Life Matters | Mar 28,2026
Fortune: Do you write to change society, or to document it before it changes?
Esubalew: Obviously, a literary novel as a form or medium can be a tool for societal change and progression. As a novelist, however, I personally do not carry that kind of ambition. I do not often write with a specific goal in mind. Instead, I try to explore the territory of my own imagination simply. In that sense, sometimes I might become strange for my book. But along the way, like any writer, I do hope to capture the spirit of the times or at least to ask valuable questions.
Q: In your stories, who is usually a free person? Is it the person with money, or the one with nothing to lose? Why?
A: In my novels, I portray a free person as one who has become fully self-aware and conscious of their surroundings. This realisation does not simply imply their virtues. It reveals their darker sides as well. In my writing, freedom is never tied to both money and desperation. Instead, I believe freedom is situational and subjective; it emerges from how a character navigates the specific reality they are given. I try my best to be guided by this principle.
Q: If you had to ban one word from everyday Ethiopian social vocabulary, what word would go first? What would replace it?
A: No, I would not ban or replace any word. I believe it is not my duty to act as a censor and language police. I think words are more than mere tools for communication. They are our vessels for the societal psyche and our collective history. And also, banning a word is never a lasting solution. Instead, I believe in the natural growth of society, an evolution in which we outgrow derogatory terms as we nurture a deeper culture of empathy and mutual respect.
Q: Was there a comment about your books that changed your point of view? Which book?
A: My emotional stewardship of a work ends the moment the final word is written or uttered. From that point forward, the story ceases to belong to me and begins to belong to the reader. There is something remarkable about the intimate relationship a book develops with its readers. Through their feedback, I see the work become personal to them in ways I never could have predicted or imagined. They curate their own life into the text, discovering unique meanings that make the story entirely their own. I am okay with that, and I will not try to change my point of view or theirs.
Q: What part of writing do you dread the most? Why?
A: The act of writing is a journey of self-discovery. I find tremendous joy in the process, as it allows me to escape into and navigate the unexplored territories of a fictional world. I rarely know where the narrative will take me or what truths I might uncover along the way. That said, my greatest challenge is finding the right book title. A phrase that will communicate and capture the essence of all those pages.
Q: What does literature teach you about life that you do not learn in school?
A: It is hard to put it into a perfect dichotomy, but I guess formal education often prioritises standardisation, equipping us to conform to certain behaviours and modes of thinking in pursuit of conventional success. Literature, however, does the opposite. It is a lesson in individuality. It trains us how to be unapologetically ourselves. While schools give us the tools to fit into the world, literature provides the space to explore our unique selves and understand the complexities and intricacies of the human condition.
Q: Unforgettable childhood Christmas memory?
A: I do not recall anything special. I hardly remember. Perhaps a miniature replica of the manger that had a painting of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus inside it, my older brother used to make. That was it.
Q: What do you think about this generation’s (Youth) readership/reading habit?
A: Given the amount of cheap entertainment at hand, reading literary work is not a fun thing to do. It requires discipline and giving full attention to small details. We live in an age of so many distractions, including social media. Although this has inevitably thinned the ranks of young readers, I find something truly admirable in those who still fight for the stillness required to lose themselves in a book.
Q: What’s Next?
A: My new book will be released this year. For now, that is all.
PUBLISHED ON
Jan 04,2026 [ VOL
26 , NO
1340]
Life Matters | Mar 28,2026
Money Market Watch | Dec 06,2025
Radar | Nov 03,2024
Radar | Jan 10,2026
Advertorials | Aug 26,2025
News Analysis | Jan 24,2026
Fortune News | Mar 07,2026
Fortune News | Nov 29,2025
Radar | Feb 15,2026
Fortune News | Sep 15,2025
Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...
Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...
Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...
May 9 , 2026
The Ethiopian state appears to have discovered a fiscal instrument that is politicall...
May 2 , 2026
By the time Ethiopia's National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) reached the end of its fir...
Apr 25 , 2026
In a political community, official speeches show what governments want their citizens...
For much of the past three decades, Ethiopia occupied a familiar place in the Western...
Loading your updates...