Nepalese Writer and Literature in Australia- My Vision and Plan: Journal 2

15 May - 14 June 2023:

This journal covers my activities over the month to promote Nepalese literature and writers (AB) and to hold myself accountable for my promise. I hope you enjoy reading it, and I welcome constructive comments and suggestions that add value to my learning and initiatives.

YouTube Venture: 18 May 2023

Friend Maheshwar Sharma, whom I recently met, sent me a surprise via WhatsApp. It seemed like a voice message, but it wasn't. It was his narration of a story from my book "Ma ra Buddha" (Buddha and I) - part 1, published in 2017 by Kathalaya Inc. His soothing voice really inspired me to work on it. I exported the recorded voice in PowerDirector, a video editing software, and added background music and some visual elements. It took almost 8 hours of work to make it ready for a YouTube post. I am not a professional, but my previous interest in social and multimedia made my task easier.

Thanks to Sharma, who encouraged me to log in to my YouTube account once again and post the story on YouTube. The story "Siddhartha ki Ama" (Siddharth's Mother) is the second story. If you are interested in listening to the stories, please click the link: Siddhrathaki Ama - Ma Ra Buddha 1 - YouTube

"Ma ra Buddha" retold Siddharth Gautam Buddha's life journey from a third person's perspective. There are a total of 13 stories, each with different central characters whose stories are associated with Buddha's life journey. Each story is independent but connected to all, providing an understanding of Buddha's life from birth to death. The book adopts the style of both a short story collection and a novel. Because the book is also suitable for children and written in simple language, the Nepalese Society for Children's Literature - NESCHIL (Nepalese Section of IBBY) awarded the book as the NESCHIL Children's Book of the Year 2018 for children aged 8 and above.

For English readers, the good news is that I am currently working on its translation.

 

Meet and Greet

I met the following writers as part of my Meet and Greet activities to build rapport and network:

1. Meeting with WestWords Alumni - Friday, 19 May 2023

I attended the Meet and Greet program held at WestWords Centre for Writing in Parramatta. It was a delightful evening filled with music by James Roy, and I had the privilege of meeting a diverse group of authors and writers who were previous members of the WestWords Academy. We welcomed the participants of WestWords Academy 2023. It was a pleasure to meet aspiring writers such as Libby Hyett, Joanne Macias, Artelle Lenthall, Michela Kotevski, Michael Grenfell, and Lana Graham.

WestWords is an organization dedicated to creating and sharing the stories of the people, places, and cultures that comprise the heart of Western Sydney. The WestWords Centre for Writing is based in Parramatta. It believes in the power of literature and literacy (written, oral, and visual), self-expression, and creativity to change lives and the experience of communities. With a strategic focus on children and young people, and through a comprehensive program of workshops, residencies, fellowships, and support for writers, they offer professional opportunities for the growth of distinctive voices. If you are interested in knowing more about the organization and participating in activities, please check the link: Home - Westwords

 

2. Meeting with Prakash Poudel - Sunday, 28 May 2023

I met with Prakash Poudel at Sabdamala Nepalese Language School in Macquarie Field. Currently, the school has expanded to seven branches across NSW. He served as the President of the language school from 2016 to 2018 and currently holds the position of General Secretary at the International Nepalese Literature Society (INLS).

We had a fruitful discussion, sharing ideas and thoughts about my vision and plans to promote Nepalese writers and literature based in Australia. Some key points we discussed were:

Organizing a conversation session on the book "Bhutan to Blacktown" written by Om Dungel in August 2023. This session can be held either online or face-to-face and should cater to a targeted audience. The primary focus of the session will be on the writing and publication process of the book, covering topics such as the writing process, overcoming writer's block, finding an Australian publisher, and the editing process. The aim of this conversation is to inspire writers who are preparing to publish their books in Australia.

Collecting books from Australia-based writers for libraries. Our conversation revealed that there are at least three libraries in Sydney (Blacktown, Auburn, and Hurstville) that have Nepali Language sections. We discussed informing INLS members and writers across Australia to donate at least three copies of their books to these libraries by November 30, 2023, targeting the book donation programs to libraries during the month of January 2024. The objective of this book collection initiative is to contribute to the libraries and also help develop a database of writers and books, which is currently lacking for research and academic purposes. If possible, this can be organized yearly.

Organizing an annual workshop on translation. Initiating discussions with individuals involved previously in similar workshops to explore the possibilities and plan a workshop on translation. Conducting this workshop at least once a year will greatly benefit translators and language enthusiasts.

To give a formal impression toward the conversation, I have also sent an email to him - the General Secretary of INLS. In return, I received a positive response stating that all of these plans are doable, and he will propose them in their upcoming Committee Meeting. His positive expression and feedback inspired collective action. Drawing from our conversation, I am optimistic about achieving positive outcomes in the coming months.

3. Attended an event organized by the Nepalese Art, Culture, and Literature Academy (NKSSP) Australia - Saturday, 10 June 2023

For me, attending literary events is an opportunity to meet and network with writers and community members who are actively contributing to Nepalese language and literature.

With this objective in mind, I attended an event organized by the Nepalese Art, Culture, and Literature Academy (NKSSP) Australia in Granville, celebrating the occasion of '209th Bhanu Jayanti'! It was truly an honor to have the opportunity to meet prominent personalities, writers, and artists during this program. Noteworthy individuals included Sujata Basnet (President NKSSP), Nanda Gurung (President NRNA Australia), Bishnu Ghimire (Pathshala Nepalese Language School), Vishnu Ghimire (Sabdamala Nepalese Language School), Maheshor Sharma, Prakash Poudel, and Sontosh Timilsina.

A heartfelt congratulations to the organizing committee for their remarkable efforts in bringing together such a wonderful event. Their dedication and hard work truly made this celebration a memorable one and showcased the richness of Nepalese art, culture, and literature.

 

4. Meeting with Artelle Lenthall - Monday, 12 June 2023

I had a wonderful meeting with Artelle Lenthall recently! She's not only an amazing published author of children's picture books but also an experienced Primary School Teacher with over 25 years of valuable expertise. Her debut book, 'STAR,' was even published during the challenging times of COVID-19. Her perseverance and advice truly inspired me.

I'm truly impressed by the wealth of knowledge, advice, and guidance she offers to fellow children's writers through her blog, 'Journeygirl.' If you're interested, I highly recommend visiting her blog, Journeygirl | On The Road To Publication  https://journeygirlontheroadtopublication.com/ . It's an incredible resource!

It was a pleasure to meet another talented author who happens to live in Seven Hills, which is nearby in my local area.

 

Sydney Writers Festival - Sunday, 28 May 2023

I attended the Sydney Writers Festival (22-28 May 2023) focused on the theme "Stories for the Future" on Sunday, May 28th, 2023, at Carriageworks in Redfern. During my time there, I thoroughly enjoyed three diverse sessions: 1. Character Construction, 2. Epic Illustrator Battle, and 3. SMH Best Young Australian Novelists 2023.

Character Construction: Andrew Doddo and Kate Foster were discussing their creative process with Adrian Beck. Secrets shared by the authors were: 1. Write and enjoy the writing, 2. What are you thinking? - Write it down, 3. Live with the character and act like the character.

Epic Illustrator Battle: Live battle between the 2023 Illustrators champions of champions. Hosted by Adrian Beck.

Discussion with Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelists 2023: Melanie Kembery, editor of Spectrum, led the discussion with the three winners Katerina Gibson (Women I Know), Jay Carmichael (Marlo), and George Haddad (Losing Face) about their works and writing process.

 

Article/review publication - Saturday, 27 May 2023

I have planned to review books written by Australia-based Nepalese writers. The sole aim of this initiative is to promote and encourage Nepalese writers and literature in Australia.

I have reviewed 'Sambedanako Aakar,' a poem collection written by Maheshar Sharma, which was published on the Nepal Live Today online paper. To check the review, please follow this link: 'Sambedanako Aakar': Poems of love, migration and reflection - Nepal Live Today Nepal Live Today

Reflection of the month:

In this personal journal entry, I documented my activities and initiatives to promote Nepalese literature and writers in the month of May to June 2023. The highlights include creating and uploading a narrated video of one of my books on YouTube, participating in meet and greet sessions with fellow writers, attending literary events such as the Sydney Writers Festival, and reviewing books written by Australia-based Nepalese writers. I also had productive discussions with Prakash Poudel, where we explored ideas for organizing a conversation session on a specific book, collecting books for libraries, and initiating an annual workshop on translation. Overall, these experiences have fueled my passion for promoting Nepalese literature and have given me optimism about achieving positive outcomes in the coming months.

Plan of Action:

Building on the momentum of my recent activities, I will focus on the following actions going forward:

1. YouTube Venture: I will continue to create narrated videos of my books and share them on YouTube to reach a wider audience and promote Nepalese literature. Additionally, I will work on translating my books into English to cater to English-speaking readers.

2. Collaboration and Networking: I will actively engage in meet and greet sessions, literary events, and online platforms to build rapport with fellow writers and expand my network. These interactions will provide opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.

3. Organizing Events: I will collaborate with Prakash Poudel and other relevant individuals to organize a conversation session on the book 'Bhutan to Blacktown' and an annual workshop on translation. These events will provide valuable insights and guidance to aspiring writers and translators.

4. Book Donations: I will coordinate with INLS members and writers across Australia to collect and donate books to libraries, specifically targeting Nepali language sections. This initiative will contribute to the development of a database of writers and books while supporting research and academic endeavors.

5. Reviewing and Promoting Nepalese Writers: I will continue reviewing books written by Australia-based Nepalese writers and actively promote their works through online platforms and publications. This will help raise awareness and appreciation for Nepalese literature within the Australian literary community.

By implementing these actions, I aim to make a meaningful contribution to the promotion of Nepalese literature and writers while fostering a supportive and thriving literary ecosystem.