writing
INTERVIEW / Uncovering history through storytelling
In conversation with Reem Bassiouney on the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, 'Al Halwani', and bridging the cultural gap
A case for funding the Bangladeshi English-writing scene
If the country’s literary potential is not given generous support, we may never create favourable conditions for aspiring writers to devote time and energy to the art
INTERVIEW / In conversation with Shazia Omar: Fiction, wellness, readership, and everything in between
'I would like to see more writing coming out of Bangladesh,' Shazia Omar said. 'We are still behind'
Technology for when writing feels tough
A bunch of free places on the internet that allow me to complete assignments or personal projects when the going gets rough.
Italicisation policing, penning with a colonised mind
When a foreign word—one that isn’t part of the language in which the text is being written—is highlighted in italics in a work of literature, it becomes “other.”
OPINION / What you call your own
As an Anglophone writer in Bangladesh, I’ve frequently faced the rather inane question of why I write in English.
How to cope with reader’s block
Reading and writing go hand in hand. And perhaps that’s why, just like there’s writer’s block, there’s also readers block. Only reader’s block is probably worse because reading is easier than writing, yet you just can’t do it.
ULAB Creative Writing Certificate Course returns
This year’s sessions will be facilitated by eminent academics, writers, and professionals in their field, such as Professor Kaiser Haq, Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, Professor Azfar Hussain, Professor Shamsad Mortuza, Arifa Ghani Rahman, and Maisha Hossain.
How academic writing took a toll on my creative writing skills
Writing is a demanding mental activity, whether for pleasure or for a class, it should never be taken lightly.
How literary communities can do wonders for your writing
I believe a literary atmosphere is crucial to nourish your writing skills and it’s an essential part of the process.
Fail better: A new year’s resolution
But I understand. I am part of a historic pattern. So not everything is personal. I can't help but fall into some of the traps and become prey to some of the vultures.
Unpacking the craft of creative writing
If you are reaching out to an agent, go and find out exactly what sort of work that agent publishes. Also, think in terms of what would differentiate your work with the work of 39 other authors.
I write a name.—An ode to imagination
Imagination is the capacity to explore that "something else way down."
The Sehri Tales prompt is a Rorschach test for participants
If there is one thing that worries me a little, it is that the strong trend for themes of sexual violence that began to appear during lockdown, continues to be favoured by a significant number of our domestic writers.
Shagufta Sharmeen Tania shortlisted for Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2022
“My story concerns the lost souls of a metropolis”, the author tells The Daily Star, “those magnificent beasts that cannot find their places in a growing, sprawling cityscape.”
Career options if you are good at writing
Career opportunities that you can go for if you’re good at writing.
Elif Shafak's 'Black Milk': Can a writer be a mother too?
Black Milk is an autobiographical documentation of Shafak's hesitation, anxiety, perplexity, and self-discovery as she is about to enter the phase of motherhood.
How I found my voice as a debut author
Being accused of copying Humayun made me want to create something of my own, something that wouldn’t be considered mainstream, but nor would it be too out of the box. I wanted to reflect on realism.
Submissions for 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize to open September 1
The prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize competition returns for its 11th iteration, opening its doors for short story submissions from September 1 to November 1, 2021 (11:59pm in any time zone).