Malawi Writers Union (Mawu) has opened its monthly professional development webinars to the public following growing interest from writers, artists and students across the country.
The union introduced the webinars as a platform to equip writers with knowledge, skills and expose them to experienced professionals in the literary industry. Initially designed for paid-up members, the sessions have now been extended to non-members to ensure broader participation in the writing community.
Mawu public relations officer Chifuniro Banda said that the organisation decided to open the webinars to the public after receiving positive feedback from previous sessions and noticing increased demand from individuals interested in developing their writing skills.
“From the inquiries we received during our first two monthly webinars, we learned that many people find this content helpful and important and that there are many artists and writers who would like to attend, learn and be inspired,” Banda said.
He said the union aims to sustain the webinars to add value to its members while also supporting the growth of Malawi’s literary industry.
The upcoming webinar titled ‘Thinking in English, Expressing it in the vernacular’, will be facilitated by renowned poet and academic Benedicto Wokomaatani Malunga. It will focus on the importance of writing in local languages and encouraging writers to appreciate indigenous languages as tools for preserving culture.
Malunga said that he was motivated to participate in the webinar to share his experience with emerging writers and demonstrate that local languages play a vital role in communication and cultural identity.
“As writers who have had long experience in writing, we have ideas that can help upcoming writers become effective. There is nothing inferior about writing in local languages because language preserves culture,” he said.
The union has previously hosted webinars featuring speakers such as writer Muthi Nhlema, who spoke about writing opportunities and residencies, and University of Malawi’s Associate Professor of Literary Studies Asante Lucy Mtenje who shared techniques on how writers can effectively handle unfamiliar topics.
One of the webinar attendees, Paul Philip Shangt, said that he learned about Mtenje’s session through an email invitation sent to members and found the experience beneficial to his development as a writer.
“The webinar imparted various skills such as research, creativity and critical thinking when approaching unfamiliar topics in writing,” he said.
Shangt encouraged writers and students to prioritise attending such professional development sessions describing them as important platforms for interaction and learning.
“These webinars offer a growth platform where emerging writers interact with experienced professionals. They also serve as a source of inspiration and an open door to improving personal writing techniques,” he said.
Banda said Mawu believes opening the webinars to the public will promote knowledge sharing, strengthen the writing community and contribute to the growth of the literary sector in Malawi.
