My 63rd article

                                                          
I can’t exactly say when I started writing. I remember though when I was in standard 5 a friend gave me a book to read. When returning it, I put a note in it to thank her for lending me the book as well as my thoughts on it. She asked me what I meant by “…. The book was grotesque….” And I went ahead to explain to her what it meant. She said I wrote very well. Then I had no clue what she meant.

All the way to the end of my primary school days I wrote poems, notes and stories some never read. In fact most of them remained as my thoughts in exercise books. Back then we still wrote on paper. 

When I checked into high school I enjoyed English and Literature. I did well in them I think mainly because my English teacher was excellent in what she did. She encouraged us to read. I remember my first composition which she marked had a total of  755 words. She counted them one by one. Her advice- you have a good story but in too many words. Rarely will someone read all those words in one composition she warned me. She then took it upon herself to teach me how to write better. That was all I was ever taught formally on writing. It was an eye opener. God bless her soul.

Later I joined the drama and debating clubs and actually ascended to be the chairperson of the clubs. I don’t quiet remember whether we were elected or appointed to those positions. For some reason the school saw it fit to put that information on my leaving certificate. I became an active writer of poems, choral verses, plays and other forms of literature. Several of them getting into the annual music festivals. A poem I wrote was recited by R.K and went all the way to the national levels in 1998 two days before the bell bottom bomb blast. The following year I wrote a choral verse that went up to the provincial levels. Unfortunately, I don’t have a copy of those writings. Once in a while I come across people who say they can remember their verses. Perhaps I should go back to school and confirm whether they filed them somewhere. Computers came to help:-data is stored and maintained everywhere including in clouds.

Then I joined the University and never wrote anything. I would meet up with people who knew me who asked whether they could read some of my current work. The answer would be in the negative. I stopped writing. This went on for close to a decade.

I started blogging in March 2013. It all started as part of pressure from people who knew I could write and also as therapy suggested by a doctor. That year I wrote 20 articles. In 2014 I wrote another 16 articles and in 2015, 26 articles. In total including this one I have written 63 articles. Averaging 2 articles per month for the last three years.

When I started blogging I thought that it was automatic that people would just love my articles and read them without any prompting. Once I published an article, it could catch fire and be the talk of town. I could foresee scenarios where I would break the inter webs. Shock on me! 

In 2013 when I started, the Whatsapp bug had not caught up with us making it difficult to forward links to a large number of people. When it caught up, forwarding them became easier. But again the Kenyan market is skewed. While I often insist that indeed Kenyans read, what they read is what should be a contentious issue. We are a nation that likes reading about entertainment i.e.  Fashion, music, gossip, celebrities e.t.c. We also like to read what those in the industry write. 

I write about my life experiences and of those around me factoring in my imagination. The articles generally elicit all manner of emotions from my readers across board. I enjoy when I get congratulated for a job well done. Also quickly amend my work for typos and sentences that don’t make sense. Sometimes I also get bullied and have stones thrown at me by those who don’t like my work or sometimes me. Sometimes I get the feedback that am too feminist and that I treat males with an iron fist (I can’t confirm or deny that one). Sometimes I get some inbox messages, emails or calls from my readers empathizing with me or my stories. It is always wonderful to get feedback good or otherwise as it allows for growth.

I am often asked where I get time to write? Well, I write when it is feasible. Mostly late into the night sometimes early in the morning. And generally when time allows. I keep snippets of what my topic is until when time and story merge and a new article is born. Writing is not easy as even I thought; I admire those columnists who write an article once a week in the newspapers. They are disciplined. To write well, you have to read. You have no option but to read.

What I get sometimes and don’t like is pity. That woiye’ feeling some readers want to bestow upon me.  If you see me writing about something be sure I have slayed it. Then those who ask why I disclose too much of my private life online. Private life I ask? What is private life after Instagram? You can almost tell to a tee what everyone is up to these days- whether it is true or a lie is the subject of another discussion-.  My answer is always categorical, I have not even started disclosing my life.

I have been asked severally, which of the articles is my best? The articles are written in different seasons of life and for different purposes. It would be impossible to compare one against the other since they all look at life differently. But if push came to shove the article I would choose as a favorite would be http://ssojourner.blogspot.com/2013/07/shosho-with-love-to-you.html. The story touches me very deeply. I loved my granny to a fault. God rest her soul in eternal peace.

This year I got requests to consider posting my work on Facebook. Some readers felt it easier to use and more accessible. The page Sojourner was born. Every time I publish a story on BlogSpot (supported by Gmail) I transfer the same work to Facebook. You can like the page to get instant notifications when a new post is published. You can also subscribe to ssojourner@blogspot.com (Blogspot is more friendly to those using Gmail). You can also share the links via all social networks found at the bottom of the blog page.

This been my 63 article meaning that I have gone 9 complete cycles of blogging. Derived from dividing by 7(the complete number). If this was a person’s age it means they would be recently retired. They would be operating life from a vantage having seen a lot. They would be at a point where decisions are made wisely, emotions tempered and reconsideration considered. I pray that my articles provide the same feeling.

Thank you for keeping me company for three years. It has been my absolute pleasure. Happy holidays,

Sojourner.

I tried to double my high school record of 755 words to no avail.  Kindly go ahead and read the articles and tell me which one you like the most. What you would like me to change. Like the Facebook page or subscribe to ssojourner@blogspot.com