Competition helps young writers get work published

HOW hard is it to write a 25 000 word story – one that’s compelling and exciting to young people?

Ask Lebohang Pheko and Dumisani Hlatswayo. They’ve just been awarded prizes in the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature.

Along with four other authors writing in English and Afrikaans, their winning books – Pheko’s in Sesotho and Hlatswayo’s in isiZulu – are published and available for purchase both online (takealot.com) and in selected bookstores nationwide.

“It took me almost a year, including the editing of the manuscript going back and forth from Tafelberg publishers,” said Lebohang Pheko of her book, Mamello.

For Dumisani Hlatswayo, writing had to happen after hours when he came back from his copywriting job.

“This one took me two months to research, another two months to write the first draft and one month to edit.”

The discipline and time commitment proved worth it: their books for young people join the ranks of new South African stories that the competition has published since it began in 1980.

If there’s been a big story to this year’s award, it’s been one of success. With an increase of 60 submissions from previous numbers, there were record competition entries this year.

Sponsors Sanlam generously matched this with increased prize money for the winners: R20 000 for award and R10 000 for Silver.

There was more good news for language activists: entries were strong across all three categories, with 55 English, 46 Indigenous language and 33 Afrikaans submissions.

“There can be few more worthwhile endeavours than enabling young people to read books reflecting their own realities in their own language,” said Eloise Wessels, managing director of Media24 Books, of which NB Publishers and Tafelberg form part.

Wessels added that mother tongue stories “play a key role in promoting literacy and a love for books, bringing lifelong rewards”.

Gold Award winner Dumisani Hlatswayo, 37, was born in Soweto with ink in his veins.

By the age of 14 he, had already had a short story in isiZulu published – Isibhobo.

This was followed by a flurry of other work: he’s been a finalist for the Maskew Millar Longman awards, had a radio drama aired and currently works as a copywriter.

Hlatswayo’s winning story, Imibala Gold Yothando (“The Colours of Love”), is described as “a riveting tale of love, betrayal, jealousy and growing up in the social media era”.

It centres on Sinenhlanhla, who is sent to a new school in Soweto, where she falls prey to a cyber bully.

For silver award winner Lebohang Pheko, the story was somewhat different.

In Virginia in the Free State, her mother single-handedly raised three girls, of whom Pheko was the youngest.

Although she had dreams of becoming a lawyer, money was tight and life had other plans: she was married and had two children by her early twenties. Throughout all of this, she kept up her own creative pursuits: movies, drawing, reading, but most of all, writing stories.

Pheko’s prize-winning Sesotho story, Mamello, takes on all these elements, weaving what the judges described as a “perfect tale of overcoming adversity” about a young girl who is not allowed to attend school but dreams of becoming a human rights lawyer.

“On the day I heard I was nominated, it was good news for me,” said Pheko. “But when I heard that I won the competition and was heading to the awards, I just couldn’t believe it! I was over the moon, but also full of amazement.”

In no small part, the competition’s successes this year has been as a result of a conscious drive from all concerned. A “250 words a day” campaign was launched, where well-known authors gave feedback and mentorship to encourage entrants to get over the line.

Writing’s a solitary occupation, so constant tips and encouragement can go a long way – especially for first-time authors.

Publisher of children’s and young adult fiction at Tafelberg, Michelle Cooper said it was not merely quantity of entries that the competition drew, but quality too: in the 37 years the competition has existed, nearly 80 stories have gone on to be prescribed for school pupils as setworks.

Feeling inspired? Now’s the perfect time to start planning your world-changing new novel: entries for the 2019 Sanlam Prizes for Youth Literature are now open.

Entry forms are available at www.nb.co.za and the closing date is October 5 2019.

Reading and telling stories with your children is a powerful gift to them. It builds knowledge, language, imagination and school success! For more information about the Nal’ibali campaign, or to access children’s stories in a range of South African languages, visit: www.nalibali.org.