STAR OF THE MONTH

STAR OF THE MONTH

Our star of the month is the charismatic Chipo K aka Madam Blogger aka independent blogger, she is a well-known blogger and she resides in the City of Bulawayo. She finds joy in seeing women win specifically in media. She is a talented young lady with a bright future ahead of her. I was intrigued by her winter ABC challenge on Twitter, I guess the universe was eavesdropping on my intrapersonal conversation and fortunately we met at a summit and here we are. Like any writer she’s had to endure the writer’s block and fight social anxiety. In the interview below she tells us how she had to overcome these challenges she has faced as a blogger.

The Independent Blogger

Briefly tell us about yourself

I am a blogger and I am a student. I am studying media studies at Zimbabwe Open University. I am a sister to one brother. In a nutshell that’s me.

What inspired you to start blogging?

My diary inspired me to start blogging, unfortunately it was confiscated by my elders. I used my diary to write  about my personal experiences and this paved way for me start blogging.

At what point in your life did you realize you were born to be a story teller?

I don’t think I am at that stage yet, I am still finding myself and my purpose. However I felt it in my gut that I was born to be a storyteller. Hopefully my blog will unleash my potential.

Besides blogging what are you passionate about?

Well I am passionate about film, it’s what I really wanted to do. I have always wanted to be a film maker from a young age. I am currently working on a project with my fellow film makers, it’s my first project and I am super excited. I can’t give too much detail. People should just stay tuned.

What is the purpose of the blog?

My blog is my personal space and it’s a platform where I can express myself looking at what affects me socially and personally. My views are independent hence the name independent blogger. I am not controlled by anyone and I believe people do relate with my blog posts.

For some people blogging is just a hobby, some do it because it’s the in thing and for some it’s a passion and they actually make money through blogging. So you fall under which category? And is it safe to call you a tweleb lol?

For me personally it’s a passion, I am working hard to grow my blog. I am positive all things will work out. As for being a tweleb (LOL) I am not a tweleb. I am very active on twitter more than any other social media platform to me it’s a source of entertainment. I love the vibe that’s on twitter. I sometimes get my content from Twitter, I’ve had people call me a tweleb but I don’t qualify as a tweleb.

As you’ve been watching and reading the news, femicide is becoming a norm (this has to be dealt with ASAP) as a female blogger what do you think can be done to safeguard the lives of women and children?

Lately people have been talking saying the same things, in the internet and off the internet and it’s not enough we have to act fast. We don’t know how much noise we need to make for us women to be heard. Let’s not forget there are some men who go through domestic violence. Both genders do matter at the end of the day. In terms of women, it all has to do with the issue of patriarchy and there are men who feel entitled to a woman’s body and it’s disheartening. As women we don’t feel safe. I believe we need to work together and in the long run we won’t lose our sisters at the hands of these ruthless perpetrators. Men need to be taught how to treat women at a young age. For now we need to continue talking about it and desist from talking about the issue when a domestic violence victim gets media coverage. The conversation should be ongoing.

Tell us about the winter ABC challenge and how you dealt with the writers’ block

I’m embarrassed and happy at the same time. I am happy because I was able to go for it and I got feedback from my readers and it gave me the opportunity to meet other bloggers and learn from them. I was embarrassed because the writer’s block struck me so hard and I couldn’t continue. It was a learning experience for me as a blogger. As for the writer’s block it is a real challenge we often ignore. For me it comes and goes. I make sure I read books, journals and articles from prominent writers. I came a across an interesting article and what I picked is if as a writer you are going through a writers’ block find something that’s not so fascinating to do and ideas start flowing instantly and it’s been working for me.

How can you rate the feedback you’ve received from your readers?

The feedback is not what I had expected. Sometimes I do get discouraged but I soldier on. Sometimes I meet people who acknowledge my blog and it’s humbling. The negative comments shape me and I don’t rely on positive comments because negative comments are very important in molding a person.

You’ve worked with natural hair stylists tell us about this project.

I’ve worked with Sofia we met two years ago. We met through a Facebook group called Zim natural and we started discussing on natural hair, how to take care of it. She is doing well and I am happy to see women doing what they love and thriving whilst doing it.

What advice would you give to aspiring female bloggers?

Don’t think too much just go for it. Mingle with other bloggers and make sure you empower yourself by attending workshops. Follow other blogs and I am still learning. And don’t fret when you get rejected its part of life and that’s how you grow. You can’t be a one man’s army and it’s vital to ask for advice when it comes to content creation and creating a blog. We learn from each other hence the  Ndebele saying izandla ziyagezana. Interacting with people from all walks of life is essential.

SOCIAL MEDIA DETAILS

Twitter @miss_Kayzi

Instagram @miss_Kayzi

Facebook Chipo Kayzi

Blog link: www.chipok.co.zw