Reading critical for writing success, Emirati novelist Sultan Alameemi says

Dubai: Reading and researching heavily on culture and heritage laid the foundation for the flair and diversity in Sultan Alameemi’s writings, the Emirati novelist, poet and critic told his fans in a virtual discussion.

Alameemi was speaking at the Sharjah Book Authority’s (SBA) latest virtual Book Club event.

Alameemi, a writer of in Nabati and classical Arabic styles, spoke about his love for literature. “Reading is the foundation for writing because it expands the author’s knowledge. It introduces writers to new ideas and vocabulary, protecting them from falling prey to repetition, or generating content similar to what their peers might have released,” Alameemi, who serves as the Director of the Poetry Academy at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, said.

Stressing on how the creative process starting from ideation to the fruition of any literary form usually takes years, he said: “It took me four years to complete my novel, P.O 1003, and two years to mature the storyline for One Room Is Not Enough. I have been preparing for my upcoming novel for the past three years.”

Advice for aspiring writers

He advised aspiring writers to diversify the content they read, and emphasised the need to broaden their lexicon by going in-depth into geography, history, medicine, geology and engineering, to be able to create full, comprehensive characters.

Alameemi, who is currently working on the creation a dictionary for Emirati dialect words, stressed the need for greater academic efforts to research and document every aspect of the Emirati history. He pointed out that the dictionary he is working on chronicles vocabulary, which has become obsolete due to linguistic transformations.

SBA’s Book Club’s sessions align with its mission and efforts aimed at promoting a culture of reading and enhancing the cultural landscape.