In Harare, Zimbabwe, author Kingston Dhewa sells his novels on WhatsApp to customers from his fruit and vegetable stall. Inspired by other Shona authors, Dhewa writes in the local Shona language, focusing on African rural life themes. Unable to afford traditional publishing, he found success on WhatsApp during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Releasing 43 novels, he aims to share local stories with a wider audience, charging $2 per book.
Readers interested in Dhewa’s work join his WhatsApp groups to receive serialised chapters for free before promoting his work on social media. In another suburb of Harare, fan Clever Pada reads author Pamela Ngirazi’s romance novel on WhatsApp. Ngirazi uses a WhatsApp Channel to broadcast her work, offering chapters 1-20 for free and charging for the remaining chapters. Using the Boom Story app, authors streamline the e-publishing process, making it easier to distribute digital content to readers.
Zimbabwe’s economic crisis has led to high data costs and limited internet access, making WhatsApp a popular social tool. Despite this, the rise of self-publishing on WhatsApp has proven beneficial for authors, allowing them to engage and monetise their works. While traditional publishing faces challenges due to piracy and economic factors, the self-publishing model on WhatsApp offers a viable alternative for emerging authors like Dhewa and Ngirazi.
Authors like Dhewa and Ngirazi face challenges related to copyright and intellectual property with their works easily shared on digital platforms. While Zimbabwe’s copyright laws provide protection, enforcement remains lax. However, authors can take steps to safeguard their works, such as registering with the Zimbabwe Copyright Office and including terms and conditions to prevent unauthorised sharing. Despite these challenges, self-publishing on WhatsApp has brought significant changes to the Zimbabwean publishing industry.
Emerging authors are more likely to use WhatsApp publishing to share their work, with many achieving popularity and success. Established writers often opt for international publishers for higher advances, better royalties, and book promotion. While most authors may not achieve significant financial success through self-publishing on WhatsApp, it remains a valuable platform for sharing local stories with a wider audience. For Dhewa, the platform has made him a more efficient writer and allowed him to showcase African culture and rural life to a global audience.