DANIEL BROWDE

After high school, I spent a year as an exchange student in Sao Paulo, Brazil. On my return to South Africa, I earned a B.A. degree at Wits University, majoring in English and Archaeology. I later completed a postgraduate diploma in journalism at Rhodes University, and worked as an editor at Business Day newspaper in Johannesburg for seven years.

I transitioned to freelance editing in 2012, gradually shifting into developmental editing and manuscript coaching, while maintaining my own writing practice. In 2016, I published an experimental biography of my grandfather, titled The Relatively Public Life of Jules Browde, which was longlisted for the Alan Paton Award the following year.

I have also had a decades-long interest in Buddhist thought and practice, and have taught meditation both privately and in group settings. I believe the lessons of Buddhism, which emphasise the importance of patience, forbearance, and compassion towards ourselves under all circumstances, can be extremely helpful to writers. The writing path is full of obstacles, but if we are deliberate about it, we can "transform all mishaps into the path of awakening".