Best of 2024: First Draft

Otosirieze Obi-Young

‘A Writer Who Has Nothing to Say Has Nothing to Write’ Otosirieze Obi-Young’s First Draft

Founder and editor of Open Country Mag, Otosirieze Obi-Young, believes African writers are not credited enough as innovators for their adaptiveness to solving problems on the page: ‘When Damon Galgut flits between the first- and third-person in one sentence in his book, “In a Strange Room”, the acknowledgement never transcends book reviews into literary culture essays or lists.’
Ololade Faniyi

‘Writing Comes From a Place of Danger and Struggle’ Patrice Nganang’s First Draft

Cameroonian academic and author of Dog Days, Patrice Nganang, says social media has led to his transformation as a writer: ‘Social media led to my imprisonment, helped me free a few hundred people from jail, build schools and bridges, and feed incarcerated individuals. Simply put, it made me the writer I always dreamed of becoming.’
Jamila Pereira

‘I Want the Chapters of My Life to Be Written by Brilliant Black Women’ Jamila Pereira’s First Draft

Author of ‘Resisting Linguistic Genocide’, Jamila Pereira, believes in striking a delicate balance between storytelling and presenting factual events: ‘While weaving a compelling narrative is essential for engaging readers, it was equally vital to remain faithful to historical truths and realities.’