ALMATY – Sozday, a Kazakh independent literary magazine, provides a unique platform for emerging writers and poets, and established names, to share their stories with a broader audience. In an interview with The Astana Times, Ilya Odegov, the magazine’s chief editor, discussed the idea behind the journal, the current state of the literary scene in Kazakhstan and the challenges it faces.
The idea behind a literary journal
Sozday Chief Editor, Ilya Odegov. Photo credit: Aibarshyn Akhmetkali/The Astana Times
For Odegov, the magazine’s founder and author of writing courses, the initiative is a natural extension of a decades-long career dedicated to teaching people to write and persist in it. Since founding Sozday last year, which stems from the Kazakh word “soz,” meaning “word,” Odegov has shaped the journal around the idea of uniting people through creativity, setting aside political and social differences.
Encouraging young writers is a significant endeavour, as it might be incredibly difficult to get started.
“Having run a literary school for many years, with hundreds of writers passing through it, I came to realize that there are so many authors and writers out there—and yet, they have no place to go. Some of them tried: I saw how they took the first steps, but when things didn’t work out, they gave up. Others kept writing and found their way into other markets, publishing in magazines in Russia or even further abroad,” Odegov said.
Sozday was created out of the demand for emerging and aspiring authors to publish their first works.
“There are hardly any magazines like this, ones that you can pick up and it feels like you’re holding a real book. For a writer, especially publishing for the first time, that’s such a big deal. It’s incredibly motivating to hold it in your hands and realize: ‘This is it. I’m officially an author now.’ The magazine becomes that first step in that direction,” said Odegov.
“Sure, you can share your poems or stories online, on Facebook or wherever. But coming to a presentation, reading your work aloud, and holding the physical magazine, there’s something truly special about that,” he added.
Never too late
The list of Sozday authors is purposely diverse. The editorial committee does not set an age limit and encourages submissions from all age groups. Madlen Beilina, 79, a native of Almaty, has published her first small collection of poems in the magazine.
“An event like this is happening for the first time in my life. You know, I’ve been around for a while, and hoping to stay in [the minds of others] in this way is a great thing, honestly,” said Beilina.
Madlen Beilina, a native of Almaty, at 79, has published her first small collection of poems in the magazine. Photo provided by Ilya Odegov.
Like many poets, she began writing at a young age but had never pursued a career as a published author until now. After a lifetime, the feelings of inspiration and creativity are still fresh with her every new poem.
“I have loved reading all my life—it was everything to me. So learning to write poetry wasn’t difficult. By then, I had already developed a taste for it. And really, I didn’t force it. There isn’t a single poem I don’t cherish. Somehow, I always wrote from the heart,” Beilina said.
A theater in Almaty recently hosted a gathering of authors who presented the third issue of the journal.
“It was a gathering of like-minded people. That’s always a pleasure. But this is not just a warm company – these are creative people. These are people who are interested, who are in the process, who represent something. I sensed that the moment I held the magazine in my hands,” Beilina said.
Kazakhstan’s literary scene
Many factors affect one’s ability to commit to writing full-time. Besides stable income issues, the shortage of publishing houses makes writing a less appealing career choice. However, with a rising number of commercial publishers and a broader audience, literature is in higher demand, and it can now help authors pay their bills.
“In general, commercial publishing houses appeared in our country literally around three years ago. This is a very recent development. For many years, publishing houses existed either on state grants or on the authors’ money, which meant that the authors received nothing from this, but rather spent money,” Odegov explained.
This spring, Sozday presented its third issue. Photo provided by Ilya Odegov
“Only around three years ago did publishing houses emerge that are willing to invest and promote authors. Now, authors are finally earning money, as they should, though it’s still not a lot, I think,” he added.
The limited number of literary journals also leaves writers, especially newcomers, with very few opportunities to get published.
“There are only around three or four magazines in all of Kazakhstan. That’s not many, because if you look at some of the larger countries, like China or the United States, there are hundreds of these magazines, not just a dozen,” Odegov said.
Another challenge is the lack of institutions where aspiring writers can receive proper education and training.
“My school is one of the few places where you can learn the craft of writing. In many places around the world, there are creative writing departments at universities, and people go there to learn how to write professionally,” said Odegov.
“For some reason, there’s an impression that, say, an artist needs to learn how to draw; there are schools, colleges, universities dedicated to that. But writing is a profession too. It also involves techniques, tools, and an understanding of how the process works. A writer needs to learn the craft just the same. Talent matters, but craft is no less important,” he added.
On a positive note, authors from outside the mainstream literature genres are emerging in Kazakhstan.
“There are more and more female voices emerging in literature. Increasingly, they’re writing about themes connected to family, ancestry or history. I also see a rise in genre literature, which we didn’t have before. Now that the market is growing, genre authors writing fiction, detectives or horror have finally started to emerge,” Odegov said.
The diverse backgrounds and professions of those drawn to writing genuinely inspire Odegov to continue his work.
“What makes me the happiest is that every year – and at first I have watched this with interest, then with surprise, and now with a real joy – people come to me wanting to learn how to write, wanting to become writers,” said Odegov.
“Even though they understand that it’s unlikely to bring them large money or global fame, they understand the risks and still pursue it, not out of a rational desire to gain something, but because something inside them is calling. And these people keep showing up, again and again, which makes me believe that nothing is lost—everything is still ahead of us,” he said.
