Writers – Strokes of My Pen

Guest Posts

ANNOUNCING THE UGANDA INTERNATIONAL WRITERS CONFERENCE

By Racheal Kizza February 18, 2019

Participating delegates will be: Writers, poets, bloggers, playwrights, publishing professionals, critics, academics, journalists and books enthusiasts from Africa and its Diaspora.

Expect an eclectic mix of exciting activities including:

*Panel discussions on stimulating and thought-provoking conversations
*An ‘In Conversation With’ session with Jackie Kay
*Book launch: Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (published May, 2019)
*A literary evening of poetry performances and readings

For additional information, registration fees and any other queries, please contact us on:

Email:info@africanwriterstrust.org |kizzaatawt@gmail.com

Telephone number: +256 752 570573

Post: P.O Box 6753, Kampala, Uganda

Website: www.africanwriterstrust.org

Creative Non-Fiction

THE ABCs OF STARTING A WORDPRESS BLOG

By Imran Abdallah January 5, 2019

It has been claimed in some circles that if the entire non-geek populace of the world were to file up and spend the next century kissing the ring fingers of geeks, it would still not suffice as remittance for all the little joys of life they have brought us. One kid in Harvard coughs and voila, Facebook! Another sneezes at Carnegie Mellon and boom! Instagram!

As with everything else brought by these guys same with blogging culture. It was born of an idle pastime. Fresh from gifting the world the internet and the world wide web, the geek overlords of the nineties decided to kill time by writing daily ‘web-logs’ about their pets. Several years down the way, the technology matured and assumed the currently acceptable common name: blogging. Blogger arose during this time and soon after, WordPress as platforms to support the creation of blogs for the non-programmer resident of the Internet. WordPress now powers a third of the content that is on the entire world wide web with no signs of slowing down!

If your neighbours, or your colleagues have been all up your nose pestering you to get yourself a WordPress blog but you don’t know how, then grab a chair and make yourself comfortable, because this article is for you.

Creating a WordPress Account
To get started with your new super awesome WordPress blog, you’ll first need a WordPress account. For that you’ll need an email, which every man, woman and toddler living in this century is assigned automatically when they are hooked into the Matrix for the first time.
Once you’ve recovered yours, find a browser, type in wordpress.com in the address bar. That should land you here:

The next part is as complex as saying your ABCs out loud. You click on the ‘Get Started’ link at the top right.

You should fill in your email address in this screen as well as your chosen username and password for your new account and click on ‘Create Your Account’.

Creating a WordPress Blog

In this next screen, you get to fill in all the details about your new blog from the name, to other ooey gooey subjects like the topic it will cover and your primary goals and so on. Now, for the last section, please do resist the temptation to impress the Chinese hacker who is snooping on your desktop and answer as honestly as possible, it’s really for your own good.
Once done click on continue..

This next part is crucial, you get to choose your blog’s address, which is just as it sounds an ‘address’ for your site. This is what your friends will type in their browsers’ address bar to visit your blog. Choose wisely. Unique is good, short is better, a mix of the two is perfection.
Because the account we’re creating is a free one, you should proceed to select the free option as offered from those listed. The downside being that it will have ‘’.wordpress.com’’ attached to it.

You know what to do here ?

Customizing your WordPress Blog

Once all of that is done, you should see the screen above, which is what is famously called ‘the WordPress Dashboard.’

Over the next several years of your life, should you choose to be serious about your blog, you will get so intimate with this dashboard that you’ll probably end up giving it a nickname. Don’t ask me what I call mine.
At this point, you can follow the step by step instructions shown on this main screen up until the point it asks you to publish a new post or simply continue with this tutorial.

First, you need to confirm your email address. Log into your email and look for the email sent by wordpress. Click on the link to confirm which should redirect you to the Dashboard.

Now scroll all the way down on the menu to the left until you find the option ‘Customise.’ Next to it should be the option ‘Themes’. Go ahead and click there.

Now, a theme is really crucial for whatever blog you’re planning to create. Next to the name, the theme of your blog has to embody the type of content that will be posted there and plays a big role in preparing your readers for the kind of content you often post there. So choose wisely, but no pressure.
Of course, thankfully, WordPress has an intelligent search engine in which you can specify the kind of content (subject) that will appear there (photography etc) as well as the style of the theme (whimsical, minimal etc) and wordpress will filter the themes for you.

Once you’ve chosen a theme, click on customize.

Once here, feel free to tinker to your tinkering twinkle heart’s content. Play around with the fonts, with the header image until you find a combination that works best for you. Once done, click on the ‘Publish’ button at the top left side of the page.

The widgets tab if you’ve noticed it is a great place to add more functionality and ‘spice’ to your blog. There are several different widgets available for a free WordPress blog, to link to your facebook or Instagram pages, to add links to your most popular posts, most recent comments and so on.

Once you’re pleased with the outlook of your blog, you should be ready to publish your first post. So jump right in and go wild.

Additional Material

Next to the ‘My Site’ tab on the Dashboard, is the ‘Wordpress Reader’ which is one of the best parts of WordPress. In fact, so much so, that if WordPress was Hercules, then this would be his non-human half’s powers manifesting themselves. WordPress is made different from other blogging platform by the community ‘vibe’ in it. The reader is where you get to experience it.

Here you can search for and read other WordPress blogs, follow them, comment and ‘like’ posts. Your comments on all blogs are also neatly stacked together in the ‘Conversations’ tab.
The ‘Tag’ tab is the cream of the pie, however. Here you can follow any topic that is tagged when users post in their wordpress blogs. These are usually topics or writing genres such as ‘creative writing’ or ‘science fiction’ or even ‘Michelle Obama’. Neat, huh?

Now that you have the low-down on WordPress mechanics (and politics), you should be ready to set off on your journey to entertain, inspire and rip the cosmos into a billion pieces. So to that I say good luck and Godspeed!

Share this with someone who may need it 🙂

Creative Non-Fiction

AN AFFECTION FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS

By Lubnah Abdulhalim October 6, 2016

Photo courtesy: http://www.steamfeed.com/

By: Ibrahim Al Jabri

I often critique our societal norms and structure in respect to happiness,to try to find the source of our unhappiness. One of the greatest factors that correlate to societal norms and happiness is financial success, how we define it and it’s acceptable attainability.

It’s important to mention that we are beings dependant on a sense of level of satiability. Are we satisfied with our level of success ? If we’re not then we immediately retreat to depression and self doubt. In this regard we are deeply flawed.

In my country especially, there’s just not enough good jobs out there for the taking and it creates a deeply competitive market that capitalizes on niche qualifications. This creates a rush to degree courses and specializations on markets that can sustain our need of financial success,our need to one day flaunt it.

Now personally I did look at job markets before choosing my degree , I had to do so much research on the monetary value of certain employment opportunities over others that I forgot what’s truly important. Passion. Am I interested in this field or am I chasing financial gains ?

It’s not my fault for being so crass in the way I choose , I was programmed that way by a failing market.

No one should have to choose passion over financial success. In a working economy all of our interests would warrant sufficient compensation, I would be able to survive just a writer we wouldn’t all be pigeonholed into being doctors and lawyers oh and let’s not forget pilots.

If I had a penny for every smart as a bag of hair medical student who’s parent is rich enough to pay for the novelty of a Dr tittle I’d be rich enough to survive on my writing alone.

Feel free ( or don’t ) to replace the above example with any degree course that isn’t in the arts as I have no qualms that are degree-specific.

The only reason I’m not in a liberal arts college ( besides that my country doesn’t have one ) studying literature and creative writing is the fact that I don’t want to be homeless. Its that simple. We give up our passions for realistic degrees that pay well and once we are financially stable we yearn for happiness.

I can only hope that there’s a niche market out there for writers without any college level training in writing.

My future happiness is banking on it.

You can follow Black Ink Society on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/sheikheditorial/ or read more of their amazing posts at: http://blogmehomey.blogspot.co.ke/

Inspiration

I LOVE YOU FOR THE SAKE OF THE BROKEN PEOPLE WHO NEED YOU

By Lubnah Abdulhalim August 23, 2016

Photo Courtesy: www.pinterest.com

You know if I told you right now I have realized that the world is square, you would tell me I am crazy. If I added that the square world is not meant for all human beings, that people should be living in mars where we all weigh much less, you would say I am totally nuts AND weird. But what if, just what if, a square world seems like a box to me; my own world and all I have to do is keep thinking outside it? Think beyond my own life? That maybe Mars is what I consider everyone’s world? And that is where I should keep focusing on?

All this doesn’t make sense right? This sounds worse than Greek. This just made you seem like a dyslexic person and you did not get anything. Or maybe, it makes a little bit of sense. Or a lot more. Or it totally makes sense. It always depend on who is reading this. Well, this post is dedicated to all those who could find meaning in my first paragraph. The message itself is pointless in this context but all this is about the ability in finding meaning. It is meant for everyone who could read between those lines. It is meant for every writer, every poet, every deep person, every humanitarian, every artist who sees the world with a third eye. This might as well be read by everyone. But this is specifically for you. For a special person like you.

One of the most scary things about writing, about being a poet or simply having the ability to connect with people; you become vulnerable to all kinds of judgments. You remain misunderstood for a whole lifetime. Your words are twisted. Your personality is scrutinized with a microscope. Your intentions are full of myths and misconceptions. You become more than just a name. More than just what you do or what you write about. You are no longer so and so the writer or the poet. You become so and so the complainer, the drama queen, the sadness addict, the black swan, the ranting squirrel, the word-attacker, disturbia, the over-reacting brat, you become the darkness itself. You become all people’s judgments together. You become just what they decide to think of you. And sometimes or most of the times, you can’t correct their disillusioned vision or their twisted thoughts of you. You can’t start justifying yourself to everyone. You can’t start telling them who you really are. Because if they really opened your heart for them to see what is inside you, they wouldn’t do any better than judge you for all that is within you. And funny thing is, when you post something on your personal account, they judge you and mock you for all the deepness yet if those same words are seen on a different page or even your site they will praise your master pieces. They will just take it like any other art work. But due to their shallow thinking and double standards, they mock you when it appears under your name because they somehow know you. Haha and trust me, these are the same people who would be praising and sharing Yasmin Mogahed’s deepest posts, R.H.Sin, Drake, Her blank canvas or her silent perception. Oh well but because this is YOU and they think they know you, they make you seem like a dry flower in a desert that’s desperately seeking attention like it’s water. Lol they would even be reading this and their twisted minds make them think that I am filing a complaint here too ? So yes, it is pointless after all.

Many a times I wished that I could do something else other than write. I wished that perhaps I could just be that crazy kind of a person who can literally ignore all that happens with them or in their lives. I’ve wished I could do anything else to survive other than write. You know like how sometimes you write something and someone quickly comments how weak you are or how you post something deep and they think you are always letting the world know what you are going through. Or how you speak out your mind and they mock you for it. I for one have struggled to keep writing because I just wanted to avoid judgments and speculation on what is going on in my life. But you all know the truth don’t you? You know why we write, You know why we have all those deep posts on our timelines, you know why we express ourselves and be brutally and vulnerably honest. You know it is because we see the world so differently, you connect with people too deeply, you empathize with people, because you have come face to face with darkness, because you know what it means to be broken and whole at the same time. So what if you post what you do? Does it actually define any of our lives? Not really. Does it make you any less human from the rest? Of course not. Does it make you any special? Yes and a big yes, because from what you write and say and sing and do, you are connecting to so many other people. You are the voice of the voiceless. You are someone else’s shadow and light. You are expressing what they would never have the guts to do themselves. So what if you are so different? You forget that you are beautifully different.

Whenever you feel you can’t write something deep and real and honest, remember that someone out there is actually counting on your words to feel better, to feel valued, to feel loved, to stand back up after the terrible fall. Remember all those ‘thank you, this is exactly what I needed to hear right now’, all those phone calls thanking you for making them smile. Remember all those comments and many more comments of people talking of their own experiences and how they relate to your words. Remember that you are someone special in someone’s life. That someone finds light again through you and because you pointed to them the light at the end of the tunnel. You are loved. And I for one, love you for the sake of all the broken people who need you. I love you for being there, even if not exactly physically, for those who are down and sinking.

Please keep writing. Keep doing what you have to. Don’t hesitate to speak out your mind. The world desperately needs more of you ?

Coast & Culture

PROFILING THE MOMBASA BLOGGERS

By Lubnah Abdulhalim July 31, 2016

I’ve been having the art vibes of late and i’ve been trying to showcase the artistic minds that we have around here. The below profiles are written by the writers themselves. Luring enough? I bet you are about to discover that right now. Simply click on their links or to access their blogs directly!

Let’s appreciate each others work. Let’s appreciate the mightiness of the pen together!

Farhaz Khan:

A Kenyan blogger based in the port city of Mombasa who has just been in the business for a year and shows great potential. Kenya Blog Awards Nominee for the year 2016 under best creative writing category and manages to pull off a runner up positions in a tight contest. Nonetheless, a creative writer whose style and choose of words is just unique and always inspiring. KHANFARHAZ describes blogging and writing in famous words of Anais Nin,“We write to taste life twice.” He is the brains behind this blog and has tried to touch on a variety of aspects affecting the society, contemporary issues and even creative writing. Mostly talking of day to day activities and his writings not only make sense to contemporary issues but also as a reader you live each moment with him as you read through this blog. He is and erudite blogger who is ready to showcase the current and actual situation as it is. A promising blogger indeed. Read his work at: https://khanfarhazart.wordpress.com/

Abdulqadir Mahmoud:

What do you do when your phone is low on battery, or when your laptop is dying off, or when someone wants to pay you double…you Recharge. As superior as we are to all that, we often too ware out to a down low while trying to find our way in this maze called Life. Recharge is the kind of blog where life is mapped down to give direction to anyone who needs it. It is a place of connecting with your lost self and giving you back to you, because the only person who can save you, is you. When you fumble to stay strong and dearie life is showing you some tough love, Recharge is the place to be. In simple terms, you know that feeling when all you want to do is lay in bed and just comprehend the painful pangs pulsing out of your heart, burning, eating you slowly and making sure it lets you feel the agony of every bite before it takes another, and it never lets you do anything so that you suffer its anguish? Yep, you need a Recharge. So plug yourself in at www.selfcharge.blogspot.co.ke and free yourself from this dearie sweet monster, called life.

Salma Abdulatif:

mostly referred to as Salummy or Salmun. She is the lady that will never sit back and wait for wonders to happen.

From the lands of the Seas and Camels, a writer was born. A writer that not only seeks to express, but also to impress. A writer that does not only speak through her pen but one that bleeds with the readers…opens wounds untouched, cries amidst the sunset and the sunrise with her pen because she was told by her very own Bic, that as a community, the Bics and HBs have surrendered their lives to her.

Salummy has in her the magic well-crafted that it has powers to transform dead communities and the living corpses. So on her site are 10 categories; Creative Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, African Contemporary Stories, Poetry, Fashion & Design, Airlines and Marine, Things you need to know, Guest posts, Religion & Interviews and Food& Drinks. Her site is like a small mall, all under one roof.

Do not forget to check www.salummy.co.ke for some of her amazing pieces…

Abdul-Rahman “Abu Amirah” Ndegwa:

Is a creative writer based in Mombasa. His main line of writing is flash fiction and short stories with most of his characters assuming Coastal personas once he gives them permission to have a home in his blog akhymjanja.co.ke where they interact with the readers. His short story “The Swahilification of Mutembei” has been short listed for the Writivism 2016 Anthology to be published later in the year.

Abu Amirah also writes for tendi.org, an ensemble of Coastal writers formed after a Kwani? Creative writing workshop in 2015 and also writes the weekly column “Swahilific: Diary of a campus girl” in lifeinmombasa.com, Coastal Kenya’s premier lifestyle magazine.

He is still a work in progress!

Jamila Hassan:

Is founder of Life in Mombasa, Life in Mombasa is a blog for those exploring Mombasa food, culture and architect. Her blog was awarded the ‘best County blog 2016’ by BAKE ( Bloggers Association of Kenya).

The aim of the blog is to change the face of Mombasa, to show the different types of culture through photography and personal blogs. She holds a Bachelors degree in Arts emphasis on Interpersonal communication from Metropolitan State University in Minnesota (USA). You can view her blog at www.LifeinMombasa.com

Mohammed swabri karama:

Ukumbi huu wa mashairihub.wordpress.co

m ni ukumbi wa mashairi ya kiswahili. Tungo zina daraja. Mtu huanza kuwa mshairi apate cheo awe jimbi apate cheo awe shaha kisha awe shaha wa mashaha. Tungo ndizo zinazompa mswahili wasaa wa kueleza fikra zake na mawazo yake alioyonayo. Ukumbi huu ni katika kumbi chache kabisa ambazo zinajitahidi katika kuiboresha fani hii. Ijapokuwa ni fani nzito ila mwandishi anajitahidi kadri ya uwezo wake kutimiza masharti yote ili aweze kufikisha hidia zake kwa hadhira kwa uwazi kabisa na kugusia maswala ibuka katika jamii.

Swaleh Arif:

Still ‘a very new newbie’ in blogging yet a promising blogger.

The third eye isn’t a blog meant for everyone. Only open-minded individuals with a desire to do good and change the world around them will benefit from it. With it’s insightful narratives and eye-opening arguments, the reader should expect to be awakened, but only if they choose to. Emphasis on quality over quantity is observed in this site so as to truly impart tools that will assist the reader in their journey to discover their true selves and open their inner eye.

Issues tackled are mainly racism, government, human rights and topics of similar scope. You can always read his articles at: https://swaleh7arif.wordpress.com/

Rashid Shariff:

Could there,ever,be something serious in funny stuff and funny stuff in something serious?

Exploring different fields, ranging from neuroscience,marketing,economics to social psychology.Rashid Shariff(the guy in the pic) demystifies concepts in these fields using pop culture, and how you can apply them in your day to day life.For example,an article to be published on 2nd August 2016 will show the connection between Gangnam Style and Vilfredo Pareto’s 20/80 principle.

Interested?…find his articles at Shariffspeaks(www.shariffspeaks.wordpress.com) or (shariffspeaks@wordpress.com)

Zubeda Mohamed:

Swift Hands is a literal collection of life put in paper, they are not stories to read and just leave reading. Every part, each piece explains life. If the articles were colours, they would’ve been painted on walls to light everyone’s heart. Touches every vein and pierces the heart, positively!

You can read her amazing master pieces at: http://swifthandsswiftness1.blogspot.co.ke

Abdulmutwalib M. Saggaf:

He is a believer of pen is mighter than sword that is why he expresses his thoughts in his blog (saggaf93.wordpress.com).

Saggaf is known to be a flexible and hardworking gentleman. As in this age where men are thought to hide their emotions and feelings ,instead he expresses it through his writing and fashion style. For example an article that he wrote on this named as “Dress for Success” and other articles like ” I should be working” which is one of his own favourite pieces among others. Saggaf is also a social media enthusiast well known as @saggaf93 in his social media platforms ,a vlogger,a keen model, a student, a friend, brother and uncle.

Over all he is just optimistic guy who is working hard through different channels of life to turn his possibilities into realities.

Shamsudin:

loves the written word and other than being passionate about branding and graphic design,he has a deep fascination for computer tech.

He jots down his thoughts about life in general, most especially about the society and he has been actively generating posts with the prefix “We live in a society….” Via his page ‘Shamsudin Writes’.

He believes there is a lot to be done on society as regards social, economic,spiritual and political improvement.

His topics range from leadership,financial freedom, motivational and inspirational articles. He is more polished in public speaking than writing but firmly believes anything can be learned and acquired.

Once asked what he does during his free time,he said he enjoys reading books.

His favourite mantra is “Holding my pen to speak from my mind to yours so we can reason together.” You can read his work at: https://shamsudinwrites.wordpress.com/

Leyla:

Is a dedicated mother, wife, and community activist who has lived in three different continents. Born of a Kenyan mother (Mombasa origin) and an American father, she explores life’s many questions through a multi-cultural,Islamic, and feminist lens on her blog at www.mwanawapate.wordpress.com

Besides her 9-5 job, she serves as the secretary to the popular community group based in Mombasa called Donge La Mombasa Welfare Group (www.dongelamombasa). She is also the founder and director of The Fatma and Khadija Memorial Library.

She lives in London with her husband, children, and beloved fish called Joho.

OTHER BLOGS TO FOLLOW:

(Beyond Mombasa)

Vintagediaries:

Is a blog by hibaaq osman

(IG:@_vintagediaries_).

She may still be very new in the field but she has us drawn to her posts.

Some people write in hopes of finding a door out of their pain,and giving hope to the broken.

They just spill their hearts out,express whatever we are unable to say and someone somewhere relates to it.

They motivate and inspire us through their words.

This is what vintagediaries

(vintageediaries.wordpress.com)

is all about.

Ahmed Shayo:

His blog talks about the most intimate things that revolve our lives. He speaks of our darkest fears, shedding light to thoughts that linger in secret corners of our hearts. He talks of love, sadness, death and life in a holistic approach, and he does that with a poetic literature that beats your imagination. Epic poetry! Check out his art at: Ahmedshayo014.wordpress.com

These are definitely writers to check out and enjoy what they have to offer. More profiles to come up soon in shaa Allah!

Creative Non-Fiction

JUST A FRUSTRATED WRITER

By Lubnah Abdulhalim May 3, 2016

Photo Courtesy: http://www.amsvans.com/

Sometimes I wish I could be a drama queen.You know like,’You are going to listen to me. Whether you like it or not!’ and just make noise till I get what I want. This has been my thought since morning today. I decided to wake up and do something once again after I had given up on all the newspaper houses I knew of. Well life is all about trying again and again,isn’t it?

I rushed into town with a very well plotted plan on how I was going to go into Nation media and approach the receptionist as confident as ever. I would look into her eyes with such a burn that she would get scared that I am just from murdering someone.I would ask for the editor and of course she would tell me he/she is not around. She would ask me what I need from the editor and that I can leave a message. I would lean forward and tell her in a deadly whisper,’I have a hot story worth your headlines. You better not let me go away from here because I am going to sell this story to the Standard and YOU (pointing at her) will be fired for letting a person like me not meet the editor. You are going to bite your fingers with regret and your editor will hit your head to the wall for making the paper go through such a loss. No other media house will take you in because everyone would have known how you let a story worth millions go to the competitor. Woman,you are going to be miserable forever.’ I would then walk away confidently and she would quickly pick her phone behind my back and whisper something before calling me out loud. I would turn as innocently as ever and ask,’are you calling me?’ and she would quickly nod before apologizing,’Sorry, the editor asks us to not let people in. They should just leave their message here.’
‘But I am not people did you notice that?’
‘Yes I did. Sorry once again. You can go in. His office is over there.’ She would say so apologetically as she shows me the way.
I would walk confidently into the office and give the editor an enigmatic smile.
‘I was informed you have a hot story. So i’m all ears.’ He would say after the greeting.
I would sit upright and cross my legs.
‘You are very lucky I choose Nation and if you are curious to know why then let not the suspense kill you. Do you remember ‘the falling star’ fiction story published 10 years back? I was just 12 years then but your paper declared me among the youngest best writers. Do you remember? Perhaps you don’t but I very well do. Let me show you (and I would hand him the well laminated piece of newspaper),this is why and how I’ve always considered myself one of you. When you declared me among the best writers, you gave me hope and this is when my writing journey started. This is when I decided i’ll be a writer for the rest of my life. So how dare you decide that i’m not worthy your newspaper now without even having a look at my CV? How dare you shatter my dream and of many other writers by letting secretaries deal with us instead of YOU deciding and listening to us and seeing our potential before declaring’THERE IS NO SPACE FOR ANYONE??! Please make me understand why things happen the way they do. Please make me understand why you let so many people give up just because of these boundaries? Someday I’m going to be the bestselling writer and I promise to remind you of all the CV’s I sent that ended to the secretary instead of the editor or HR’ *whispers ameen to that* Then I would courteously apologize for his time. The hot story was simply about the hundreds of talented writers who are never given the opportunities. I would leave my business card and my CV, just in case you know…he might still want the story…I’d say thank you and leave him as flabbergasted as never before. I wish it was as simple as writing it. See why I started with wishing I could be a drama queen? I would have spoken for so many other people who wish to do the same. But I am an activist by pen so this is what I can do best perhaps.

Well I was planning to make the editor as guilty as possible, ruin his ego and make him feel like the worst human being ever.Then after that I was going to go do the same at Standard,Nation, Star and all these newspapers I ever submitted my CV to and never got a response not even a humble one of,’We did receive your CV but unfortunately we don’t need a writer but we will surely consider it for the future.’ Isn’t there any etiquette left?

Well,being a drama queen was never going to get me a job or anyone but I needed to explode and when you have to,then make sure you do it at the right place;to the people who can change the course of things.

So when I finally got to Nation media house and as I adjusted my confident self,I got a face palm from the kind notice on the door,we have moved to opposite Pandya hospital.’ Aarrghh, my bubble burst right then. All that planning?! I console myself,’Everything happens for a reason. Everything happens for some goodness.’I look ahead and see Coast Weekly. Let me try over there.

I go to Coast Weekly and the personal secretary to the editor explains to me that the editor is not around and that she has to deal with me first before sending me forward to the editor. I was heartbroken once again.Why do editors keep these barriers always? Why do they let secretaries decide and filter whom is worthy being listened to?I saw it in ALL offices I went to and I ended up believing that to get a job especially in media industry you need to have strong connections in the hierarchy somewhere so that they can fix you the job. I do understand that secretaries are important and that without them we would have mediocre people and jokers storming in to the editor for silly issues but haven’t people seen that so much talent keeps being kicked off? What if,just what if,this person you sent away without listening to may be the light in your dark tunnel? Just what if they push your company to grow?

Anyway,I decided I had learnt from experience and said firmly I was only going to talk to the editor and no one else. I wanted my privacy I insisted but this lady explained that these are rules for the organization and had to be followed. I understood,it is like that always.Everywhere.RULES and boundaries. She offered to help and so I spoke to her. I was really pissed then. Pissed at how editors are acting like mini gods. Even God Himself doesn’t keep such boundaries!! The lady then recognized me from when I used to write for Coast This Week and praised my work. Now that she knew am talking from experience, I told her of how secretaries keep making decisions on behalf of their bosses and she said she understood me and that in their office, all that is received is open to all the key leaders in the organization. This kind lady tried to console me before asking for my contacts, just in case you know…I calmed down a bit and left the office.

Many thoughts been clouding my thoughts since then. You talk to people about these problems and they just sympathize. But we don’t really need the pity! We; writers have worked hard,got our good certificates,have the talent required yet why do we people have to treat us like orphaned children who have nowhere to go yet we have oceans of wisdom to offer? I know this happens to many other people as well in other sectors where you have to force a connection with a superior to make it through. Do our CV’s even get past the secretary or the editor just asks’what is that? A job application? Just put it on my desk’ and it rots there forever. Or is it thrown in the dustbin? Are the emails even read after we get the automated responses? It’s really annoying and sad.

I’ve always wanted to become an editor and the more I meet these boundaries so I don’t get to talk to the editors or HR managers, the more I want to become one. I hope this dream comes true someday because I will employ these writers who have nowhere else to take their work. I will make space for them even if there is none.I will give chances to these very talented people whose work is just getting old in the yellowing books. I will look beyond the certificates because I very well know of degree holders who have zero zeal while there are some local writers with so much passion that when kept on the great wall of China,it would explode from it’s weight.. I will not let any secretary or anyone decide on my behalf whether they are worth the job or not. I will listen to them myself and help if I can. I will pay them well and not peanuts like they always get. I will give them the utmost respect because these people;these writers are the people who are making a difference,they are the people who can awaken humanity.Yes, I am going to be the best editor that ever existed. You good people keep praying for me;someday by God’s will we will all be working together and we will make the best team in the world! Ameen!

Creative Non-Fiction

A DROP OF MAGIC INK

By Lubnah Abdulhalim July 24, 2014

Photo Courtesy: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/

To commemorate the completion of my one year at Coast this Week, I’d like to make this edition a special dedication to all my fans and all the amazing writers that read our paper each week.

Take a tight grip on the pen,

Have ready a paper that is plain,

This is not just about the pain,

But about all your dreams to have you claim.

Let the ink pour its magic,

The story full of tragic,

With so well painted a tactic

Gently, without being much frantic.

Oh what’s a pen and paper without emotion?

Word by word with so much precaution,

It could be about that devastating explosion,

Or perhaps your inner most expression!

Keep the words flowing,

And your memory, loading,

Touch the heart of the one mourning,

And one who is always frowning.

All you have to do is create happiness,

In this world, full of madness,

Let your words bring the brightness,

To celebrate all world’s greatness.

Venture into the puzzling history,

The things that were always a mystery,

Or maybe of the grand victory,

Of that incredible outstanding missy.

Let your mind wander far and wide,

Into the open and what’s in hide,

Could be of the runaway bride,

Or of the downfall of manly pride.

Imagine, imagine, imagine

Let your ink fill between your margins,

Narrate of the famous assassin

And even in politics be sure to indulge in.

Go capture that inside story,

Even if it means going up the storey,

Or maybe even to the quarry,

Can’t you do that much for your own glory?

Be sure to be nothing but the best,

All people’s attention ensure you arrest,

You just have to keep away the haste,

And continue with the spirit of great zest.

A hand I give to all those who think,

Who take a risk to be on a new story’s brink,

Whom we always want to mimic,

With a drop of their magic ink!

To all the aspiring writers reading this, I salute you all!