Q&A
You've asked. I've answered.
Hey there!
How are things going? Is your January Januarying lekker? Hang in there; we’re almost halfway done with the first month of 2026.
I sent out a call for questions last week and received a few. Not as many as I’d hoped for but I’m not easily dissuaded. Algorithms don’t rhythm sometimes. I get it. Thank you to those who participated. I’ve thrown in a couple of generic ones found in various places on the trusty old World Wide Web. Twenty-two in total because that’s my lucky number. Here we go.
Q’s and A’s
What/who influenced your earliest desire to write, and why?
I started writing poetry and making up stories in primary school. I have no idea what had inspired me to do so. My aptitude for self-expression plus my wild imagination was probably how it started.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer and what is your favourite part of writing?
I started submitting my work to local journals and publishers when I was 19. My aha! moment came later in my twenties when I could afford studies through UNISA. Though I didn’t complete the degree, studying literature was immensely fulfilling. My favourite part of writing is the liberation that comes with relinquishing my innermost thoughts to paper.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Calling yourself an aspiring writer. Don’t be aspiring. Be writing.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
I’m easily distracted. I need a lot of solitude to write.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
Yes. I’ve recently completed a YA book and actively considering using a nom de plume.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
No. All that pours out of me is uncensored and undiluted with little fear of consequence or judgment.
If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
Tenacity is the only thing that will get you there. Just keep going.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
Paying for an entry into the New Contrast Poetry Prize which led to my poem Shack Fires in Lwandle being shortlisted in 2024.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
Reading Oswald M. Mtshali’s poem, An Abandoned Bundle, in high school literally rewired my brain.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
The Pied Crow.
What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?
Gratitude and a signed copy. And to those blissfully unaware of what I’ve done, I offer the gift of eternal ignorance.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
One literary speculative fiction novel to be published by Mirari Press in October and another YA urban fantasy manuscript just about ready for submission.
What does literary success look like to you?
Seeing my book on a shelf in a bookstore. I will fondle it to my chest and plonk a kiss on the cover of every copy of Bloodbird I spot out in the wild. Don’t be alarmed if your copy smells like me.
Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
I suppose so, yes. Writing is incredibly therapeutic and I highly recommend it.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
I don’t find it challenging. I quite enjoy it.
How many hours a day do you write?
4 hours max.
How do you select the names of your characters?
I lack confidence at assigning names to characters and tend to change them a couple of times before settling.
If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
Interior Design
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
My book isn’t out yet so I haven’t had any reviews. I don’t know if I’d read them. Reviews are for readers, not writers. This advice comes from seasoned authors.
What is your favorite childhood book?
Child in Darkness by Robert Hill
21. And favourite book as an adult?
Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Finding extended pockets of solitude, tricky for a writer who’s not a night owl.
Have another question? I’m happy to answer yours in the comments.
Tell a friend. I’ll be here till Friday.
Til next time.
Bye for now.