What inspires you to write?

“Writing saved my life”- I am inspired from a quantum leap of a plethora of innumerable inspirations. I am inspired to write because there are not enough writers of colour within the writing industry especially from Africa. I am inspired to write because I want to be part and parcel of the Afro-renaissance where Africans are asserting themselves and taking ownership of our legacy. African problems need African storytellers. Writing is a religion, writing is a pilgrimage, writing is a practice. The love of my mother inspires me to write as she has given me the talent and skill to tell our own stories. I am inspired to write because my creator gave me this talent and I am vessel fulfilling his intentions in this world. 

Do you think there is a difference between a writer and an author?

To me there is a difference, but the blueprint is one in the same. I would say there is no difference for they all fall under expressionism. A gateway into the abstract being translated to the physical with the intention of amplifying a particular concern that one observes in their respective community.

What is it about the diaspora experience that made you want to contribute the anthology?

I observed that there are not enough Zimbabwean writers who are dabbling on the contemporary issues as writing has been associated with a discipline that does not earn a living. However, when one looks at it the voice of persons in the diaspora is not shared for all to learn. Therefore, the experience affirmed my purpose within the writing journey that I have embarked on. 

How do you think your works in this anthology contribute to the history and future of the Zimbabwean dispersion?

The stories, first and foremost are for people to consume, learn and understand that it takes guts and bravery not to give up on your dreams. These stories serve as a blueprint for all those who believe in ‘anything is possible’, that when you leave your country, you are not going on holiday. You are leaving to build a future for you and your kindred. We are vessels for our loved ones and our community, that is to say, we are Zimbabwean whether you like it or not.

Briefly describe your writing journey, from how you started to where you are today.

Being a poetic and creative has been something that has been ingrained within me. There is a saying used by archaeologists and anthropologists - “the Shona tongue is poetic” - this literary means everything that Shona people do, there is that aura of creativity to it. My journey started back in 2018, when my best friend “Khanyisa Masinge” gave me a notebook and said, “Earn write anything you want in this book". I took up the task and I ran with it to this day. The journey has been a Hajj for me as I sought my Zion that lies within I. A moment of soul searching trying to find where I belong and being able to slay my own demons. In that moment I realised one gracious blessing that lies within I. I am blessed beyond measure, this talent of writing it is not mine to toot my horn and brag, no, it is a gift for my people. I am a whistle I heed to the wind that my creator blows right through I. So far, I am at a place where I find solace and purpose in this titanic journey, “The journey is still on and I am grateful..."

How do you want your work to be remembered?

I would love my work to be remembered as the African literature that connected Africa and allowed the manifestation of new ideas that might help Africa to solve her own problems. Literature for the people, by the people, the same way we all reminisce about Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Chris Hani, John Jerry Rowlings, Kwame Nkrumah, Winnefred Madikizela-Mandela, Solomon “Kalushi" Mahlangu, Josiah Magama Tongogara, Joshua Nkomo. Along that tangent you know, being able to write stories is not about Ivai, it's about a lad who comes from a small town called Marondera, was nurtured by an African woman “His Mother”. To become whatever he wanted to become, rewrote the chapters of history and how students who study in universities are able to bounce back and get what they came to get and leave the University not with just a degree, no, with also a career in writing. 

Would you like to share anything about yourself to help your readers connect with you?

I am an open-minded person, with a curious mind; I speak in metaphors, what you see and read is not at times what is being meant on paper. Open your mind - each phrase, scenario, statement and quote are a microcosm of the macrocosm. If you take what I say at face value you will be lost. Open your mind and be willing to learn. 

Who is your favourite author and why?

Helen Tadokera - she is an amazing author her notes and lessons have made me who I am today. She is the number one author in my world - without her timeless books, honestly, I would never be here.

What are your future writing aspirations?

I am looking at releasing a line of collected poems starting in 2022 until the end of the decade, an anthology of stories, full feature length novels, collaborations with writers on a number of projects. It is going to be a busy decade for me when it comes to creative writing. 

What is your biggest dream?

Education is key to success. I am going to be honest with you right now - I pray day and night to hold a Doctorate in Law from the University of Pretoria, a Professoriate in African Politics from Makerere University and other degrees. Education is key, knowledge is power, knowledge is freedom, the gift of knowledge is God's blessing “in my view".  Getting some international awards to my name something around Pulitzer, Nobel Laureate among others you know.

BRILLIANCE OF HOPE

Editors' note on Ivainashe's 3 stories:

An Ode To My Aching Heart, a heart-breaking story of a Zimbabwean woman who has resorted to selling her body to make ends meet in South Africa. She is taken in by a den mother who on the surface seems to care for her, but is only using her as an object to satisfy men. She gets infected with HIV while trying to make ends meet. A tragic end to a story of hope, delivered in an inimitable poetic style of writing. 

Yours Truly I Am Gone, a touching account of some of the most bizarre stories we hear coming out of the diaspora. The abuse of men, hardships of staying with relatives that make you feel unwelcome, are some of the themes explored in this quirkily-written narrative. This story is a harrowing emotional thriller presented in an amalgam of soliloquies and turbulent streams of consciousness – the author’s way of providing a more intimate portrayal of his subjects. 

A Passage Through the Tumultuous, Boisterous Sea is autobiographical and heart wrenching – a story that many immigrants who have studied abroad will relate to. The narrative illuminates the mind of a student working on his future in a foreign land. The pressure of studying whilst destitute highlights the harsh reality that no one is coming to your rescue and only you can save yourself. The author invites you to take a peek inside his mind through employment of abstract internal monologue.