“Leave each chapter on a cliffhanger and end with one final big scare.”
This is how author De Wet Hugo describes his ‘Grilgrypers’ series, which he has been travelling around the country promoting.
Some of the titles include Die Vloek van Vreesbaai, Web van die Mummie and Kamp vir Monsters.
De Wet recently visited Germiston as part of his tour, where he presented a workshop at School of Achievement.
During the workshop, De Wet shared his writing process with the teachers in the hope that this would help them to encourage and guide their learners to write their own stories.
The GCN sat down with De Wet before the workshop to find out more about the bright-eyed and enthusiastic man behind the horrifying tales.
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De Wet grew up on a farm in the Boland, Western Cape, but now calls himself a Kleinmonder, after the small town of Kleinmond, which is close to Hermanus.
“I have been living in Saudi Arabia for the last nine years,” said De Wet.
“I will be heading back there in August.
“But in South Africa, Kleinmond is home after we sold the farm.”
When asked how his horror story journey began, De Wet, who loved to read Stephen King novels when he was younger, explained, “Well, it is a very popular genre, especially in younger readers from nine to 12 years old.
“I wrote one book and sent it to my publisher, who loved it and got a positive review from an outside reviewer.
“I never planned to write a series, but after the positive review, I was asked if I could write more books because my publisher thought the stories would work better as a series.
“It was a great opportunity and, let us be honest, who would say no to writing more books?
“I am incredibly grateful.”
When asked to describe his books, De Wet said with a laugh, “I am trying to say this in the most humble way possible, but they are way better than Goosebumps.
“My books are real horror but fun.
“The books have short chapters, which are great for children as it keeps them going.
“I have been complimented on the length of the chapters as people say it is so easy to read another and another and another.”
De Wet aims to make the series relatable to both boys and girls and switches the protagonist’s gender in each book.
“In one book, I will have a girl, in the next a boy and so on,” he said.
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When asked more about his writing process, De Wet explained that though his books fall within a series, they are all stand-alone stories, but with one thing in common.
“Each of my protagonists will have a fear, be it a fear of dogs or reptiles or trees or spiders,” he said.
“So the first thing I decide on is the villain or fear.
“I then think of the setting, because the protagonists cannot always just arrive in a new town.
“And then the ending, because it has to end with one last big chill.
“Once I have all that together, I start plotting the book, seeing it in my mind like a movie.”
When looking back, De Wet feels he has always had a knack for writing, receiving compliments and awards growing up, but he wouldn’t say it was a childhood dream to become an author.
“I don’t think I considered writing as a career, though I have always admired authors,” he said.
“Writing a book seems like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to a child and even to some grown-ups.
“But as I grew older, I realised I was pretty good at writing short things, but a book still seemed like too much.
“After completing a writing course, I published some children’s rhymes and short stories and afterwards I pushed myself to write a book.”
De Wet hopes to publish at least one book a year until he can’t any more.
“I never want to give up writing,” he said.
As a primary school teacher, De Wet believes it is vital to get children reading from a young age.
“It helps with so many things, from spelling to sentence construction,” he said.
“I am so proud that books I have written can be found in libraries in South Africa and that I have contributed something towards the literature of our country.”
Be sure to attend the South African Book Fair:
Reading is not a chore but a pleasure and we should remember that this National Book Week, which is from September 2 to 8.
The South African Book Fair (#SABF2019) will be held during this week from September 6 to 8, at the Women’s Jail on Constitution Hill at 11 Kotze Street in Johannesburg.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za
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