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

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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.’ Read More...
Best of 2024: First DraftFirst DraftInterviewsNigeriaOctober/November 2024
Ololade Faniyi

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

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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.’ Read More...
Best of 2024: First DraftCameroonFirst DraftInterviewsJune/July 2024vol8-no3
Jamila Pereira

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

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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.’ Read More...
April/May 2024Best of 2024: First DraftFirst DraftGuinea-BissauInterviews