By Paula.O.M.OTUKILE
Gaborone, Botswana.
1) Briefly who are you?
How did you become a force to reckon with in literature? Brilliant Nelson Nyirenda is a Zambian Author who has on record written three books which include his first one entitled “My Daily Self Development” which he did with Rev, Dr Walu and “There is Hope” which he did with Mr Chibamba Kanyama. He is also an award winning Advocate of Self Development and Mindset Change. He is also a Motivational Speaker, Leader and Lawyer by profession. He did his diploma in Law at the National Institute of Public Administration and his Degree from the Zambian Open University where he also served as the Union President during his time of study at the University. His works have been extended to charity works involving donations at orphanages, streets and peer education in schools which have made him become a TV and Radio Personality because of his practice of the mentioned fields.
He featured in the Kenyan Newspaper on 6th January 2022 as an author and also in the Listen to Africa Magazine of February in 2022.
2).What inspired you to write?
I realized that lessons are vital and need records too for the future persons, I learn from books that were written by people who are late but because they wrote, are able to learn. The same is what inspired me too.
3).Do books yield income?
Yes they do. There are times when I become so broke and do some of its marketing; I end up having something to sponsor my plans so yes they do
4) Literacy in Africa, do people read in general?
A longtime no, hence the saying “if you want to hide anything from a black man, put it in writing” but luckily we are moving and so far so good because people are able to read now and literacy levels are increasing daily. So yes.
5) What can one do to increase sales in Africa?
One must be able to understand the various age groups and how to attract them. Further one must know which audience is their target for the message in the book so that when it’s met, the same target will help with marketing and advertising to their circles, families and audience too. Lastly, change is permanent so one must be able to realize that thinking ahead and preparation to fit in are vital to benefit from the changes. I. E we had physical books but now soft copy books are the most preferred because Of technology, what will be the way to go in future? Only God knows but one must be able to assess, think and prepare.
6).Do you feel fulfilled when people buy your books?
Yes I do but more when they give me feedback because from it I can tell if am being of value or not. And from it am able to know which areas to improve, after all, to be the best supplier of food, one should know which food people want and also get feedback on how it tastes so as to know how to improve it if need arise.
7).Can you encourage upcoming authors to write? Do you see a future for authors?
Yes! Very much and it’s very evident from the changes we are seeing around the world of increased literacy levels and the desires of people to make impacts in their various endeavors and societies. So yes I would encourage them to do so and to also have a targeted audience which they will address with the right message and with them,team up to change the world which almost everyone condemns but does nothing more than it
8).Any movement and Toast masters or local government how did they help in promoting your work? No help, just from fellow citizens, which is the main problem faced by authors and musicians almost in all countries
9).Do you have any endorsements?
Whats the importance of networking in book world? It is very vital yes because from it, ideas can be exchanged and more exposures too among people of the same agenda. There is power in numbers and more of it if the people in numbers have the same agenda i.e to change the world
10).Ebooks vs hard copies do you think technology has come to kill the traditional hard copy or e books are simply continuation of the reading culture?
To some extent yes but it’s upto us to understand what works for us and settle for it. Others work well with Hardcopies and others with soft copies, but for me, Hardcopies work and I prefer them to the earlier ones. But going ahead we might surely see off Hardcopies like we are doing slowly
11).You parting short!
Okay, i party yes but there is time for everything though lol it’s vital to work hard but also vital to relax, release some stress and just be around people
Mt Kenya Times