‘1001 Titles’ announces creative writing retreat for Emirati and Arab writers

As part of the ongoing Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 celebrations, The 1001 Titles, has announced the launch of a creative writing retreat for Emirati and Arab writers, based in the UAE aged 18 – 40. 

To be held from February 15 – 24 at Al Badayer Oasis Hotel, Sharjah, the writing retreat is sponsored by Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature and is held in collaboration with the Sharjah World Book Capital (SWBC) Office. The project aims to upskill young writers and hone their craft, and thereby empower them to advance and enrich the creative production in the UAE. 

The programme will feature a series of intensive creative writing workshops, which will take participants through the step-by-step process of writing with a focus on the basics of freestyle writing and creative writing. The literary retreat will also include free writing sessions, group discussions, one-on-one coaching as well as field trips. 

Highlighting the importance of the programme, Majd Al Shehhi, Manager of the 1001 Titles initiative said: “This retreat has been designed to further our commitment to advance professional knowledge and nurture the immense literary potential of writers in the UAE and Arab region, especially in young writers. We believe this project will go a long way in enriching their experiences, offer them a platform for ideation and exchange, and ultimately drive the growth of the publishing sector. The workshops are focused on enhancing participants’ pre-writing skills by highlighting the experiences of leading Arab authors, and is an excellent opportunity for our new generation of writers to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of the best in the field.”

The creative writing retreat will mark a significant phase in the creative and professional journeys of its participants, by providing them with the tools and expertise to fully understand and demarcate the stages of writing, which includes planning, scripting, review and publishing. They will also pick up important tips on how to choose the right artist/illustrator best suited to their content and the right publishing house, in order to fully capitalise on the opportunity of telling their story. 

Themed ‘Nurturing Talent to Enrich Content’, the 1001 Titles is a cultural initiative launched in February 2016. The first phase of the initiative successfully achieved its goal of supporting the publication of 1,001 first-edition Arabic books, which signalled a big step forward in enhancing the UAE’s collective intellectual product. Through subsequent editions, the initiative ultimately seeks to ensure the growth and sustainability of the publishing industry in the UAE and beyond.