“Ancient styles”: Paulines Publications Official on Why Africa Lags Behind in Publishing

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul (FSP)

In the Monday, October 23 interview with ACI Africa, Sr. Praxides challenged publishers who she said deal with pre-press work, including those who handle manuscripts, to not only emphasize on the content but to also look at appearance.

“Although we usually emphasize that our books should look African, let's not limit their sale to the local market. We should look into selling on the international market as well. We should therefore adopt global trends in publishing,” she said.

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul (FSP)

The Kenyan-born FSP member also challenged African authors to explore multiple literary genres in their writing, saying, “Africa authors are invited to move beyond nonfiction and to also venture in fiction poetry, mystery, and fable.”

Various Catholic entities including PPA, Society of St. Paul (Pauline Fathers), Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV), PT Kanisius (Jesuits, Indonesia) and the Sisters of the Beatitudes (France) participated in the five-day annual Frankfurt Book Fair.

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul (FSP)

Sr. Paraxides said that the Book Fair, which was the first since the outbreak of COVID-19, saw participants engage in discussions on complexities of contemporary society.

Asked how the Frankfurt Book Fair stood out from past similar events, the Directress of PPA said, “The logistics are similar but there have been a lot of discussion forums going on especially the reality and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the earthquakes in Israel, and other calamities that have made people share their survival experiences through book writing and conferences.”

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul (FSP)

Some of the activities at the Book Fair included discussions on buying and selling of rights as well as promoting the works of local and international authors. Authors also had the opportunity to scout for potential publishers of their work.

Participants from PPA also met printers from different countries and explored shipping logistics that would make books “affordable” in Africa. 

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul (FSP)

“Participating in the Book Fair also gave us the opportunity to explore available digital translation technologies that would help us translate important church books at an affordable price,” Sr. Praxides said. 

The FSP member added that the Frankfurt Book Fair was “a moment of learning, networking and sharing of ideas,” sentiments that were echoed by other FSP members, who responded to ACI Africa questions. 

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Credit: Daughters of St. Paul

“I have learnt that books are still important and appreciated by many,” Sr. Oluwakemi Akinleye said, and added, “Africa needs more presence at book fairs. We could also try to organize such in Africa.”

On specific lessons from the Book Fair, the Nigerian-born Lagos-based FSP member underscored the need to “improve on the quality of our book covers” as well as the need to have “new and more attractive illustrations, especially for children's books.”

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul

On her part, Sr. Marie Josee, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) serving in Ivory Coast said that the Frankfurt Book Fair was her “very first time participating. And I come out enriched.”

Asked about experiences at the five-day Frankfurt event worth sharing, the Abidjan-based FSP member said she had noted that “international publishers are ready to negotiate their materials to Africa but not vice versa.”

Credit: Daughters of St. Paul

Sr. Marie highlighted some of the challenges in other continents, which the people of God in Africa need to “keep close to their hearts”, including, she said, “the war in Israel, Ukraine war, the vast needs of the Church in Asia, especially in Indonesia where Christians are the minority.”