Happy New Year and welcome to Brittle Paper’s Writer of the Month feature! Formally called Spotlight, this feature will showcase one writer whose work, published the month before, stood out amongst the rest. Our January Writer of the Month is Linda Thotho, an aspiring writer born in Nairobi, Kenya, whose fiction piece, “Preference”, made my December 2021 highlights.

With a degree in Natural Resources Management from Kenya’s Egerton University, it makes sense why Linda relies on the core elements of her lived experiences to fuel her fiction writing. Building on her literary influences, she also finds enjoyment in African stories by African authors, a testament to her versatile writing. For readers who enjoyed Linda’s work on Brittle Paper, you will be sure to enjoy her piece, “Unmarried Men”, on Decolonial Passage, which is a completely different tone to “Preference”, but just as intriguing.

With introductions complete, let’s jump into Brittle Paper’s interview with our January Writer of the Month!

 

Brittle Paper

Linda, congratulations on being the first Writer of the Month of 2022! You mentioned to me before that you are familiar with this campaign, previously called Spotlight, so you know that we always start with the artist origin question. So, tell us when did you first start writing and what inspired you to take up your craft?

Linda Thotho

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I went to a primary school that encouraged creative writing and had teachers that pushed us to create alternative realities through fiction. But before I started writing I read a lot. Every book or article I read inspired me to create characters of my own, to write a story I could control. My inspiration came from every book and every story I had heard, watched, or experienced through everyday life.

Brittle Paper

With such an early start to literature, I’m sure this won’t be an easy question but is there an author you look up to?

Linda Thotho

I find myself looking up to a different author each time I read something that consumes me. When I was really struggling with finding my voice I swore by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and John Kiriamiti. At this moment in time, I believe the greatest author alive is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Tomorrow I might look up to someone different or go back to the same people.

Brittle Paper

Before we get into the more in-depth questions, I usually ask a light-hearted question. So, choosing one of the following categories, and then name your top three.
Books | Movies | Series.

Linda Thotho

I will not choose one particular category but will rather pick one from each. My top book is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, my top movie is the 2013 film Belle, and my top series is When They See Us.  

Brittle Paper

Okay, let’s finally get to the exact reason that led to you being selected as Brittle Paper’s December favourite: “Preference”. That story is written in such a friendly and inviting way, and you really captured the internal monologue and emotions for your protagonist. There is also no room to get bored and start skimming when you read because you keep throwing in these witty lines to keep your reader entertained but also invested in Njeri. What inspired this story?

Linda Thotho

A lot of “Preference” is inspired by real events, people and places. I believe that is one of the reasons I found it easy to write this piece, that when I say “Subaru Boys” it is actually a thing. The story is my attempt at understanding what I would think are the internal battles of a young woman in a society that expects everything and nothing of her. It is inspired by the pressures women go through in a world where what is perfect and acceptable is defined by social media and society’s expectations. “Preference” is a piece that allows readers exclusive access into my head because I did not try to filter or flower my words, that is actually how my thoughts run in my head.

Brittle Paper

Your comment on societal pressures for women leads me to my next statement which I hope some readers will agree with.

“Preference” and Njeri are wonderfully reflective and relatable representations of what some women, particularly those somewhat rooted in cultural and/or religious backgrounds, think and feel when dating and wanting to find someone for you as opposed to those around you. Did people who read this story reach out and say, “this resonated with me”?

Linda Thotho

A lot of people agree with you, as witnessed by the overwhelming reaction to “Preference”. I have been told to “choose Mark” which only proves that people actually understand the importance of, as you said, someone for you as opposed to those around you.  The most striking feedback I got from “Preference” was, “Mark is the best choice, but I wouldn’t choose him.” My reader preferred stability as opposed to love so, even though the story resonated with them, their preference would be entirely different. “Preference” has achieved what I hoped it would, get people thinking of how we make choices and who/what influences those choices.

Brittle Paper

I’m glad you brought up the comments because I always look forward to seeing comments under the published work from our readers, especially new names. What I particularly loved about your piece was the comments weren’t just things like “great piece”, but they were people rooting for Mark and hyping up Njeri. It’s quite rare in the comment section to find such engagement with content. How did you feel about reading those comments?

Linda Thotho

Comments, whether negative, positive or just simple like “great piece” are my motivation to be better, do better, and be more. The first thing I felt was, “wow, people actually read this” and then there was “they understood this.” My greatest fear when I write anything is the worry that readers will engage with my work. Comments are the proof that I did something right and someone noticed.

Brittle Paper

I asked Aanu, who was December’s Spotlight artist, what his thoughts were on African literary platforms, such as Brittle Paper, Lolwe, etc. Given the previous question about reader engagement and comments, how do you feel about the space African and Diasporic writers have in the digital publishing space?

Linda Thotho

The digital publishing space is probably the best thing that could happen to African and Diasporic writers. We get to showcase our work and express ourselves on global platforms where our potential is neither limited nor censored. Literary platforms such as Brittle Paper are providing a space where writers can feel comfortable in their own skin, their own language, without having to conform or to please.

Brittle Paper

Brilliantly put. Now, I’ve focussed on your short story quite a bit in this interview, but since your readers are going to be reading some new work from you on Friday, I want to know more about you as a writer. Is there something you actively do to achieve inspiration, or does it take you by surprise?

Linda Thotho

Inspiration takes me by surprise, and I sometimes find it in the most unexpected circumstance. I find that I write best when I’m at the epitome of emotions, be it anger, sorrow, love, or any other emotion possible. Emotion might just be that “best kept secret” for me, but emotions can be dangerous, so I also write to control such emotion.

Brittle Paper

We’ve spoken about your story and about you as an artist but before we end, what is one thing about yourself, apart from your writing, that you want to share with our readers? It can be anything.

Linda Thotho

I will share something I came across on social media:

I hate it when people ask: “Why are you so quiet?” Because I am. That’s how I function. I don’t ask others “Why do you talk so much?” It’s rude.

Brittle Paper

Well, that was a wonderful interview to kick off the new year! Thank you, Linda, for being such a remarkable contributor to Brittle Paper, and for sharing some more of yourself with our readers.

 

 

Be sure to check out Linda’s new piece, “Sunday Morning”, which will be published on Friday, and if you want to revisit our previous artist feature with Aanu Adesina, you are welcome to check that out here.