My Favourite Facebook Pages 1: Writers

All of us have many interests and our Facebook Page likes will reflect this. I found that I'm following quite a few pages around wildlife and the environment, musicians, a bit of funny stuff, philosophy, writing and poetry, DIY, decluttering and gardening, social issues, including a few "causes" (which are mostly around climate change, activism against mines, protection of natural resources).

The problem is that I don't really have time to read all the posts, follow the links to websites and videos. On Facebook it is really easy to just Like, Join, Share. I have selected a few pages that I think are worthwhile and plan to start with a decluttering process on the others . . . . .sometime in the future.

Many famous writers have a Facebook Page, often (so it seems) maintained by someone else. I like Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, NP van Wyk Louw, Dami Ayayi, Haruki Murakami, Paulo Coelho - not all equally famous of course. All these are maintained pages. Some of the other pages are community pages and not eligible.

So what are my criteria (always this question). I would say that the page needs to be updated regularly. I want to feel the writer in his Facebook - even if updated by someone else, I would not like to feel that the Facebook Page is just a marketing tool, updated by the agent so that some books are sold.

Of course many writers also have a personal Facebook, where you can follow them or where they accept your friend request. I also did not take these into consideration.

Haruki Murakami is a contemporary Japanese writer. His books and stories have been bestsellers internationally, his work has been translated into 50 languages and he won many literary prizes. He is one of my favourite writers. His Facebook Page has recent posts. I have no idea whether he updates it himself since his posts are quotes from his books. The last one (5 July, 2 days ago), is “Silence, I discover, is something you can actually hear.” ―from KAFKA ON THE SHORE

Dami Ayayi is a young Nigerian poet, who fairly recently published his book of poetry: Clinical Blues. This is based on his experiences as a doctor - the poems cut very deep and I love them. His Facebook Page though, is more about his own interest in music than his poetry and I don't feel drawn to read it often.

NP van Wyk Louw is one of my favourite Afrikaans poets. He died in 1970 and the Facebook Page is maintained by his son. The Page is updates at least once in two weeks and often have poems of Louw or some of his opinions, which in many cases were far ahead of his time.

Wole Soyinka is a well-known Nigerian playwright, poet and activist. In 1986 he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. I love the way he can voice his opinion about complex matters in the continent of Africa in such a simple way. He looks like the Einstein of Literature. I like his Facebook Page, with videos of recent events in which he took part and interaction with comments. I doubt whether he is maintaining it himself. . . . and why should he?

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is also a Nigerian writer, very popular right now with her Americanah, and We Should All be Feminists. I got to know her books through her short stories (That think around your neck) and the novel: Half of a Yellow Sun. This book made me realise how easily we turn away from other people's suffering - also how cruel a civil war is. Love the Facebook Page. Well . . . aimed a bit a selling?

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist who has won many award for his writing. I have read most of his books. His Facebook Page is quite personal. I like that and can feel the connection in the direct interaction through comments.

Haruki Murakami.

I find that the quotes from his books are thought provoking. Not inspirational in the sense of a common wisdom, but it has a surprising twist.

Visiting his Page is a good break between two boring / difficult work tasks.