Flash Fiction Ghana started out as a platform for Ghanaians interested in writing flash fiction, and we’ve kept to this mission till date. However, more than just providing a platform for short stories, we’ve found the need to inspire writing. Our ‘1000 for 1000’ Writing Prize was conceived to that effect. We’ve come to realize that, more than a monetary incentive to write, what young Ghanaian writers need is access to mentorship and learning. And so, we put out a call for a new programme: Flash Fiction Ghana Writing Workshops.
The two-day inaugural writing workshop was focused on Fiction as a genre of writing, and designed to help participants develop story ideas, and effectively execute them. It was a virtual experience, which made it accessible to all twelve participants scattered across Ghana and the diaspora. Our facilitators for the programme were Ama Asantewa Diaka, and Martin Egblewogbe. Ama Asantewa Diaka, founder of Tampered Press, a writer and performance poet, took the participants on a crash course on Developing and Perfecting an Idea. Martin Egblewogbe, founder of Writers’ Project Ghana and Pa Gya! Literary Festival, went through the Effective Execution of Ideas with the participants.
“The stories that made it to the workshop were full of promise, – a result of a well positioned and well organized event to attract these people and their stories. I’m eager to see how the workshop will help them bring their work into full bloom.” Ama Diaka commented on the programme. Martin Egblewogbe also described the quality of work submitted to the workshops as good. On the importance of the workshops, he commented “workshops in general help to create community for writers, as well as helping participants to identify problems with their writing.”
All the participants expressed an earnest appreciation of the opportunity. We look forward to hosting another workshop in the near future, and doing our part in contributing to the quality of writing in Ghana and the diaspora!
Special thanks to the following participants:
Angela Afrah Appiah
Araba Ofori-Acquah
Briana Korletey
Darius Kwabena Partey
Esther Dzifa Mensah
Gbontwi Anyetei
Godfred Edem Ahlijah
Karen Gyan-Davies
Keziah Tamakloe
Naa Achoi Ala-lomo
Tugbedzo Patrick Quashie
Ursula M. Abanga
Kudos! Looking forward to reading about more workshops and the progression of the organization.