Thank you for putting this out there, Marius. It has long been my contention that a local writer has to score big overseas - or consistently over a long period be published there - before locals will buy that writer's book. And, you're spot-on about genre writers - who even knew there were local crime, sci-fi, YA, fantasy, dystopian novelists until a few years ago!
Thanks for writing this, Marius! (Many positive comments about this post in our writers' group, btw!) Here's an anecdote from about ten years ago: I was invited to say hi to a bookclub I had previously belonged to. The woman who had bought the books for that month had included some SA writers. The gist of a comment from one of the members of the club (who knew I'd been published here) was - I kid you not - "Why are you wasting money on South African writers?" A real chopped liver/boerwors moment. Mairexx
As a writer following the 'genre ' cult, I can completely relate to this.I am a novelist with an advertising background, and I say this with no shame. I write what the market wants, even without the nod from London.
This gave words to something I’ve been trying to understand. Our local writers are so incredibly talented, it is a pity an outside approval stamp of approval is first needed. We need more tastemakers!
Thank you for putting this out there, Marius. It has long been my contention that a local writer has to score big overseas - or consistently over a long period be published there - before locals will buy that writer's book. And, you're spot-on about genre writers - who even knew there were local crime, sci-fi, YA, fantasy, dystopian novelists until a few years ago!
Thanks for writing this, Marius! (Many positive comments about this post in our writers' group, btw!) Here's an anecdote from about ten years ago: I was invited to say hi to a bookclub I had previously belonged to. The woman who had bought the books for that month had included some SA writers. The gist of a comment from one of the members of the club (who knew I'd been published here) was - I kid you not - "Why are you wasting money on South African writers?" A real chopped liver/boerwors moment. Mairexx
Talk about something in the air. Writing something parallel to this - linking your piece
Brilliantly put. This has been on my mind for a very long time. It is spot on!
True, sad and well-articulated. Thanks Marius.
As a writer following the 'genre ' cult, I can completely relate to this.I am a novelist with an advertising background, and I say this with no shame. I write what the market wants, even without the nod from London.
This gave words to something I’ve been trying to understand. Our local writers are so incredibly talented, it is a pity an outside approval stamp of approval is first needed. We need more tastemakers!