Despite Batswana being notorious for being lazy readers or writers, with the current “internet generation” also not helping the situation by favouring social media networks over literature, there is still hope as some young, vibrant and zealous local novelists are now emerging.
One of them is Tyler Majaga. He is well determined, hardworking and well spirited to explore the “dry land” of the literature industry which decries a perpetual poor business performance.
While his peers are busy competing with each other over the latest technology trends and gadgets, what is the next party and getting the hottest girl on Facebook, Majaga is busy enduring the cruel side of being a self-sponsored author.
The Francistown born young man came to The Telegraph offices with your usual “tertiary student look,” but he looked busy. He was looking ready and energetic, carrying his backpack with a laptop inside.
Even thought his naivety was evident in our short chat, he showed a sheer understanding of the business side of writing books like a true professional.
During that interview the young Majaga was burning with passion and explained many issues of life like someone who has lived considerably longer.
He spoke of how he was not taken seriously by most local book publishers. None of the local bookshops gave him a chance.
He had to dig deep into his pocket and soldier on, and make sure his first novel was published last year.
With the road becoming bumpy, Majaga could have given up. After all he is still young and will do his writing when he finishes school.
Majaga was also doing “something” in life.
With his eyes burnt bright with a passion for this first book, Majaga was studying Journalism and Media Limkokwing University. Unrelenting and wishing not to abandon his dream, he decided to freeze his government tertiary sponsorship to concentrate on finishing his project.
Now 20 years old, Majaga has taken six years to chronicle his teenage days. The product is a novel called “Teenager’s Tale.”
In this novel, Majaga wrote a fiction tale about his days of being a teenager.
“It is not necessarily based on true life stories, but it is based on true life events,” said Majaga. He said the places are real and the events indeed happened, but the characters are fictious.
He said he did this to avoid red tape. A lot of things he wrote about reflect his life and the life of his peers.
Despite playing a role in being a good driver of making Batswana “an informative and educated nation” towards 2016, Majaga is failing to get sponsors. Yet he is being fuelled by his passion.
He however has a deal with a Motswana owned Clothing shop Mafia Soul. The shop retails his book.
The young author said the sales for his book are going “very slowly” and is relying on his parents for money.
