AWARD-winning author Bryony Rheam has challenged upcoming authors to perfect their work and accept criticism as a way of building their confidence.
BY SHARON SIBINDI
Rheam told NewsDay Life & Style that it was important for emerging authors to read extensively.
“You have to see what other people are writing, what is popular at the moment and what is not so popular. You have to fit in to what other people are doing. I think you should always be aware that when you begin writing, few people are going to be in a level where they are going to be remembered and millions of people are going to read their work,” she said.
Rheam said a writer should be humble and not to brag about their achievements at early stages.
“As a writer you have to be quite humble and what I see with some authors is that, especially if they are going for some promotion, they are bragging about their achievements, they are boastful and then you never hear of them anymore and they disappear,” she said.
The author said a lot of young authors thought they had already made it and failed to realise that one’s style is developed over a long period of time.
Rheam has been selected as one of the five new Morland Writing Scholars for last year after her application made it into the top five from a record 550 submissions.
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She has also attended the Africa Utopia Festival at London’s Southbank Centre to help celebrate the arts and culture of Africa alongside fellow artistes Baaba Maal, Spoek Mathambo, Tony Allen, Toumani and Sidiki Diabaté, Orchestra Baobab and Kassé Diabaté.
