The Afrobloggers spotlight series helps you to discover and connect with African digital storytellers from all around the globe. In this feature, we spotlight Ugandan spirited bloggers Mable Amuron
Dear Reader
My name is Mable Barbara Amuron. I have many nicknames but I’ll keep the one I’m most fond of to myself. I am a writer, an editor, and most importantly a reader. I have some awards under my belt for what I have written and I am an Afrobloggers nominee. I don’t have pseudonyms but I respect those that do. I love socks, can tell you which tea is the best, and I am a smiley human. This is my blogging story ..
As I stumble through this life,
help me to create more laughter than tears,
dispense more cheer than gloom,
spread more cheer than despair
How it all started…
In 2014, I was told I should become a blogger by my best friend at the time, Alex Kirungi. I was a writer without a platform. I used to make him laugh with the texts I’d sent him and he thought they were too good to keep for myself. So! I decided to jump in feet first and create my first blog. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time. I wanted to add my voice to the cacophony of voices on the internet. I wanted to create something that would outlast me.
I created a blog to share bits and pieces of myself; my mind, my life, and my reads. Is my hope that when someone reads this blog, they can see a bit of themselves too. Should I get to a point where just one life is changed for the better, or one life is affirmed, then my blog would have succeeded.
If this blog had a personality, it would be the girl in the corner, in a crowded room, taking in everything. It would be the introspective, introverted girl who brings a book to the party. When this girl speaks, she would then make everyone around her laugh. That is who my blog is.
If I get to the point where just one life is changed for the better, or one life is affirmed. then my blog would be successful.
When it came to designing my site, I designed it with people in mind. I wanted people to come onto the site and not want to leave. I’d love for visitors to keep scrolling, the same way social media keeps us hooked to it. I don’t know if I have achieved this yet, but I hope to get there
Over the years, my biggest challenge has been procrastination. I am the biggest procrastinator I know. You’d think that having heard, “Procrastination is a thief of time,” numerous times from my Secondary School Principal, that I’d know not to procrastinate. The other challenge I have is being unsure of what I write. This is why it took me a very long time to actually call myself a writer. Procrastination and doubt go hand in hand with me. One usually leads to the other.
This blogging journey has also given me so many gains. I have gained a community of like-minded people across the globe that have visited my little corner of the internet and have become family. I have also gained experience. With experience comes a little less doubt. This confidence gained in my skills has allowed me to shoot my shot at opportunities that have worked out well for me. I am eternally grateful for that.
.Never let me become so indifferent,
that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child,
or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.
Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people,
make them happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.
When I need inspiration…
Talking of the community that I have gained let me share a few bloggers I keep visiting, even though I won’t speak about why I go to them for inspiration, I urge you to go and read their content so that you see it for yourself.
Uncle B is a blogger from Zimbabwe. He is the founder of the award-winning blog Becoming the Muse.
Racheal is a blogger from Uganda. Her blog called Passion and Lifestyle won the best Lifestyle blog in the Afrobloggers Awards.
Biko Zulu runs an award-winning blog by the same name. He is from Kenya and is a well-known journalist.
Let me share my creative process..
Ideas pop out of me at least once or twice a day. Most times, unfortunately, I do not write them down. But let’s use the times that I do remember to write down the ideas. I write in my drafts and then expand on the idea when I have time. When the idea is hot, I’ll spend about 2 hours writing the article and editing it before I post it on the blog. This is for my articles that are not book reviews.
When I am asked to write a book review, I read the book with a notebook on the side, noting down anything I find interesting. Then I write the review immediately after I have finished reading the book, striking while it’s hot.
Then I move to promote the published content. Social media is a great tool to promote content. I tag people on my Twitter, Facebook and also share on WhatsApp. Of late, I’ve started sharing on LinkedIn as well. I am still learning the ins and outs of Pinterest.
I love books, here are my recommended reads,
I could list more than three books but if I were pushed to the wall and forced to pick just three books, then these are the three I would pick
- The End of Where We Begin – Rosalind Russel
- Kunda- Rachael A.Z Mutabingwa
- Love in Colour – Bolu Babalola
This is how I would like Mable Amuron to be remembered
This poem was written by an anonymous person but my best friend shared it with me before he passed. I want that for myself.
As I stumble through this life,
help me to create more laughter than tears,
dispense more cheer than gloom,
spread more cheer than despair
Never let me become so indifferent,
that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child,
or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.
Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people,
make them happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.
And in my final moment,
may I hear You whisper:
“When you made My people smile,
you made Me smile.”
This is how I want to be remembered.
Yours Truly Mable Amuron.
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