05.05.2022. » 12:08
Op-ed - Challenges that young people face in literature
Like all youngsters, I had my hopes, not dreams but desires that are real, and somehow, I managed to fulfill quite a few. I certainly never dreamed that someday I would become a writer writing biographical records and illustrations of my wandering life. The moment of the decision to leave home in search of light dew and the "Promised Land" radically changed my life.
Like all youngsters, I had my hopes, not dreams but desires that are real, and somehow, I managed to fulfill quite a few. I certainly never dreamed that someday I would become a writer writing biographical records and illustrations of my wandering life. The moment of the decision to leave home in search of light dew and the "Promised Land" radically changed my life.
In the circumstances where young people in Kosovo do not want to be heard, in moments when the integrity of the person is endangered and dignity is degraded, I felt threatened and ashamed and decided to fight. I was determined to look for better living conditions, to depart from the atmosphere of existential fear and everyday anxiety to another world. The book "The Stranger's Path to the World" is an autobiographical work created from sketches and records of the protagonist's philanthropic mission, which describes the life of a young person in Kosovo who decides to seek his existence elsewhere. The path to the completion of a literary work denotes a big challenge for a young amateur artist. Nowadays, in the age of digitalization, what is imposed on young authors as an obstacle from the very beginning is undoubtedly arduous access to the public, promotion of their works, breaking through on the reading scene, and sorely needed financial support. Somehow, it has become usual for authors who strive for their own affirmation that what they think of first, usually before writing, is the way their works will be published, more specifically, how to find a publishing house that will finance a specific literary project. Financial problem during publication, and later during the placement of the author's work as a product, is present, but it is certainly not the most significant concern nor crucial as it seems at first glance. The literary scene is open to anyone who wants to write and publish something in their own language, but as attractive as it may seem on the surface, it hides countless insurmountable obstacles.
The modern world, burdened with an insatiable need for freedom, has provided the opportunity for everyone to publish whatever they want without valid or, most often, without any censorship. This uncontrolled freedom opened the way for those who established themselves in different circumstances. Thus, this openness and freedom of publishing caused a new problem that seems insurmountable for someone who has just written work and wants it to be highlighted in public. Publishing and emphasizing everything that is written, therefore, opened new problems on the literary scene. In other words, it created complete genre disorder, which is severely accompanied by a lack of elementary taste, often even fundamental culture. When it comes to writers who have just embarked on this profession, in addition to this problem, particular challenges need to be suppressed before embarking on publishing and presenting works. One of the primary problems, but also a challenge, is the genre orientation in which newbie writers would introduce their writing skills. Despite all the obstacles, I managed to find a foundation and convey my voice from Kosovo by sending a signal of good neighborly relations and coexistence with others. It is about the fact that many writers do not dare to write their works based on topics that are "forbidden" or, as the reviewers' dictionary would say - "difficult". The truth lies in the fact that there are actually no "difficult" and "easy" topics, and that writing is one of the ancient ways to tell what must not be forgotten.
In the forthcoming period, through my work in interaction with social actors in the community, I want to promote intercultural cooperation and cultural diversity. Additionally, I want to bring my manuscript (novel) closer to a broad social class because the story describes the life of all young people in Kosovo. Art and kind word do not have color, faith, or nation and do not know about politics, and are an instrument to express our similarities and differences and a way to get to know and get closer through them.
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