We Need To Write And Publish More Books In Nigeria

If you win the nobel prize and the average American can't appreciate your work, then there's a problem with the nobel prize! It doesn't take an "artist" to write something that no-one wants to read. Anyone can do that.

If your writing is such that only highly educated people can pretend to understand it, then you're not being artistic, you're just obscure!  The whole point of art is not to prove intellectual superiority, but to pass a message accross!

I agree with Seun.

Is it not ironical that all the international prize winning Nigerian novelists never even made the New York Times Bestsellers List and were not even among the top bestsellers on Amazon?

I know my elitist Nigerian colleagues who are prize writers. Because, their focus is to win literary prizes. And I can bluff and rebuff them. Because they cannot even put down my genius at the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). I made the exclusive list of the best new writers in Nigeria. And jokes apart if you name the best 10 poets in Nigeria and my name is missing, you are ignorant of the fact.

I am not a prize writer.

the average nigerian reads stuff like sidney sheldon, harold robbins, john grisham. these will never, ever, ever win prizes

Publishing in Nigeria is actually a goldmine and the popularity of Nollywood can translate into popular literature.

 Imagine how Nigerians will respond to the books of the bestselling Living in Bondage, Glamour Girls and other popular movies and use the same covers of the movies for the books. If I publish a novel with the title Nollywood Girls I am sure people will be anxious and curious to read it. And I can write it in 30 days in Lagos. But to write it will cost me some money to stay in Lagos undercover and mingle with the Nollywood girls where they meet and befriend them while posing as a filmmaker until I finish my research.

Sijien,
I have already addressed similar cases in literary discussions on Nairaland and no need to repeat myself. Search the section on Fiction and you will find all the answers to your publishing needs including the right links for bona finde agents in the UK.

JK Rowling the now celebrated author of the Harry Potter series got turned down by many publishers until God favoured her and she found the right publisher and today she is even richer than the Queen of England.

The first and foremost thing is to hone your skills in writing and master the craft of good writing.

A publisher introduced a young writer to me who said he had many unpublished novels he called masterpieces and I asked for his best samples. But when I read the first chapters I was disappointed. Because, the guy did not even know how to write. He wanted to write historical fiction, but did not know the format.

I wrote a novel set in Côte d'Ivoire when it was known as Ivory Coast and the events happened before the outbreak of World War 2 and my principal character or protagonist had to leave for France and later fought for the freedom of France from the Nazis. I spent over a year in the library to research on Cote d'Ivoire before World War 2 and on the over 100,000 French Africans who fought in World War 2.  I read books on the German occupation of France and the Nazi officers in command then.

Research well before writing any novel.
Even the Almighty God did not create Man overnight.
Do you know that we are His Story (history).   

Chxta,
When I have the money, I will give grants to Nigerians who want to write books in our native languages for the conservation and preservation of our native languages, lest they would become undervalued. I am going to record my next CD in my mother tongue of Igbo.

amen 2 that seun

I think there is a lot of writing and publishing going on already. The major problem is with the poor quality of books written and marketing. Most of the publishing is self publishing and so there is hardly any promotion or marketing. In Nigeria marketing hardly goes byond the launching of the book. That has to change. I agree that there is a whole industry waiting to be tapped in this area.

I thought this should come back to the front of postings. Don't you agree?

What's your obsession with writing and Nigerian women, Orikinla? For goodness sake, not everybody is cut out to be a writer. There are females and males also in admirable and notable professions that is of greater benefit to the society than writing. And for those who value marriage over career, I say, more grease to their elbows. Dont even attempt to place more emphasis on writing over marriage.

There's a gold mine out there waiting to be dug by a Nigerian Publisher with a vision and a strategy to sell books to our mass market. One day ,

Sorry it wasn't so clear. That's my personal definition of - a large market of potential readers/buyers. It may not be so apparent but they are there!

Beauitifully said by everyone .we all have something to say ,  The
truth is nothing can move or get to the next level with out effort. asked yourself why american read so much books. i believe itsa combined effort.they had a campagn in school over there that read READING MAKES A COUNTRY GREAT.so please stop been Nigerians about this reading issue do something about it .

Myself i really love writting ,thats   one of the  things i would do before i die to
  publish and print a book.i have this story am trying to work on ,its a killer i know you are saying i have heard this before .What i need now is directions
i just need directions on how to go about it. i had a friend that gave me some tips but i need more at this stage , my email divagate2006@yahoo.com