It Takes Two

by Haden, Ross;

  Being a mentor…

  What a privilege to be part of a project that encourages young writers. It reminded me how important it is to not only pass on skills but to express confidence in the skills of young writers. Young writers see and experience the world in a fresh and fun way, and readers relate to their point of view. They know what’s hip and happening! It’s especially important in South Africa to be creating South African stories by South African writers. We have so much talent just crying out for nurturing. I’m bowled over by the fabulous work FunDza does to inspire South African youth to read, and to write.

  Mostly, I really liked meeting Phoebe Sibomana and working with her. Phoebe, you have great potential as a storyteller. So keep at it, girlfriend!

  Author Photos

  Jean-Paul Willemse

  Maire Fisher

  Mzimkhulu Mackenzie

  Helen Brain

  Zikhona Gwadiso

  Michelle Faure

  Sonwabiso Ngcowa

  Asavela Peko

  Phoebe Sibomana

  Joanne Hichens

  Mentoring Our Future Writers

  The FunDza Literacy Trust, with funding from the National Arts Council, has completed a special project: Mentoring Our Future Writers. In this five emerging young writers were paired with, and mentored by, five establised South African authors.

  Both the professional writer and the emerging writer wrote a short story to be published on FunDza’s mobi network, which is accessed by thousands of readers through their cellphones. Each pair of stories had to be connected in some way. In some instances, writers continued the story but using a different character as the main voice; in others, the location became the connection point.

  The pairs of writers worked together to develop their stories. The emerging writers gained invaluable experience in writing and in having a platform through which they could showcase their work. Mentors were also challenged by their young mentees to keep their stories fresh, and to give authenticity to their characters.

  FunDza is proud of the final product: 10 fabulous and uniquely South African short stories that have already been enjoyed by thousands of readers. The writers wrote across a variety of themes from romance to crime and human drama. What makes this anthology so interesting is the range of writing styles. The writers’ voices really shone through their work and they weren’t scared to tackle some difficult issues.

  FunDza is grateful to the National Arts Council for their support in providing young writers with an opportunity to be both developed and also published.

  Rosamund Haden, the project manager and editor for this anthology, is the content developer for the FunDza Literacy Trust. She has years of experience as a writer and editor and has published novels, short stories and children’s stories. She is passionate about developing young writers to a level where they can become commissioned, published authors.

  “Working on this project with such talented writers was exciting and rewarding. The journey of working together with mentors to create stories that were linked in an original and interesting way really focused young writers and challenged them to hone their skills and develop their craft. For the mentors it was refreshing and fun to work with new writers with different perspectives and ideas, who brought a fresh vibrancy to the process and the work.”

  – Rosamund Haden

  Published in South Africa by

  Cover2Cover Books

  First published in 2014

  e-ISBN 978-0-9922018-9-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

  a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

  mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written

  permission of the publisher, except in accordance with the provisions of the

  Copyright Act, Act 98 of 1978.

  Typesetting and book design: Robin Yule

  Cover design: Wiehan de Jager

  Editing: Rosamund Haden

  Copy editing: Judy Norton, Sean Fraser

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