I am South πΏπ¦ African born, with Uganda πΊπ¬ in my genes.
I make a living, formally saving lives as a Neonatal π₯ Nurse.
Β But I LIVE for the Words π in my Blood.
I’ve been Writing for over a decade, but I’ve only been sharing it with the World for a little over half that long.
And if you’ve been following my poems and stories then you know how much this means to me.
Β My audience has always been predominantly South African based, because this is home.
And of course there’s that ingrained desire to be heard and seen and felt beyond my African boarders because that’s where Reading Culture is EPIC.
But that didn’t stop me from constantly waiting for that notification to come that my work had found its way to the other part of my heritage.
Β For the past 6 years, I would check the stats and I would see which parts of the world my Words were reaching.
Everywhere.
The United States, Zambia, The United Kingdom, Ghana, New Zealand, Italy, Pakistan, Iceland, Russia, The Czech Republic, Somalia – EVERYWHERE!!!
But not Uganda.
It stung a little.
But there was no blame to be placed on anything, really.
I knew I still had a ways to grow, and so my reach wasn’t quite there yet.
Β And then this finally happened.
South Africa and Uganda FINALLY on the Readership for JaneAuthor and The Journals Of He.
Β Why is this relevant?
I often get a lot of Readers asking where I learnt my English – they assume that I am American or British.
I Write in English because it’s my first language. I communicate best in it.
And I know this.
The assumption is that it can’t be done.
The assumption is that you have to be famous in order to Write a good story – you have to be famous to be heard or seen or felt or noticed.
The assumption is that it’s a defect of some kind to be based anywhere that isn’t The USA or The UK.
It’s not.
Where you are and who you are, impact your Story. They give it a spin that nobody else can give. They give it character.
Who you are and where you’re from, are characters on their own.
Sure, it seems like the rest of the world reads a whole lot more than we do here, but that shouldn’t stop you from Writing for the people that DO read HERE.
Β So yes.
I am South African.
I am Ugandan.
I am a Neonatal Nurse.
I am an Author.
It can be done, so do it!
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