Comments on: Litfest Testimonials

By: Godfrey

Godfrey — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:29:53 +0000

i would like to participate in the kwani group by publishing my poems and materials.the problem is that iambased in Mombasa.Please help!!

By: Fredd

Fredd — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:21:34 +0000

How do i become a part of the activities at kwani? Heard about the litfest in passing over the radio. Especially interested in classes for aspiring writers. Help!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:31:20 +0000

Kwani Litfest was an eye opener for me, a lasting experience which imparted a lot of new knowledge.I hope I will never miss out on any Kwani events.I urge other upcoming writers to link with Kwani, there are no regrets but lots of gains.

By: Julian

Julian — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:59:15 +0000

Interesting observations both by Kwani and EIC-Kenya.It reminds me of a British paper which for a week ran a number of unedited letters to the editor and then followed up with a story about the “Unenglishness of the english in english” which essentially was making fun of how grammatically poor the British are.

I am not sure whether the editor here did it intentionally but at times I feel editors do a lot of cleaning creating a very perfect image of everything.Once in a while it does not harm to get stories “uncensored” and especially when its not a sensitive issue.What I found interesting was the status of those with grammatical errors.Blame it on the sms and facebook culture.

Some of the Kwani publications do have some real errors.I have in mind the After The Vote kwanini which despite having quality content and written by Concerned Kenyan Writers had lots of grammatical errors, I wondered whether any editor had a look at it.

The tragedy with Kwani is perhaps the focus on content and not the “simple ” matters of grammar.Nothing wrong with that but they should be careful not to acquire an image of being careless.

All in all I think the Litfest was such a bomb and regret having missed it.I wonder when the next Kwani (Is it Kwani 5?) will be out..Or is there no edition this year..

By: Kwani

Kwani — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:37:19 +0000

Noted.Thanks.However the purpose of this exercise was to reproduce the raw feedback from the participants.

By: EIC-Kenya

EIC-Kenya — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:32:53 +0000

I’m often dismayed by the dismal editing that I come across in Kwani publications and, now, the website.

Is there an editor here?

“By enrolling I SORT to know whether…”

“I enrolled for the Advanved Fiction class, though at the time I not very sure whether…”

Now these may be examples of the declining standards of our educational system, but at the end of the day, it’s an editor’s responsibility to make sure that a literary publication (!) adheres to the highest standards of the basics: spelling and grammar.

Kwani, clean up your act.

By: Lawrence Obonyo

Lawrence Obonyo — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:50:47 +0000

I really want to thank Kwani? for the good job they are doing and also ask them and any other concerned person( like Wanjiku Waweru) if they can help me publish a collection of poems I’ve been doing for the past two years.
I am a student at Nairobi University, Parklands campus.
Thank you.

By: isabella

isabella — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 05:31:14 +0000

I love writing and currently am publishing a work of fiction with an american company, i would love to come to one of your reading events as i want to meet people who love books,writing and enjoy the world of publishing. i have had good things about Kwani and would love to join you in your reading events

By: Kenny

Kenny — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:28:18 +0000

I reckon the idea of a writing college is an idea that should be furthered by Kwani? A lot of people have not yet been placed in an environment of creative and intensive writing despite holding succesful careers in other fields. So you get a doctor who has ample knowledge of anatomy but cannot write a flawless paragraph due to lack of exposure.

Someone should lead the way and make writing, reading, poetry etc fun for more and moreKenyans and not just an elitist club.