Writing Is Next To Impossible In Africa — It’s Far Worse Than You Imagined
I can’t keep cool anymore, but don’t blame me yet
Let’s get right to it.
Permit me on this one when I say I won’t wish the worse reputation writing has in Africa on none of my fellow Medium writers.
I know! You must think I’m crazy to say that it is hard to be a writer in Africa. With the enormous literary giants that have walked the sands of Africa, the likes of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, and Chimamanda Adichie.
But really, what I do mean by my claims is not the exact poets. What I’m referring to is writing online and writing as a freelancer.
Since the pandemic, the world has felt a sudden increase in the number of freelancers and online hustlers, and Africa is not left out. But even with this, some awful factors affect African writers that we don’t recognize.
You might wonder why writers like me take so much time to earn well enough here on Medium or even do as much as getting a single successful gig on Fiverr.
You might also wonder as I do. Why do intuitive writers like my friends Jeofrey Ogire and Boateng Sekyere are yet to attain at least a 10000 follower mark and maybe a $5000 monthly income from writing?
It is simply because of some unwavering challenges, which we have tried our best to bypass. Such as;
#1 Postcode discrimination
Honestly, this is one reason I will forever be grateful to Medium and especially to the other writers. Not so much but for the fact that there is at least room for African writers here on Medium.
I’m sure there are some willing and talented writers who eagerly want to write on Medium. But they don’t know how to go about it because they’ve been succumbed by the Partner Program. Just like I was all through 2019.
Don’t get me wrong!
It is not just rampant here alone. Most online freelance writing platforms are programmed deliberately not to accept African writers through their post-codes. Not straight-faced, because they always have encouraging copies on their website. But once you attempt to sign up, you suddenly meet a wall of post-codes hoarding you from registering.
That is why most of our diaspora counterparts tend to do more online. Websites like Fiverr are uncanny places for freelancers writing from Africa.
My Experience
I was surprised when I joined a webinar class to get lectures on how to work as a freelancer on Fiverr and earn some dough. But I was told I might have to use a “White man’s face” as my profile picture and maybe a different name.
To me! That certainly defeats the purpose of putting myself out there, and it does show the level of online hardship faced by many genuine writers from Africa. Thus, don’t be surprised that your so-called intelligent gig seller on Fiverr is an African man using a British man’s image.
#2 Power imbalance
Writing part-time in Africa alone is a hassle, let alone thinking of writing full time — Author
That is barely the harshest thought that goes through the minds of a high percentage of African freelance writers. Everyone would love to flex their skill muscles, or at least try to, but the level of underdevelopment still experienced in some parts of Africa will not allow most freelance writers from here to thrive well.
They are constantly frustrated by sudden electrical outages and more frequent current breakdowns, which costs them their focus. It can also be the reason for the quality of articles and stories published by some of us.
My Experience
I know that I could be out of power while writing. So, whenever I have writing tasks to complete, I will either take my laptop to the cafe or switch to writing articles on my phone and then properly edit them when power is fully restored.
Meanwhile, it costs me my concentration, and I get very frustrated sometimes. Kudos to all African Writers out there. One’s who still put out content regardless of this wall of a frequent power outage.
#3 Survival instincts
Both writers in first-world countries and most third-world countries, like some in Africa, are affected by this factor.
But the tides are higher for us Africans. We have weaker economies, both online and offline. The thought of surviving the day alone is a serious issue, let alone being able to do other things that will very much enhance writing or freelancing.
Don’t get me wrong just yet. I’m not saying we’re in stack poverty. No way! Not that!
But I mean, most African writers would choose to survive the day instead of paying for things like a regular website subscription.
Not that they don’t have the money to pay, but because they have to survive the day first before thinking of doing more with their money.
My Experience
Early on in my quest to write online, I wasn’t so keen on paying for any online subscription other than for the platforms I write on, like Medium.
But, a few months down the line, I had reasons to start subscribing to other websites like Grammarly.
Although the fee was small when compared with the value of the Dollar. Though once converted to my country’s currency, it amounted to a sum that beckoned so many questions. That is what lots of African writers face at every stage of their online writing career, which explains the loopholes in their work quality.
#4 Reach the audience
If not for the internet itself and the trans-tech travel it provides. Many African writers would have quit writing immediately they started.
We, African writers, frown on the thought of not reading regularly, but deep down, we know that most of our folks are not so keen on the physical reading culture, let alone reading online.
While studying, many Africans might read a lot of academic write-ups and papers. But they read less engaging online content. Meanwhile, the reverse is the same scenario for African writers in the diaspora or non-African countries.
They are lucky to be in the midst of an audience that is so much in tune with online written content.
My Experience
Apart from publishing my articles here on Medium, once I get a working link for my published stories, I always endeavor to post them on my Twitter page and direct WhatsApp status to help pull in more traffic.
But every single time I did so, I would always get a dull and unencouraging result. That is simply because the reading culture is woeful in Africa. Hence, our reading audience is far smaller in number.
Lastly, I salute all my fellow African writers who go through the same daunting factors every day and every week yet still find a way to publish Forbes-worthy articles.
Lastly, my gratitude towards you knows no bounds. Thank you for reading my article today.
Click here to always get my stories delivered directly to your Email. Click here to allow me to make you a bona fide Medium Member.