Maina Wahome is a Kenyan born educator, author, playwright and a poet
Maina Wahome
Interview Session: Mr. Fortune Munsaka (Host) Mr. Maina Wahome (Guest)
FORTUNE:
It’s a great pleasure knowing you Wahome, Mr. Fortunes is an editor and publisher with PRE-DAWN Books and Films and the founder of Creative Minds Alive in Bulawayo. I would be glad to know who Wahome the artist is.
MAINA WAHOME:
Maina Wahome is a Kenyan born educator, author, playwright and a poet. He wields a Bachelor of Education (B.ed Arts) (English and Literature) from Laikipia University (Kenya) and is currently pursuing his M.A. in Applied Linguistics at Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia. He has authored a play, ‘Trouble For Sale,’ three novels, ‘Trials and Tribulations,’ ‘The Double Edged Princess,’ (published by Academy Press-California) and a writing academic book, ‘The Illuminator.’ His recent political novel, Crowned Butcher is yet to be published. He has also co-authored anthologies of poems: one with a Zimbabwean writer-Ndaba Sibanda, ‘Of Poets, Passions, Places and Paradoxes- Thou Shall Not Judge,’ and another one with a Kenyan poetess and a Nigerian poet ( MUSINGS: VALUES, VIRTUES AND VICES OF AFRICA AND BEYOND: An Anthology of African Poetry) published in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Maina has written comprehensive critical analyses of Ndaba’s novella, ‘The Immigrant With A Difference’(Published in India) and an Anthology of Poems, ‘Of The Saliva And The Tongue’(published by Ukiyoto Publishers-Toronto, Canada.) He has also written a critical analysis of Short Stories, ‘The Smell of Betrayal: You Sting My Heart’ by a group of southern African writers. He has been a contributor to Haight Ashbury Literary Journal (London) and his poems have been endorsed there too. ‘Rescue Me From Reach’ is his recent poem that was endorsed and will be published in an upcoming Anthology of poems by Haight Ashbury Literary Journal. His short stories have been published in writing magazines like The Queensdale Report, Harare Zimbabwe. He has also attended book club sessions held by TV stations. The recent one by Heart and Soul Broadcasting Services -Zimbabwe. Maina Wahome is a poetry trainer in the Global Writers Link, Kenya which aims at nurturing young authors in writing.
FORTUNE:
This is very interesting and such a loaded and packed profile marks you a name to watch in the new dawn. I understand you are a man of many rays, let us get into details; you mention that you are a poet,
What does being a poet mean to you and do you think you are a poet by innate or it’s a skill cultivated in you and if so, who cultivates the great poet in you?
MAINA WAHOME:
Being a poet means you can craft your words (diction) in a melodious, rhythmic way which brings the themes, sound patterns, styles and structure in a relevant yet irreverent manner.
I have a crazy passion for poems since I loved music from my boyhood age. It’s a skill cultivated in me through exposure to great poet nerds like Edgar Allan Poe, Wole Soyinka and Ken Saro Wiwa who made my embers in writing poems flare and glare with the help of my High School teacher Mr. Paul Nderi who saw the skill in me and nurtured me.
FORTUNE:
This is great news, I am impressed more when you mention of Edgar Allan Poe, one who floods my poetry playlist by his ‘Raven’, ‘ To Helen’ and a great short story teller known by ‘The Cask of Amontillado’. Ken Saro Wiwa, for his “A letter from Bana to Zole” one gets engaged more on his wit on how he describes African politics… ‘Africa Kills Her Sun’ Let me say, I should not be surprised because surely you are a product of great hands.
Striding carefully after your literary footsteps, I understand your journey ways from afar… Do you think the modern writer still reaches the level of the legends you mentioned earlier, In terms of quality of work that is produced in the current industry?
I ask this,, because I have noticed even in the school setups, they still go for works that were penned by the old legends like the Soyinka, but we have writers all over… What flavor lacks in our works such that we hardly have our works selected in the ministry, education in particular
MAINA WAHOME:
Art is manifested in different approaches depending on time and circumstances. Art is creation and innovation. I believe ancient/old writers had a knack of authenticity and beautification of their works. Modern writers yearn for publications fast without minding the content of their work. No embellishments embedded in their works. Most are Flat literary works which put off publishers. It is a mundane thing. Readers are like viewers but in different contexts. Content can put off a reader or captivate him. Recognition, appreciation and acceptance is intertwined to quality, audience and message. Lack of meaning and lustre in creative works is sinking the writing industry. Writing is not just banging keyboards and looking at the volume of work one must know what to write and how to write it.
FORTUNE:
I like how you put it: _“Writing is not just banging keyboards and looking at the volume of work, one must know what to write and how to write it…”_
So in other words, there is lack of quality control over works we produce, and we’re too quickly to publish more even half baked works.
MAINA WAHOME:
In high extent, yes. Writers are not taking their time to edit, regurgitate on their writings and authenticate their works. It is a horrendous and superfluous experience coming from the publishing houses. A writer is a crafter, designer and a wooer. He can’t woo and wow if his works are just bogus write ups.
FORTUNE:
One other thing I always tell writers; first draft, the writer wants to send their script to an editor. This i always say; Re-writing is like wrestling with a demon, painful as it may come but it’s inevitable, it’s like murdering your won children. So I hold hands with you when you mention how reluctant we get as writers at times and say it is the duty of the publisher to do all as long as I paid.
I learn again, you have published a number of works, some in collaborations with other artists… Can you briefly comment on the effectiveness of collaborations especially to upcoming artists.
MAINA WAHOME:
Collaborations uplifts the star of a budding writer who is new in the writing field especially if he or she collaborated with an experienced writer.
You learn about different writing mechanics and the way to craft your writings. It is such a satisfying thing to learn from others because no writer has monopoly of knowledge.
FORTUNE:
This you say is profound, I wish the budding writers would come across these wise words and learn one or two.
I understand ‘The Illuminator’ comes as an Academic book, have got it approved somewhere in the ministry, or tertiary institutes as a study text or some? Is it a Novel or Poetry or any other…?
MAINA WAHOME:
Having been outside the country for about four years now and I wrote it when I was outside the country, it has not been easy for me too in pushing for its acceptance.
One more thing, there is a lot of corruption in those education institutions which don’t accept books on a meritorious basis. It is a “sagging breast” with no one to put it in place.
FORTUNE:
This is so sad, because the same top dogs who should be safeguarding are the ones who bite the heel…
Nearing to the tail of our discussion, I can’t spend the day well without Understanding your secret you use in marketing all your achievements. Any strategies you use to get your works out there? Truly we can’t escape the fact that we also write for our wallets
MAINA WAHOME:
Marketing is the meat of the process. I use schools, teachers, fellow writers to market my works. I also woo book vendors in order to place my books in their stores.
Amazon can also promote the sales of books.
Selling your copies personally is more fulfilling and lucrative.
FORTUNE:
Very educative and more practical if executed well. I’m now forced to talk about this animal called piracy… Hardly as we try to market our works, this animal is often the centre of disturbance. Do you think they can be any possible ways to trap and keep it caged esp in this technological hour?
Or rather, How do you think the Government(s) should intervene in this situation artists are faced with?
MAINA WAHOME:
It’s only copyright rules that can punish those people who harvest where they did not plant. It is an animal that is big enough to kill a brainy literati. We must combat it with our balls and might.
FORTUNE:
Again, as someone who has been into this industry I am sure you understand some of the avenues… There’s this writer who genuinely expresses him/herself most in erotica or erotic Writing, be it stories, novels or poetry… somehow they’re losing Confidence in their work because of fear to be criticized or bad labeled…. What words can you give them?
MAINA WAHOME:
One poet called Taban Lo Liyong said sometimes you have to give people what they want to hear or read. Jack Rowlings most famous book Harry Potter was self published when publishers turned it down. Believing in yourself is very important. You can’t please everyone because you are not a sale material. Network networks where willingness and dedication commits.
FORTUNE:
….and then I’m reminded of our own Tsitsi Dangaregbwa for her works that faced critical ban. So it’s all about pursuing what you desire than minding more of the next person would say or think about me.
MAINA WAHOME:
Nervous Conditions. I did it in my undergraduate. She is such a fine writer.
FORTUNE:
From the way you view the trends, what comment can you give on the reading culture in your immediate community. Do you think people still appreciate literature like before?
MAINA WAHOME:
People are addicted to media and are now in the glorification of absurdity, and have kept books very far. A society that has more churches than libraries and factories is a failed society.
Reading is leading without conceding. No matter the amount of news from mainstream media someone feeds on, they can’t be in a state of tabling a debate without reading.
Good readers are good debaters who are always sober twenty four hours.
Reading reduces stress and tension for reading is right.
FORTUNE:
Okay, okay, this is so interesting! In other words, you mean to nail that there is little or nothing at all that can outrun reading, if one is to shape his or her life completely. Reading is like your daily diet. What you feed your mind is what shapes your life.
This has been a fruitful conversation, I am sure one who will have a chance to go through it will not remain the same. Once again, it’s been a great pleasure interacting with you and I hope we shall do this more often.
MAINA WAHOME:
I am glad to have you here. Keep writing and reading for it’s right.
It was a pleasure speaking to the lover of the Biafran writer Ken Saro Wiwa and the writer of Telephone Conversation, Wole Soyinka. We keep reading and writing, nurturing and publishing.
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About the Author
Men are not men if inking is hidden last.Keep the pen Sharp and dripping springs