Jolyn Phillips. (Photo: Brenda Veldtman)
Jolyn Phillips – 19 December 2024
What does the landscape and climate for creative writing and freedom of expression look like in five different African countries today? What are some of the issues that affect writers?
This year, PEN Afrikaans is participating in the Right to Write project together with four other PEN centres, at the invitation of PEN International. The aim of this Unesco-funded project is to promote public dialogue on issues affecting writers in five African countries (Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe). As part of this project, PEN Afrikaans asked five Afrikaans writers to reflect on pertinent topics. This is the final article in the series. Here, Jolyn Phillips reflects on the difficulties of being a poet and of making a living as a creative…