Lessons from Oxford: On Building Your Writing Persona

owning your writing profession & experimenting + upcoming events!

Hello writerly peeps,

I hope you’ve all been well <3

I would say it’s been a while, but I don’t want it to become a trend. I was ill for a significant part of January but also struggling with what to write about. However, after some reflection and a conversation with one of my dear friends, I decided I’ll show up three Fridays every month regardless of how short the newsletter is, as long as it’s beneficial and impactful.

The biggest thing I worried about was whether I had enough to say that would benefit you, and apparently I do. There’s so much to talk about in writing – from the craft itself to habits and mindset to the world of publishing (friends, it’s a wild world out here is all I’m saying for now).

I had another residency round at uni, which was fun and intense as expected, with a lot of realisation and learning. One of my biggest takeaways is a daily practice I’ve adopted inspired by one of my professors, Fred D’Aguiar.

In a seminar about short stories, he spent ample time talking about the importance of fostering a writing persona. This entails thinking of yourself as a writer beyond the moment when you sit down to write. Our writing is usually influenced by what we notice in the world, so by maintaining this mindset, you might find that ideas spring out in unexpected moments.

In order to cultivate this practice, he suggested imagining yourself being shadowed by the writer version of yourself, so whenever you enter any space, pay attention to what would interest you as a writer – and make a note of it where possible.

If you’re unable to do this as often as you’d like, spend five minutes at the end of the day writing about what stood out to you throughout the day – strive to engage senses other than sight as it elevates your experience. The more you do this, the more it becomes second nature, and it will be reflected in your work as a writer.

Since I returned from Oxford, I’ve been dedicating some time to this every night before bed. I allow my imagination to run wherever with no expectation at all to share what I write or to utilise the content. It may come in handy one day, but that’s for Future Suad to figure out. I think this practice is one which also helps you discover your writerly voice as it allows room for experimenting and figuring out what feels natural, comfortable, different etc.

Here’s a snippet from one of my nightly sessions inspired by a conversation (I have no idea where it’s headed but I enjoyed writing it):

she knew sugar-coated peanuts were bad for her heart and her face, yet she ate four handfuls first thing in the morning and last thing at night – a ritual for the past 459 days. she wondered just how much longer it would take for the thing to kill her.

she could have orchestrated a better suicide plan, but she knew what people said of those who planned their suicide, so she had to make her death seem natural, except the peanuts didn’t seem to be doing their job. the doctor specified exactly how much she was allowed to consume, and she’d gone out of her way to do four times that figure, yet nothing.

she always knew she could never trust doctors, not since Furqan left her.

I invite you to try this out and see how you find it! Notice what naturally catches your attention, as well as what you need to train yourself to pay attention to. Feel free to share your writing in the comments - would love to read it!

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Events & Opportunities

Rowayat Literary Magazine is open to submissions! The theme for this issue is faith, and they’re looking for fiction and creative non-fiction pieces. Deadline: 15th February 2023

The Asian Writer has a great event coming up 4-5 March, packed with stellar writers - including yours truly. Secure your tickets*.

*They’re offering a bursary for low income writers

For UK-based writers, the London Library Emerging Writers Programme is open for applications until the 2nd of March! All you need is 1000 words of creative sample, a personal statement and a bio. This is a great opportunity to develop your craft, build a writing network and benefit from ample resources.

Finally, for my science fiction and fantasy babes, the Future Worlds Prize have extended their deadline to 20th February! For a £4000 prize, you have nothing to lose by entering. You will need: 5000-10000 words extract of a short story or novel, a covering letter and a synopsis.

Also, someone shared this uber-amazing spreadsheet of writing competitions this year. You might find it beneficial!

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In light of keeping this letter simple, I shall end here. If you found this beneficial at all, please shout about it to your friends and acquaintances!

Till next Friday,

Suad