Wame Molefhe is a Motswana writer who lives in Gaborone, Botswana. She has a short story collection called ‘Just Once’ that is used in junior secondary schools in Botswana. She also has a short story collection called ‘Go Tell the Sun’ that was published in 2011.
She started writing seriously in 2008 and since then she has not only written short stories but she has written for TV and radio. She also writes non-fiction for magazines.
She writes because of the pleasure it gives her. Most of her stories are about everyday life and are set in Botswana, her home. What she loves about writing is that she does not need anything more than her imagination and a quiet place to write.
She carries a pen and notebook with her so she can write down ideas that pop into her head. Ideas for stories come from everywhere. It might be something someone says, a song, a face. It might even be a story told by someone else that sparks off an idea. Sometimes it is a struggle to find the right words to say what she wants to say, but when a story comes together it is a good feeling.
The best advice she can give to people who say they want to write is to read widely. A new writer will often think they have a wonderful story to tell, only to find it has been told before. It really is about finding ways of saying things in a way that works for you. If you try to sound like someone else, you will sound like a copycat.