Meet Ekta Somera: South African woman on the rise...
- Brett Anderson
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
My name is Brett “Fish” Anderson and I am a writer and poet from South Africa. My most recent poetry book, titled, Not water, JUST ICE! was released earlier this year and would not have been made possible without this month’s creative, my friend Ekta Somera.
I met Ekta online through what was then called Twitter [most of us still refuse to call it X] when she was producing a regular digital magazine called the Paper Trail Literary Journal and graciously published a few of my poems in it.
I then joined the ‘Lit in Literature’ WhatsApp community group she had created where poets and story-writers receive daily prompts of maybe a picture or a phrase and are invited to share poems with the group that they write based on those prompts. i was one of the earliest members of this group and it has been incredible to watch how much life and transformation it has given to the more than hundred participants who have entered that space.
At some point we had a publisher, Alta Haffner, from Sakura Publishing, join the group and a number of poets and story writers, including myself, took the opportunity to get our own books published.
When I met her, Ekta was a passionate and obviously talented young woman with a gift for creativity and championing the rights and words of others and i have only seen her grow and flourish into roles and spaces where her talent and heart have really shone. It is an honour to know her and get to work and write alongside her and really wanted to take this opportunity to invite you all to get to know her a little better.
So who is Ekta Somera?
Well, in her own words, Ekta Somera is a South African storyteller. She is the founder of Paper Trail Literary Press and works as a publisher, bringing visions to life and turning ideas into books. As the children’s author of Lilly the Llama Party Drama, Ekta hopes to inspire a new generation of children to use their imagination boldly. Her poetry collections, Made in Poetry, Twenty-Two, and Social Misfit, reflect her journey through life’s complexities and encourage readers to embrace who they are. Guided by kindness and humility, she uses storytelling to heal, empower, and champion young voices across South Africa. Ekta was named among Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans in 2022.
I thought it would be interesting to have Ekta write this piece herself through the lens of a couple of questions i posed to her and so please enjoy this journey into some of the story of one of South Africa’s most talented up-and-coming writers and young leaders:
When and Where and How were you inspired to write?
I don't think there was one defining moment where I decided I wanted to be a writer. Writing was always there. I was a child who spent a lot of time reading and daydreaming and trying to make sense of things. When I was younger, I found it much easier to write down what I was feeling than to say it out loud. A lot of my early writing came from wanting to understand myself and the world around me.
Poetry especially became a place where I could ask questions I didn't necessarily have answers to. What started as something very personal slowly became something I wanted to share with other people. I've never really stopped writing. The reasons have changed over the years, but it's still the place I return to when I need clarity, comfort, or a way to process what's happening around me.
As children who read, books are always these magical kind of items that mysterious entities somewhere out there are probably responsible and we likely don't give it much thought. But now you have three poetry books and at least one children's book with more on the way. Talk us through a little bit of your journey of that mystical magical out-there thing becoming a reality for you.
Honestly, I think becoming an author made me realise just how human books really are. When you're young, books seem to arrive fully formed. You don't think about the years of doubt, editing, rewriting, rejection, and persistence that often happen behind the scenes. You just see the finished product. My first book didn't happen because I suddenly felt ready. It happened because eventually I got tired of waiting to feel ready. There came a point where I realised that if I wanted these stories and poems to exist in the world, I had to be brave enough to let them go. Each book has taught me something different.
Made in Poetry was about finding my footing. Twenty-Two captured a particular season of my life. Social Misfit explored many of the themes I'd been wrestling with for years. Then Lilly the Llama Party Drama opened a completely different door and reminded me how much joy there is in writing for children. The magic hasn't disappeared. If anything, it's grown. The difference is that now I know that magic is actually made up of hard work, vulnerability, community, and a lot of stubbornness.
A lot of your poetry contains difficult of painful subject matter and much of that is personal. How has expressing some of your story in poetry helped or hindered your own healing? Have you, for example, ever received pushback for something you wrote because someone in your life realised it was about them?
Poetry has helped me heal in ways I don't think I fully understood when I started writing. Sometimes experiences feel too big or too complicated to carry around in your head. Writing gives them somewhere to go. It allows you to look at something painful from a different angle and sometimes even find meaning in it.
Ekta Somera
That doesn't mean it's always easy. Being honest on the page can be uncomfortable. There are moments when you wonder whether you've shared too much or whether people will understand what you're trying to say. As for people recognising themselves in my work, I think that's always a possibility when you write from personal experience. The interesting thing is that readers often assume they know exactly who a poem is about when the reality is usually much more complicated. Most poems are made up of many experiences, many emotions, and many versions of the truth woven together. I've learned that I can't control how people interpret my work. All I can do is write honestly and trust that the people who need those words will find them.
Walk us through a little bit of the journey of Paper Trail Journal and the Lit in Literature WhatsApp poetry group. How did they move from idea and concept into thriving communities where so many different people have been able to find their own voices and collaborate and create such beautiful things?
Both started from something quite simple. I knew how lonely writing could feel. A lot of writers are creating incredible work in isolation. They don't always have people around them who understand what they're trying to do or who can offer encouragement and feedback. What began as small ideas gradually became communities because people were looking for connection. Writers showed up. They shared their work. They supported one another. They celebrated each other's successes.
The most rewarding part has never been my own achievements. It's been watching other people grow. Seeing someone share their work publicly for the first time. Watching writers who doubted themselves become more confident. Seeing collaborations form and friendships develop. Paper Trail and Lit in Literature were never really about me. They were about creating spaces where people felt welcome enough to tell their stories.
Your most recent venture is starting your own publishing house. What is your hope and dream for that and how can people get involved?
The dream is actually quite simple. I want publishing to feel less intimidating. There are so many talented writers with incredible stories to tell, but the publishing world can feel overwhelming when you're first starting out. A lot of people don't know where to begin, what their options are, or whether their work is good enough. I want to help bridge that gap. I want to help writers navigate the process, develop their work, and feel supported along the way.
More than anything, I want to build something that values people as much as it values books. People can get involved by supporting local authors, submitting their work, attending events, sharing opportunities with other writers, and becoming part of the wider literary community. Publishing works best when it feels like a conversation rather than a gate.
Much of your earlier writing was about struggles with identity and maybe even self-worth. What do you think thirteen-year-old Ekta would have to say about present day Ekta and how far she has come?
I think thirteen-year-old Ekta would be shocked. Not because I've published books or received recognition, but because I made it through being thirteen. I was insecure. I questioned myself constantly. I wanted so badly to belong somewhere. I spent a lot of time feeling like I was either too much or not enough. I think she'd be relieved to know that things get better. That she eventually finds people who understand her. That she builds communities instead of just searching for them. That the things she was once embarrassed about become some of the very things that make her writing meaningful.
She'd probably still think I'm a little weird, but she'd be proud. And honestly, I think I'd be proud of her too. She kept going when she wasn't sure where she fit in. Everything I've done started with that young girl who refused to stop writing.
Who were some of the people and what were some of the moments in your own writing journey that feel significant in terms of helping shape the path you took and keeping you motivated and believing in yourself?
There isn't one person I can point to. My journey has been shaped by both the people who believed in me and the people who didn't. As strange as it sounds, some of my biggest motivation came from those who criticised me, doubted me, or made me feel like I wouldn't accomplish much in life.
Every time someone underestimated me, it gave me another reason to keep going and prove, not just to them but to myself, that they were wrong. At the same time, I wouldn't be where I am without the people who believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself. The friends, mentors, fellow writers, readers, and supporters who encouraged me along the way played an important role in helping me keep moving forward.
I think both groups shaped me. One taught me resilience. The other reminded me why I should keep going.
Would also love to hear some stories about Lilly and her world [your children’s story book]and where you see that going.
Lilly arrived at a time when I wanted to explore a different kind of storytelling. A lot of my poetry deals with complex emotions and difficult experiences, but children's literature gave me the opportunity to approach important themes through curiosity, humour, friendship, and adventure. What I love most about Lilly is that she's not perfect. She's learning, making mistakes, navigating social situations, and figuring things out as she goes.
I think children connect with characters who feel real, even when they're llamas. I have lots of ideas for Lilly's future adventures. I'd love to continue expanding her world and introducing new characters, new lessons, and new opportunities for young readers to see themselves reflected in the stories. If my poetry asks questions, Lilly's stories invite children to explore possible answers. Both are trying to do the same thing in different ways. They're trying to help people feel a little less alone.
[For those of you who would like to connect with Ekta and engage with her writing or maybe join any of her poetry spaces, you can find her on Tik Tok @ektasomera and also take a look at the Paper Trail Journal on Twitter [X] @PaperTrailZA and look out for her publishing company, Paper Trail Literary Press.]
About Content Writer,
Brett "Fish" Anderson
A writer, improvisor, speaker, and poet, but above all tries to be a lover of God and people, Brett is trying to spend his life becoming a better version of himself and motivating others to work to make the world a better place for everyone who lives in it.
He is the author of two books, one of which is a Poetry collection titiled:
Not water, JUST ICE! Available at:
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