We asked Quibell to answer a few questions about his self-publishing journey. Quibell recently published his family’s history as a beautiful hardcover book, in English and Thsivenda. Quibell tells the story of the Ramantswana family with stories and information gathered from his elders. The author hopes that this book will be read by many more generations of his family and by others as well.

What inspired you to write your book?

I have always been fascinated by family stories told at family gatherings, especially funerals, by our elders. I felt guilty because I realised that we know a lot about the family histories of public figures, but we know very little about our own. The importance of writing about my family history become clear, and thus I started researching and compiling Ha-Phamba. I hope that our family history book will inspire others to write about their own histories. Every family has a history and it is worth being documented for future generations.

What Was Your Favourite Part Of Publishing Your Book?

The process of seeing the process of production of the book coming together, to finally receiving the hard copy was such a humbling experience. Now that I am in the process of launching the book, as much as it is challenging at times, I am finding the process quite interesting – one of my favorite moments indeed.

What Advice Would You Give An Author Planning To Publish Their First Book?

If you feel strongly about the subject and can connect with the story to the end, commit yourself and start writing. The book will make sense as you keep going.

Are you interested in self-publishing?

Do you have a family history or other book you want to self-publish? Not sure how to start? Check out our ‘How-to-Self-Publish Mastercalss’ for more information: https://makeabook.co.za/the-how-to-self-publish-guide/.