Dubai (Etihad)
The Emirates Literature Foundation and Seddiqi Holding Group announced the opening of applications for the “First Semester: Emirates Literature and Seddiqi Writers Fellowship” program, which aims to support aspiring literary talents in the region and showcase their work to the world.
The program returns for the third year, achieving impressive results with the graduate of the first batch, Sarah Hamdan, who obtained a publishing contract with the American “Henry Holt & Company,” a prestigious international house that has published the works of major writers such as Hilary Mantel, Toni Morrison, and Liane Moriarty. She will publish her first novel, “What Will People Say?” In 2025.
The third session of the fellowship was launched at a distinguished event held at the in5 Tech Center in Dubai Internet City. The program included a dialogue session and a celebration on the occasion of writer Sarah Hamdan signing a deal with the American publishing house Henry Holt & Co., in addition to a free workshop for writers Annabelle Cantaria and Rula Al-Banna, during which they provided advice to enhance applications for the program.
The 2023-2024 class of ten fellows will receive six hours of one-on-one training with the world’s most famous writers, and each writer will choose the fellow who will best benefit from their training. The fellows will also be able to improve their skills by attending monthly workshops and exclusive dialogues with leading international writers, and communicating with international agents, editors, and publishers. In addition, the fellows will travel to prestigious creative writing institutions, as the first batch traveled to New York to attend the “Gotham” Creative Writers’ Workshop. While this year’s batch will travel to London to visit the Faber Academy.
Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation, expressed her great happiness that Sarah Hamdan, one of the graduates of the program’s first batch, had signed a global publishing deal, saying: “This achievement confirms the program’s success in enabling the region’s writers to reach a global audience.” She added: “Sarah Hamdan is not the only talent, as we expect to announce more deals for graduates of the first batch in the near future. I am also optimistic that the second batch will present successful literary works that will attract the attention of readers from all over the world.” She continued, saying: “The opportunities provided by this program are the keys to global success for all writers residing in the Emirates who seek excellence in the field of writing. This program, which is the first of its kind in the region, offers its participants unparalleled opportunities, making it the best at the international level. With the support of our partners in the Seddiqi Holding Group, we launched a program aimed at strengthening the literary scene in the Emirates, raising its international standing, and building a global community of writers in the country.”
Ahlam Bolooki also confirmed that the Foundation encourages Emirati writers in particular to apply for the program, whether they write in Arabic or English, and that application is open to anyone residing in the United Arab Emirates who meets the admission criteria.
Supervising writers and mentors for this year’s fellows are Iman Humaidan, Jalal Burgess, Allie Sparks, Elwyn Hamilton, Claire McIntosh, Curtis Sittenfeld, Greg Moss, Sona Charaiputra and Yrsa Sigurdottir.
Hend Seddiqi, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Seddiqi Holding, said: “Watching the journey of the program’s finalists so far has reinforced our commitment to nurturing talent in the region. The success of writer Sarah Hamdan, who resides in Dubai, in obtaining a deal to publish two books with Holt Publishing House reflects the ability of talent in our region, and we are proud to be part of this journey with the Emirates Literature Foundation.” She added: “We very much look forward to continuing our sustainable partnership, as we hope to continue developing local writers and enhancing their skills on the global stage.”
What is the target group for the program?
Ten seats are available annually in the program, and it is free of costs for those who qualify for the program. The fellowship opens its doors to serious writers who are working on writing a novel, whether in Arabic or English, and are looking to advance it to the best levels. She added: We welcome all types of fictional works for the adult and youth categories, noting that applications for the fellowship are not currently available to children’s story writers. It should also be noted that the counseling and guidance sessions are offered in Arabic or English, and applicants must have a good level of English language skills to ensure that they benefit from all the workshops and guest writer discussions.
Application for the fellowship is available to anyone who resides in the United Arab Emirates and is 18 years of age or older, provided that residency in the country is valid for the duration of the program. Fellows are awarded an official certificate at the end of the fellowship period. The program provides a unique opportunity to communicate with editors and literary agents, but does not guarantee publication or representation of associates before agents and publishing houses. As the initiative develops, a supportive association will be formed for program graduates that will provide ongoing support to them to continue nurturing writers after completing the program.
How to apply
The application is submitted online through the designated form, and the candidate must submit a cover letter, a 400-word summary of the book, and the first 2,000 words of the almost completed literary work.
Applications open on October 11, 2023, and close until December 4, 2023. Fellows who qualify for the program will be announced at a special ceremony during the 2024 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
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