There are FunDza Fanz writers everywhere! You might even come across one when you order your next coffee… Here’s an interview with one of these fantastic young writers.
NAME:
Patience Maganga
OCCUPATION: Barista at Olympia Café (Kalk Bay)
FANZ PROFILE: Click here to read Patience’s stories
INTERVIEW WITH PATIENCE:
Why do you write?
I have a passion for writing and I love reading as well. Reading other people’s stories inspires one to write something else. I love literature.
Did you grow up with books/reading/writing at home?
My mom was a teacher so it was mandatory for everyone to read. I majored in Literature A levels and I studied Media and Society studies at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe.
In what genre do you enjoy writing?
It is basically to do with women, not feminism necessarily, but more about the stories around women, because there is so much going on with us. And there are many stories in my circles of friends and colleagues.
Do you think that as women, we still our wisdom with one another?
Not really, Because we come from different societies and socialisation is different. So I guess in general, we share our ideas with one another. But probably educated women, in some sense, yes.
How did you come across FunDza?
There was this girl that I always saw, passing by my house. I was doing administration for a company in Muizenberg. I live close to the FunDza offices and one day I saw her passing by and I asked her what FunDza does. She explained to me and invited me to their office.
So, you were curious?
Yes, every logo and branding tells a story and I wanted to know what your story is.
You are a mother, is your child an inspiration to you?
Yes, my son is four years old and I think that he is an inspiration. I went through quite a lot when I was pregnant and with my son’s father and all that stuff.
What do you think are the benefits for teens and young adults to read?
It can be very educational to read. And it can also be entertaining. Instead of partying and taking drugs, kids can actually read. Reading is nice and relaxing. It helps your intellectual mind grow.
Does writing come naturally to you?
You know what I do? I write a page, then I delete it. And say that its not good enough. Then I’ll write again and still say that it’s not good enough. But still, I keep doing this. So, I guess it does come naturally to me but it needs something to inspire it or an idea for it to grow. It might also be that when I was still in school, I used to write a lot of poetry. At the moment, I’m a bit out of practise.
After you’ve deleted the pages, do you find clarity in your mind?
In some sense, yes, because when I delete the page, I am obviously telling myself that it’s not good enough. So, I have to up my target, or something like that. When you write another piece, it is more meaningful than the one you’ve written before. Because for you to read my story and understand it, I should have understood what I’m writing. Beacuase if it doesn’t make sense to me, it won’t make sense to you.
Do you have any advice for any young writers out there?
When you have a great idea, run with the flow. Don’t stop yourself. You might not think that it’s good enough. But go through it, read it and make sense of it. If you have that passion for writing, nothing should stop you from doing it.
Also, reading literature. Reading other people’s work helps in terms of constructing whatever you want to come up with.
Thank you Patience!