Avbob: Expert helps you find your voice

Honing the authentic voice

Have you ever sat down to write a poem, only to find that you are not convinced by your own voice? Have you ever wondered how to harness language and experience to make that voice accessible?

Gaireyah Fredericks, winner of the second prize in the Afrikaans category of the 2019 Avbob Poetry Competition, is a poet and short story writer who is passionate about helping aspiring writers find their own authentic voices. 

In 2020, she won the Neville Alexander prestige prize for her contribution to the development and validation of mother tongue as a tool to unite and build bridges. She runs online creative writing workshops and offers in-person mentorship.

As we enter 2025, Fredericks shares three creative writing exercises that help her students keep writing closer to home.

Exercise 1

Write in your mother tongue

Start by writing in your mother tongue if you are not doing so already. Find a register in which you feel comfortable. Remember that the writing can always be translated afterwards into the commissioned language or register of choice.

New techniques should also be tested in the mother tongue and in a familiar register. It will allow you to concentrate on the challenge at hand and not to overthink or struggle with second- or third-language rules. The important thing is that your most authentic voice should be captured.

Exercise 2

Write freely

If you are working in a group and with a particular theme, start the writing process by just talking – discuss topics and themes freely, exchange opinions and information. Then go into writing for three minutes, then five minutes, then 10 minutes. Keep whatever comes to mind, whatever flows from the discussion.

Start with what you already know about the topic. Stay with your rawest, most authentic reaction to it. At the same time, remember that accuracy of description often depends on research, so learning more about the topic or theme will broaden your knowledge. Never underestimate your readers’ reference or knowledge on the subject you have chosen.

This exercise is not only good for keeping the writing machine well oiled, operational and focused – it also reveals your natural narrative voice, which ultimately translates to the authentic self.

Exercise 3

Sensory-conscious writing

This is the exercise, I think, all writers have to do constantly to develop and harvest an authentic voice. It trains the writer’s noticing mind without relying on initial, knee-jerk judgements. Often, judgement is the block that prevents you from authentically experiencing what is happening. And so, you should reserve judgement until you have captured your observations. You have your senses available to record everything accurately first-hand. You just need to flex this already operating skill and develop it into a tool for gathering an endless inventory of sensory experiences. 

Expose yourself to comfortable as well as uncomfortable sensory environments. Observe them as fully as you can. Then record facts first, before adding impressions. By doing this, you build a detailed inventory of experience. You can later adapt the information into whatever form you need to present the work.

For instance, say you are on a train that has been delayed and are feeling most uncomfortable. Instead of getting annoyed, record your sensory experience on all levels. Thereafter, record your emotions towards the experience. In this way, you will be able to write at will and not only when inspired.

In the next few days, deliberately place yourself in a situation that is challenging on a sensory level. Then record what happened, staying as close to your sensory experience as you can.

• The 2026 Avbob Poetry Competition opens for submissions on August 1, 2025. Visit the Avbob Poetry website at www.avbobpoetry.co.za today and read some of the prize-winning poems from previous years as you prepare to find your own best words.

Avbob deepens its passion for SA poetry

CEO Carl van der Riet has unveiled a vibrant addition to the Avbob Poetry Project, now in its eighth year. Starting in 2025, the all-new Avbob Prize for Best Published Collection of Poetry (by an individual poet) will place South African poets in the spotlight with a R10 000 prize, honouring their artistic vision, linguistic mastery, and unique contributions to the country’s cultural tapestry.

In a push for inclusivity, the award – open exclusively to submissions from South African publishers – will celebrate the finest poetry collections in each of South Africa’s 11 official languages. The competition will operate on a three-year rotation, kicking off with a focus on English, Sepedi, and isiZulu collections in 2025.

“Our new award salutes poets who bravely bring their unique voices into the world through published works,” says Van der Riet. “Avbob is thrilled to encourage poets to publish solo collections in their mother tongues, and contribute to South Africa's rich linguistic heritage.”

Avbob's dedication to poets extends well beyond competition prizes. Through online workshops, articles celebrating renowned South African poets, insightful interviews with poetry experts, and creative writing tips shared across social media, Avbob continues to champion poetry at every level.

It all culminates in the annual Avbob Poetry Gala in September 2025, where winners will be honoured, with travel and accommodation provided for each award recipient. Publishers looking to submit entries or learn more can contact Avbob at social@avbobpoetry.co.za. 

Don’t miss the chance to be part of South African poetry history!

♦ VWB ♦

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