Maseng pens down life experiences
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Sunday September 12, 2021 06:00
"I like being able to make my writing something that other people can connect to, or relate to in some way by generalising the thoughts and experiences I am writing about. I believe I have a strong relationship with the written word,” Maseng revealed in an interview.
She added that Go botlhoko Pelong Yame is a continuation of a story she wrote in Motherhood Botswana (MH) Facebook page called Kutlobotlhoko Mahutswana Wee. Maseng said she started writing during the first national lockdown as a way of keeping herself busy.
“One day mid May 2020, one woman posted on Facebook asking fellow women about their worst relationship experiences. Many women shared their experiences and I was motivated to share my story as well. My aim was to comment like other women but people who read my comment were intrigued by my writing skills and encouraged me to publish books," she said.
After the motivation she got from fellow women, Maseng was approached by few publishers and Setswana teachers who also believed in her talent. Furthermore, she pointed out that she chose non-fiction genre because it was based on real life stories. Hers is a true story written in the style of a fiction novel. She said her target audience includes men, women and children because in order to end Gender Based Violence, everyone should be involved. She added that most women suffer from toxic relationships with the hope that one day things will get better only for things to get worse.
"It is sad for children to lose their mothers as a result of these violent killings. These deaths affect children psychologically. They are also at a higher risk for many negative outcomes because children who witness domestic violence or are victims of abuse themselves are at serious risk. In the long-term they may also be at greater risk of being violent in their future relationships. If you are a parent who is experiencing abuse, it can be difficult to know how to protect your children," she explained.
Go Botlhoko Pelong Yame is an 80-page book with nine chapters. It encourages readers to let go of toxic people. She encouraged the victims to walk away from such people since it was liberating and important, even though it may be painful. Maseng also explained that not everybody takes responsibility for the energy they put out into the world. She advised people to protect their energy saying it was not rude or wrong to remove themselves from situations or the company of people who are draining them.
Moreover, she explained that she was challenged by not having enough time to write. She added that being a mother of three, a student and having a full time job on top of being an author was not easy. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Botswana.