In Harare, Zimbabwe, Kingston Dhewa sits on a plastic chair at his outdoor fruit and vegetable stall in Budiriro 5, furiously typing on his smartphone. Despite attending to customers, he continues to work on a Google Doc, pausing only to proofread his latest chapter of a new novel. Dhewa, inspired by other Shona authors, writes in the local Shona language, focusing on themes related to African rural life. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, he turned to WhatsApp to share his stories, garnering over 1,000 followers who pay $2 for each book. With limited access to a computer, Dhewa spends hours writing on his smartphone, releasing chapters on WhatsApp groups to engage readers. Meanwhile, popular WhatsApp author Pamela Ngirazi uses a Channel to share her work, with over 21,000 followers eagerly awaiting her latest book. In a country where data costs are high and incomes are low, WhatsApp has become a valuable platform for authors to engage and monetize their work. Despite the economic challenges facing traditional publishing in Zimbabwe, authors like Dhewa and Ngirazi continue to thrive in the digital space, offering readers affordable and accessible content.
