Topic

Do Malawian Features Writers Achieve Thread of Continuity in their Works?

Presenter

Mzati Nkolokosa, journalist, writer and psychologist specialising in the African Worldview 

Abstract

Feature articles are a mark of good journalism. In fact, features are about creativity. Good feature articles have a thread of continuity--a concept of creative writing that makes a story flow from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, chapter to chapter and throughout. Excellent writers have a tendency to weave one long thread into a story that often ends where it started. In this sense, a story is like a circle, and ending a story where it begun is like completing a circle: something like completing a thread running throughout the story, into a circle made of a thread.  This study defines thread of continuity in detail and identifies tools some excellent writers use to achieve thread of continuity. In addition, the study examines the presence of thread of continuity in features published in The Nation, Weekend Nation, Malawi News and The Daily Times. Finally, the study suggests ways to help improve feature writing in Malawi.

Inquiries

For inquiries or expression of interest to present a lecture/talk during the subsequent editions of The Raphael Tenthani Series, please contact Temwani Mgunda - tmgunda@poly.ac.mw.