By: Paula
1) Briefly who are you?
I’m Tong Lueth Matiok, a fifth-year student of Agricultural Sciences at the University Of Juba.
I have contributed many articles to the national newspapers in South Sudan advocating the cleanliness of the environment and youth empowerment through peacebuilding. I’m a passionate footballer and a digital storyteller, and the co-founder of Ayiet Youth Initiative Support Program (AYISP), an organization that supports education in marginalized communities through the motivation of volunteer teachers to provide good and quality education.
I’m the author of a National bestselling novel titled “Poverty Robbed Me” and a member of the Tukul school.
2). What inspired you to write? Writing is passion, it’s about telling your story to the world. A lot of times, people asked me why I’m writing while I’m from an Agriculture background and I could tell them that it’s about passion and making your story known to the world.
3). Do books yield income? Yes. I have sold out many copies so far and it’s helping me.
4). Literacy in Africa, do people read in general? Many people read but others are so obsessed with things, however, we won’t stop writing our stories because the generation that will come after us will read them.
5) What can one do to increase sales in Africa? I think technology makes the world a small village. Advertisements on social media and in newspapers can increase sales.
6). Do you feel fulfilled when people buy your books? Yes. That awesome feeling when someone walked up to you and says you have inspired me and I want to support your work.
7). Can you encourage upcoming authors to write? Do you see a future for authors? Yes. Upcoming writers have to put their stories outside there. There is a big lie that when you authored the book you become rich, I know a lot of people who have been writing for decades but they are not rich. You don’t write to get rich but to expose your story. Being an author helps you to connect to different people you would never meet in this life hence wider your network and opening ways for opportunities.
8). Any movement and Toastmasters how did they help in promoting your work? My clients are my promoters, they read the book and then they put it on their social media handles. Through them, I would get other clients.
9). Do you have any endorsements? What’s the importance of networking in the book world? I have endorsed many books, especially upcoming writers. Networking is fundamental in the book world as many authors from different places come together under one umbrella to share ideas.
10). Ebooks vs hard copies do you think technology has come to kill the traditional hard copy or e-books are simply a continuation of the reading culture? Ebooks are good because other people who are a thousand miles away from you could easily get the book. Technology is the biggest promoter, through ebooks people get books they would never touch in their life.
11). You parting short!
Books have the power to sharpen and change us, we need to cultivate reading habits. When you pick the book, you will read someone’s 20 years of experiences or research in just 2, 3 or 4 days. We also need to support our authors by encouraging them and buying their books.
Mt Kenya Times