The Literary Studies Department launches ‘Writing Better’ workshop.

On 19th August 2024, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Literary Studies Department officially opened its five-day “Writing Better” workshop, held in the Economics Boardroom. The event was graced by the Executive Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Emmanuel Ngwira.

In his remarks, Dr. Ngwira congratulated the 20 participants who were shortlisted for the workshop. He observed that a total of 160 applicants had applied. He expressed excitement and commended the department for the significant progress it has made through organizing a platform that would offer training to some of the country’s writers. He also conveyed his gratitude to the Copyright Society of Malawi for their financial support of the workshop. Additionally, the Dean encouraged the participants to approach the workshop with an open mind and a willingness to learn and unlearn.

“This workshop is an opportunity to deepen our understanding, explore new techniques, and most importantly, learn from one another,” he said. “Beyond technical skills, the workshop is also about connecting with fellow writers and editors, sharing experiences, and building relationships that will support our writing.”

Dr. Asante Mtenje, the coordinator of the Malawi Writing Better Project, mentioned that the initiative is an intervention by the Department of Literary Studies aimed at training writers of various categories and literary editors. “These individuals, as crucial players in literary studies, are being equipped to better understand the technicalities of creative writing and the elements involved, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of literature produced both locally and internationally.”

The workshop commenced with various topics presented by three facilitators from the department. Also present at the opening day were the Head of the Literary Studies Department, Dr. Wesley Macheso and the Copyright Fund Manager, Mr. Blessings Botha.