Page 65 - 2018 Powerlist

or Sharon Dodua Otoo, a girl from Ghanaian household and going to the cultural significance: “I had written this
Ilford, the idea of ever turning local comprehensive Woodford County story for a different publication, which
Fher love of writing into a full-time High School for Girls, she developed her didn’t get funded, so it was lying in my
career seemed beyond the realms of love for reading through a diverse range DropBox before [literary critic] Sandra
possibility. of books, from Roald Dahl to Judy Blume, Kegel contacted me. She explained what Media, Publishing& Entertainment
“I always wanted to write, and I always Mildred D Taylor and Buchi Emecheta. the competition was about, but I hadn’t
wanted to be creative. I just didn’t think She cites Toni Morrison’s Beloved as her heard of it.
I would ever write fiction for a living,” favourite work of literature. “I sent her the story and said I would
says the 45-year-old, who last year But the over-riding memory of that think about it. I contacted a close friend
confounded expectations to became the time is never quite feeling she belonged. and said ‘Ha ha, some journalist wants
first black writer to win Germany’s most “There was, and probably still is, a to enter me for a German language
prestigious and famous literary prize, the very dominant white norm in the UK. I literature competition. How funny!’ When
Ingeborg Bachmann. Her surreal short experienced very little explicitly racist I told him the name of the competition, my
story, Herr Gröttrup Sits Down, won her treatment but from an early age I had friend nearly lost his mind. I was shaking
the £21,000 award and huge public an understanding of structural and for the rest of the day.”
acclaim. institutional racism,” she says. “From who Her winning yarn, Herr Gröttrup Sits
Until then, her writing had occupied I saw on TV to which people were in my Down, is her first short story not written
only a slice of her time, outside of her favourite children’s books. Who were my in English. “In a sentence, the story invites
work as a projects co-ordinator, mother teachers, doctors and politicians? Who the reader to join a retired man and his
of four and editor of the black book were the cleaning ladies, bus drivers and wife at the breakfast table, to see what
series, Witnessed. refuse collectors? This all had an impact.” happens when the standard morning
“I didn’t have a career in writing to Berlin is not so different, adds Dodua routine is disrupted by the unexpected.”
speak of,” says Dodua Otoo, who moved Otoo – she recalls yelling out of the Most striking is the fact that parts of
to Germany as an au pair in 1992. it are told from the perspective of an
“I had published two novellas in the unboiled egg: “People have told me that
Münster-based publishing co-operative an egg-narrator is a unique occurrence in
Edition Assemblage and, like many artists German literature. It went down well! Yes,
of colour, I was creating in my spare time, the egg decides not to turn out the way
fitting it around my paid work and caring Herr Gröttrup decided it should turn out.
duties.” We need The egg decides to resist!”
Winning, she says, “was completely to be Dodua Otoo says the prize has given
unexpected and surreal”. her the time and space to work on
“I suddenly became a figure of interest our own turning that story into a full-length novel,
for major publishing houses and agents. also in German. “It’s super hard, I have to
TV, radio and newspapers wanted to role models admit. I’m enjoying the challenge but, to
feature me. It meant so much to my be honest, I can’t wait to get back to my
parents.” first language!”
Hailing originally from Ghana, Dodua window at anti-immigrationists marching An active member of anti-racism
Otoo’s parents had been less than down her street – but she has changed: groups in Berlin, Dodua Otoo says: “My
delighted by her decision to work in “I’m keenly aware that there are people work, especially for those marginalised
Germany. “Back then, none of us knew so who have said, ‘you don’t belong here!’ by mainstream literature, is to imagine
much about Germany,” she recalls. And as a child, I would have been better worlds and communicate my ideas
“The dominant images that remained completely at their mercy. However, I’m to readers.” She also edits the English-
in my parents’ minds were of Nazis now an adult. I am able to mostly choose language book series, Witnessed, which
marching in the streets and Germany to be in spaces which are empowering is open to contributions from authors of
to them was a nation that initiated two and nurturing. I have made Berlin my African descent who live in Germany and
catastrophic world wars. Actually they home.” write in English.
were not wrong, to be honest...” The Ingeborg Bachmann is as big in But she resists the idea that breaking
After her stint as an au pair she Germany as the Man Booker is in the into publishing, compared to any other
returned to the UK to complete a degree UK – probably more so, because it is all industry, is “harder” for women of colour:
in German and Management Studies at screened live on TV. Over three days, 14 “I believe writers of colour have to be
Royal Holloway and Bedford, then spent writers are invited to present a piece of flexible and creative in choosing their
time working as a project and events original, unpublished writing in front of a publishing outlets. Some have chosen
manager in London and Brighton before jury of seven experts. to self-publish, or only produce e-books,
eventually making the permanent move “I call it The X Factor for authors, and and some choose print on demand.
to Berlin. I’m amazed someone came up with the “Of course, in the larger, more
These days, the city is home – her idea more than 40 years ago. The jury established western publishing houses,
children have German family, and she has members discuss the texts, sometimes the representation of writers of colour
a strong, close network of friends. “I’ve expressing fairly harsh criticism, before could be improved. I think, though, we
been here now for 11 years and I’m here voting for the winner. This happens shouldn’t wait for mainstream publishers
to stay! Unless I get swept off my feet, completely in public and the whole thing to catch up. We should keep writing,
but then it would have to be somewhere is televised live. “ keep creating and keep producing
warm...” She entered after being approached regardless. We need to be our own role
As a child, growing up in a strict by a literary critic, having no idea of its models.”

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