James Murua is a Kenyan blogger, journalist and media consultant, who has written for a variety of media outlets. He is a former columnist for the The Star newspaper in Kenya, leaving to become a full-time blogger.[1]
In 2013, he founded a website – James Murua.com – that became the leading online platform covering the African literary scene.[2][3] In 2023, the website was renamed to Writing Africa (writingafrica.com).[4] Murua also established a YouTube channel as a space for African literature on the web.[5]
Biography edit
James Murua was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya.[6] He made his debut as a blogger in 2009 with a (now defunct) blog called Nairobiliving.com,[7] and went on to work for The Star newspaper, serving for five years as editor and as a columnist for nine, being voted "Columnist of the Year" in 2009.[8] He has also contributed to Management Magazine (Kenya), The Daily Nation (Kenya), The Nairobian (Kenya), DigifyAfrica.com (South Africa), Johannesburg Review of Books (South Africa),[9] and Africa Independent (South Africa).
In 2013, he founded a website – James Murua.com – that became the leading online platform covering the African literary scene.[2][3] In 2023, the website was renamed Writing Africa, and Murua explained: "The name change had been something that I had thought about for many years. The actual change was however forced on me as the company that I had outsourced the hosting component of my business had an internal falling out. With the owners abandoning the company, staffers set up a separate company and moved as many of their clients as they could to a new internet host. In that melee, I lost some of my websites including JamesMurua.com which lapsed in the interim to the move. Lucky for me, my company had already saved my content on a separate server and all I needed was register a new domain and start again."[4] Murua also established a YouTube channel as a space for African literature on the web.[10]
He has taken part in international book fairs and has conducted workshops on blogging and social media in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Malawi. He has also been a media consultant for the Goethe Institut, Nairobi.[11]
In 2020, Murua served as a judge for the Caine Prize for African Writing,[12] and he was the founding chairman of the Kendeka Prize for African Writing, "the richest independent literary prize for fiction in East Africa".[13]
Selected articles edit
- "Dispatch from Conakry: James Murua attends the 2017 World Book Capital celebrations", Johannesburg Review of Books, 5 June 2017.
- "Remembering Binyavanga", The Elephant, 21 May 2020.
References edit
- ^ Hofele, Hans (8 August 2022). "Centering Black Literature: An Interview with James Murua". Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ a b Obiabunmo, Precious (14 October 2020). "James Murua Adapts African Literature to the Ever-evolving Space of Digital Content Creation". Brittle Paper. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ a b Norton, Cliffordene (30 April 2020). "Afrolit Sans Frontières: An interview with Zukiswa Wanner". litnet.co.za. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ a b Ghosh, Kuhelika (19 June 2023). "James Murua's African Literature Website Renamed WritingAfrica.Com". Brittle Paper. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Writing Africa" – via YouTube.
- ^ Gachango, Rayhab (2 September 2015). "Man Around Nairobi: James Murua". Potentash. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "James Murua on Literary Publicity and Capturing New Voices: An Interview". MeharaLit. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Olopade, Olusegun (4 November 2023). "The Toyin Falola Interviews: James Murua to join the Panel Discussion on African Literature, November 12, 2023". Google Groups. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Author: James Murua". The Johannesburg Review of Books. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Writing Africa" – via YouTube.
- ^ "About". WritingAfrica.com. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "2020 Judges". The Caine Prize.
- ^ "James Murua to join the Panel Discussion on African Literature, November 12, 2023". Kabura Zakama Randomised. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
External links edit
- Writing Africa
- "Blogger Spotlight: James Murua Literature Blog", Mary Okeke Reviews, 23 October 2016.
- Writing African podcast
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