27 Aug 2017

Young people are now more than ever before eager to show their talent and be self-employed.

Ms Cynthia Keisang, a 23-year-old BSc Health Information Management student shares her journey as a young Christian fiction author.

Keisang said after three years of working on her first novels titled Worlds Apart, she was pleased to see it getting the light of day and receiving positive feedback.

“It took me three years to finish the book, but it took me a few weeks to write and I remember how each day I would review and proofread it and try various angles such that by the time I took it for professional editing I was told there was not much work to be done editing it,” said Ms Keisang.

Even though she will be officially launching the book beginning of September, she said she had sold over 200 copies since March and that sales were increasing.

Ms Keisang said she signed her first sales contract with Botswana Book Centre and had attended Readers and Writers Expo which picked her sales and was a good platform to network with other authors.

She said Worlds Apart was more than just a book but a voice for the youth, a journey for married people and a starting point for those aspiring to be married.

Ms Keisang said she hoped to write more fiction and was polishing her poetry skills since she had a profound love for the art and wished to publish her collection.

She said writing was no walk in the park as one needed to invest plenty of time.

“Keep writing don’t rush to publish, write and read your work until you are satisfied and when you publish don’t let anyone take charge of your intellectual property, don’t be bullied by companies on how your book should be but again, don’t be arrogant, make informed decisions,” Ms Keisang advised.

She said she was motivated to write to share her life experiences.

“I had a sudden illness towards my BGCSE final exam that left me a burden because I had to be nursed.

I suddenly gained strength which I believe was from God. Since then I had it in me to write and I did,” she said. Ends