No one ever taught me at school that I could be an author/writer. Among the lists of ‘serious’ jobs that a person could acquire in the Caribbean, an author was not something teachers wanted you to believe you could be.
Who would want to be an author anyway, especially in the Caribbean? There are very few people who make a consistent income from their writing, with the exception of journalists of course.
The following are 8 reasons why Caribbean writers struggle so much to produce, publish and develop their art in the Caribbean.
“Follow your dreams! Except if your dream is to be a writer.”
1. No one takes you seriously.
No one in the Caribbean takes you seriously when you proclaim that you want to be a writer. ‘A writer of what?’ they ask ‘A newspaper article?’ It is so uncommon for people in the Caribbean to want to become an author, and few less want to do it for a living, that when you tell people this, they literally laugh at you in your face. “That not going to make any money down here!” they say. And of course, everything that you do has to be about money.
2. Most role models move away
Even though few in number, there are still a few Caribbean authors who have managed to make their name known in the international writing and reading community. V.S. Naipaul, Derek Walcott, Marlon James, Tobias S. Buckell, just to name a few.
However, what do all or most of these writers have in common? They no longer live in the Caribbean or sent most of their careers outside of the Caribbean. That’s right! Apparently, in order to be successful as a Caribbean author, we must leave the sandy shores of the islands and move to the mass landscape of the States or England. This can be a deterrent for most creative types living in the Caribbean. A lot of us don’t seem to fit into the normal 8–4 work dynamic but are being told that in order to have a successful career as a writer, we must fly aboard.
This idea is mirrored in a lot of Caribbean fiction books. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked up a book written by a Caribbean author, only to find out that the story is about some boy/girl leaving the Caribbean or coming back home after they migrated a long time ago. It’s about time to create new stories people!
3. Looking for a target audience
The pool of authors in the Caribbean is small and it seems like the pool of readers is even smaller. In the past, it have been difficult to find a target audience who read books by Caribbean authors who describes Caribbean themes and Caribbean lifestyles in their writing. However, with the raise of the #readcaribbean movement on Instagram, more and more people in recent years (last 5 years) have been reading Caribbean books. This is hope that the appetite for Caribbean literature is growing and therefore it seems more possible now than ever before to make some consistent income through publishing Caribbean-themed books.
4. To dialect or not to dialect
I think one of the major struggles for Caribbean authors is the decision to use dialect or not to use dialect. Across the Caribbean there are various versions of English, Spanish, French and Dutch creole spoken, that might not be that well understood by a mainstream audience. As a Caribbean writer, some people have advised me not to use dialect in my books because it can confuse readers who are not familiar with the Trinidadian style of speech. However, the introduction of these forms of dialect can educate readers about the cultures of these islands and bring the global community closer.
5. Finding it hard to find people who think like you
Because the writing community is so small and far apart, it is very difficult to find like-minded people close by. Most of the people I know who are interested in writing books/plays do not live in the Caribbean and therefore there is a temptation to feel as if one is alone in the journey. This is one struggle that I believe can be easily fixed. With the invention of social media, it is now much easier to find people who are interested in the things you like. As well, groups like Bocas Lit Fest, Caribbean Books and O.M Publishing are helping bring Caribbean authors together and provide opportunities for aspiring Caribbean authors.
6. Wanting to throw in folklore and folk tales everywhere
The Caribbean is rich in culture, especially when it comes to folk tales. The stories of the Anancy, the mischievous spider and Papa Bois, the keeper of the forest, were told to us islanders as children and the morals of these folk tales have stuck with us even as adults. There is a strong temptation as a Caribbean writer to throw in folklore and folk tale stories and symbolism everywhere in our stories. I mean why shouldn’t we? Folk tales are awesome!
7. Hoping that one day your book will be positioned alongside the best sellers of America.
One of the greatest joys for any writer is to see their books on the shelves of bookstores. For a Caribbean writer that joy would be intensified if they stumble upon their book in the bestseller section of a bookstore, next to one of Stephen King’s books. However, books written by Caribbean authors are usually lumped into the ‘West Indian’ section of the store. While I don’t have any problem with the term ‘West Indian Literature’, I do have a problem with no one seeing my book because no one goes to that section of the store. I’m just saying.
8. Not wanting to give up
With all the struggles of becoming a successful Caribbean writer, one might ask ‘Why desire to become an author? Why go through this entire struggle? Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on how you look at things) for most highly creative or hypercreative people, their art isn’t a choice. It is something that they must do because it is part of who they are. So struggle or no struggle a writer must write, a singer must sing, and a painter must paint. To quote the wise words of the author J.K Rowling, “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
Remember,
Tell Your Story.
Niques.
