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EVENT: POWO AUGUST 2012

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Hi everyone!!! I do hope you've had a great weekend and are enjoying the public holiday. In case you haven't noticed, I changed my comments format. I'm back to using blogger comments. I had a few complaints from some of you that they were having a difficult time accessing my comments form from Disqus. So I took the necessary steps. I hope you all find it easier to comment on the posts now. 

On Saturday I attended POWO which is a training workshop for writers and poets. This was my first such workshop. I met some top-notch Kenyan bloggers, not necessarily fashion related.
The opening act was by Aqeel, a poet who entertained us during the workshop as well, with beautiful poetry. I’ve never been a huge fan of poetry but Aqeel just about changed my mind. He had rhymes such as "...Sophia is her name and fear is her game..."etc. 

 Aqeel reciting his poetry.
The training was scheduled to begin at 10 but we started at 11. There was a panel of about five: 
Victor Nzomo a lawyer and blogger on IP Kenya; Rob find him on Twitter @gigglingbob, a publisher; Jackie Ndinda, a blogger behind Ink Drops; Mark Kaigwa of Mark: My Words; Wamathai and Kachwanya. 

 
The MC, Ndanu

A number of topics were covered by the different speakers. Some of those that stuck with me were how to reach out more to my readers and make my content more interesting and easily shareable. As I heard this I wondered what my readers would like to see featured on the blog. I've been mostly doing outfit posts. I'll be featuring some style tips maybe once a week for starters and see how it goes. Please let me know if you'd like something specific featured.  

 Kachwanya, during the session he gave on maintaining an audience on your blog.

 Other things that gave me food for thought were what vision I have for my blog and how I can take it beyond the a daily post. Next month I'll have been blogging for a year. Although I haven't been that consistent, through my own disorganization, I want to try and out up at least one post a day, varying content and who knows. Maybe with time I'll be ready for the next step.

The really awesome graffiti on the PAWA walls!!

 Victor during a session on copyright and plagiarism

When I was at the wokshop, I realized that yes, Kenyans read a lot and among us there are a good number of writers. However, our scripts stay on our computers or notebooks and we don't have the courage to venture out and get our work read and criticized. It can be nerve-racking putting yourself out there but the satisfaction you get from knowing that someone has enjoyed your work far surpasses the fear of the unknown. So if you are a writer or you know someone who writes, open google and search self-publishing or publishers you can approach with your work or idea and get your work out of you lap!! Money is not the end all have all so first let other people read and criticize, improve it and after some time and a lot of hard work of course, you'll become a published writer!! And that will definitely stand out on your CV!! 

Happy Monday and have a fantastic week!!!

xo

Audrey

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