Novelist Thando Mgqolozana has declared that he will boycott the Franschhoek Literary Festival because he is tired of appearing in front of mostly white people who ostensibly view him not "as a literary talent, but as an anthropological subject". Though the festival's audience does undoubtedly need to become more diverse, in fixating on its paleness we lose sight of the bigger picture.The festival was not created just to titillate and challenge people (of any race) with lively discussions: it was established also to improve the literacy of children in the Franschhoek Valley and to foster in them a love of books and literature.The proceeds of the festival go to a library fund that has given thousands of books (in isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English) to schools and creches in the valley, and employs a roving librarian who works alongside four library assistants, one in each primary school.At the festival's annual Book Week for Young Readers, 55 authors interacted with each of the valley's 5000 schoolchildren this year. And hundreds of children from across the Western Cape were bused in to attend events on the festival's opening day.The festival provides discounted student tickets for R20 and free tickets for disadvantaged schools.In other words, it is trying - really hard.In a panel discussion on Sunday, Mgqolozana suggested the organisers were "okay" with the lack of diversity in the audience, but they are not. In the conversations I've had with them, it's clear that this is an issue they've long grappled with and are anxious to change. They are open to ideas about ways in which the festival can be more inclusive and diverse.Festival director Ann Donald told The Times: " Stepping back from defensiveness to listen is critical if we are to move forward. The FLF is listening."If we want our literary events to embody our nation's diversity, we need more talk, not less. We need more openness. We need more attempts at understanding. We need more platforms like the Franschhoek festival.In a recent interview with The Daily Vox, Mgqolozana bemoaned the lack of literary activity in townships and rural areas - among the very people he writes about; the people he wants to read his books."I don't have a lot of money to open a bookshop in Khayelitsha. I'm hoping somebody will hear what I'm saying and do something about it," he said.What can Mgqolozana do? What can we all do? Across our country, how can writers, readers, publishers, communities, businesses and the government nurture reading and writing in all of our many wonderful languages?The literary festival is already trying to answer that, as Franschhoek school libraries packed with new books can attest.Matthews is editor of Aerodrome website and magazine..