.
The aim is have the scripts of the young authors published in June.
Zukhanye, a grade 10 pupil at Concordia High School, said he was glad he had taken the opportunity as he had now been introduced to other writers in the town.
“Now I have people to share ideas with,” he said.
“They inspire me with their stories and we keep each other motivated.”
He hopes to grow his craft and that it will be enough to sustain him financially when he is older.
Mrwebi advised people wanting to become writers to join their local libraries.
“Reading will help you to learn about how writing works, so attend book events and start writing,” she said.
