Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard The Hidden Lives of Writers

S06 E06 Zibu Sithole

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Zibu Sithole is the popular and multi-award-nominated author of the ZOLA trilogy of novels. The final novel in the trilogy LOVE, ZOLA is published by Pan Macmillan and is in bookstores right now.

Zibu joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about why she feels it is her duty to write aspirational fiction for young black women, and why she dislikes the stereotype that women characters must suffer in order for literature to be good.

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Chapters
  • 00:00 Writing challenges and new ideas
  • 03:31 Recent media consumption
  • 07:30 Introduction of guest Zibu Sithole
  • 08:37 Zibu's writing process
  • 13:44 Zibu's career as a ghostwriter
  • 23:27 Transition to writing under her own name
  • 26:20 Writing process and character development
  • 32:04 Readers' response and literary criticism
  • 33:42 Inspiration and influences
  • 45:09 Setting and authenticity
  • 46:08 Changing perspectives on marriage in romance
  • 49:08 Nigerian publishing deal
  • 51:32 Future projects
  • 54:18 Current media consumption
  • 57:33 Conclusion and reflections
13 Oct 2025 English South Africa Books · Arts

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