Writing Fantasy In Africa

I write books in the least popular genre in my region—fantasy.

African fiction is synonymous with literary and mainstream fiction in poetry and short story form, short story collections, and novels. Success has been limited to authors like Chinua Achebe, Tsitsi Dangarembwa, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wole Soyinka, and Ngugi wa Thiong’o to name but a few. Markets are also limited to the writer’s local country except where the writer is signed on by an international publisher and becomes an instant celebrity. Over the last decade, African writers like Nnedi Okorafor have expanded into genre fiction, including fantasy.

Writing in most African countries is not perceived as a viable career due to rigid career guidance, lack of opportunities for the aspiring author, and the impossibilities of ever getting a traditional publishing contract. But I learned about Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing in 2013, marveled, experimented, and never looked…