Dumelang. Hello.

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For those receiving this quarterly newsletter for the first time, welcome.

As promised in my last newsletter, today's update is about the LitUp Retreat for Cycle #3, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee.

Because English has its limitations (heee-heee), the only words I can think of right now are: AMAZING and LIFE-CHANGING... absolutely INCREDIBLE!

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1. SO, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE RETREAT?

The LitUp Retreat in Nashville was an unforgettable five days. Immersed in the heart of Music City, we weren't just attending a workshop – it felt like a masterclass packed with practical advice and unique perspectives on being an author and navigating the publishing industry. It was everything I'd hoped for and much more.

As one of five aspiring authors, I learned alongside a passionate group of women. Guiding us were five mentors, all of whose books had been chosen for Reese's Book Club monthly picks, and four authors from MADCAP Retreats who led engaging sessions. Everyone generously shared their in-the-trenches knowledge and experiences.

We had debut novelists alongside seasoned authors with NYT bestsellers, and even some whose books had been adapted for Netflix! The room was filled with a shared passion for stories and immense support for us, the fellows.

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The sessions ran from 9 AM to 2:30 PM (including a lunch break), with a 4:45 PM debrief where we reflected on the future.

We were taught everything from editing our manuscripts and choosing agents to the ins and outs of receiving an offer from a publishing house and the journey beyond as a signed author.

One of the most impactful aspects for me was feeling as though insights that might typically take a whole career to accumulate were gifted to us through the experiences of nine authors in a compressed timeframe. It was incredible, especially because of the generosity, kindness, and open-heartedness of everyone there.

I was thoroughly exhausted when I left, but in the best way possible :-)

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What were the biggest takeaways?

• Being an author is a creative expression, BUT it is also a business.
• Being an author is not easy, BUT a deliberate, consistent, and persistent journey where one must 'keep the light on above your writing desk,' as one of the instructors said.
• How long you've been doing something doesn't always matter as much as the power of starting. Being at LitUp with my first-ever written story was a humble lesson in that (which I hope to apply to other areas of my life).
• Publishing is a massive machine; one must be aware of their passions and convictions.
• I've always disliked networking, BUT being with like-passioned people made me realize that networking was never the problem; I had been a displaced fish all along (lol). I don't underestimate that we have to do hard things, but I got to experience what it feels like to be in a place where shared passion makes things easier.

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2. DID WE MEET REESE WITHERSPOON?

Nope. We did not. She sent a video stating that she would unfortunately be unavailable. In truth, though we all wanted to meet her, the Retreat was so rich and full that her absence ended up being a small matter.

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3. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

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For the next 12 weeks, from July to September, we'll be working closely with our mentors to polish our manuscripts. They read our work before the retreat and offered initial feedback. Now, they'll guide us through revisions to ensure our stories shine in the marketplace.

By the end of those 12 weeks, our manuscripts gleaming, we'll enter the Agent Round. Remember, agents are the gatekeepers to traditional publishing. Normally, querying them involves countless letters and waiting for months.

With LitUp, we only need to write 1 query letter (thank you, God... I almost cried in relief!) that will then be shared with various agents to consider and get back to us in a VERY compressed time period (I think 2 weeks vs. 3 to 6 months as is common).

So, I am currently working on my 4th edits of 'Maropeng: In the Ruin's and look forward to moving the process along. It is, unfortunately, a loooong process to get to the point a book lands on the shelves. But alas, I am so grateful for the friendships made and the continued support that LitUp and so many of you continue to offer me to see the process through.

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If you have any questions I did not address, please feel free to email me.

Before a Committee Against Censorship, she said:

"To ... the banners of books, the critics... We black South African writers (who are faced with the task of conscientizing our people and ourselves) are writing for those whom we know are the relevant audience. We are not going to write in order to qualify into your definition of what you describe as 'true art'... Our duty is to write for our people and about them."