You may not realize it, but your ten-page short story is more needed than you think.
Imagine We Rwanda, a book publishing company, was founded in 2015 with the goal of changing the reading culture among Rwandan children and youth and giving young authors a voice.
Uwase Dominique Alonga, the founder, believes that “in this fast changing world, information is power” and that reading is the best way to obtain it.
Until now, the publishing house has reached over 35,000 children and youth through our services and programs, received over 550 stories and manuscripts from Rwanda and the region, and provided reading materials in over 30 schools.
Above that, they established 21 schools, but they would acquire them from abroad, to which the children could not always relate. “Those books did not accurately represent Rwandan culture.”
That is when she and her team decided to write a book that incorporates Rwandan stories, culture, and the Rwandan way of life.
For the same reason, there should be more Rwandan authors who write about their experiences, novels, points of view, and so on.
Uwase Alonga says people should first understand that their “story is needed”. She explained that there are a lot of people who want to read all kinds of stories about all kinds of topics.
“When we want to read books about marriages, we can only find those written by American or French authors, and they lack the Rwandan context,” she said, adding that Rwandan authors’ stories are needed.
“If you want to write about marriage, you can do so because people are ready to consume it,” she stressed.
She believes what she says because her first book will be published in 2021.
And So The Silent Voices Sang: An Anthology is a collection of four stories about how society’s underdogs can find their voices.
“I also wanted to inspire people to look at our society in new ways,” she explained.
She claims that writing is difficult. That you must become multiple people in order to bring different perspectives to the table and make it all make sense.
Her writing tips
Alonga believes that having a peer editing group is essential. This group can consist of people you trust. “You can rely on them to bring to your attention any details that you may have overlooked.”
You should also set aside time each day to write, whether you have inspiration or not, and whether you want to or not.
“For example, whether you have writer’s block or not, I set aside 25 minutes every day to write. When you wait for inspiration, you will be disappointed, but discipline always triumphs over inspiration.”
She also stated that writers should treat writing as a job rather than a hobby. “If you know this is your job, you must be consistent.”
We call upon youth who write to use the outlet as an opportunity to showcase their talents. Do not stay in your shell, start writing, your breakthrough could be hidden in your problem.
