In Zimbabwe, authors are turning WhatsApp into a platform for writing and selling novels. One example is Dhewa, an author who writes in Shona and explores traditional African themes. Dhewa sends his serialized novels to over 1,000 followers via WhatsApp and charges $2 per book. He has so far published 43 novels this way, despite only having a smartphone. Another popular author, Pamela Ngirazi, uses WhatsApp Channels to distribute her book “Prior Replica,” offering the first chapters for free before charging for the rest. Despite WhatsApp’s usefulness as a low-cost publishing route in Zimbabwe’s struggling economy, the platform’s use has raised concerns about copyright and quality control.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
