My inspiration for writing this book was the casual, and perhaps misguided, notion that contemporary South African literary fiction needs to reflect on the important sociopolitical milestones in forging and maintaining a nation. I, for some strange reason, also enjoy the creative torture and lessons that come from tackling thematic subjects that are miles away from my own lived experience — for instance, creating fiction from the fabric, nuances and worldview of politics.
I carried out some elementary and cursory research, and then did a lot of emotive explorations and imaginative thinking. I must confess that generous quantities of fermented grapes and classical and jazz music accompanied me as I navigated particularly precarious writing wastelands. My studies in dramatic and performance arts, as well as in screenwriting, came in handy when I made the emotional investment that went into writing this novel. It is my most emotionally charged and aware artwork to date — method acting and method writing, so to speak. Though “philosophical” streaks adorn most, if not all, of my work, in this novel I found a new way to reflect on grand concepts in granular detail. For example, I explored some of the forms and implications of seduction. There are, according to Nthikeng Mohlele, five types. Did you know that?
I was pleasantly surprised and humbled by how difficult it still is for me to write a novel, how it always seems like and remains a maiden creative journey when it comes to conceptual framing, narrative approach, and the selection and configuration of the cast. The novel I set out to write burst into flames within the first week of writing, leaving me with useless ash from which to fashion a new narrative.
I am a hopeless romantic at heart, which is not necessarily an asset when it comes to writing. The difficulty is avoiding creative ideas that come naturally to me insofar as content and treatment of story are concerned. The ongoing challenge was therefore to write against the grain by consistently placing myself in thematically daunting situations and making out-of-character choices to force myself to avoid creative comfort zones. The unintended result was, of course, the disappointment I felt when I discovered I did not know enough about my subject matter — which forced me to use my “sixth sense” to work out which character or story would not only ring true, but also be worth reading about. I wouldn’t say this is funny, but at some points I had to frequent public spaces to observe what elements make the feminine form ‘unattractive’, aesthetically speaking. The results are very subjective and unscientific, but the greater creative difficulty lay in infusing such characters with some nobility and moral stature, so they did not come across as mere caricatures.
Revolutionaries’ House by Nthikeng Mohlele is published by Jacana Media
