2015
Illustration & Design Rahima Begum Š Shroomantics 2015 www.shroomantics.wordpress.com shroomantics@gmail.com
MUSLIM HANDS FORWARD
Assalamu alaikum
The Russian writer Birus Pasternak once wrote, “Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary”. With each competition we hold, I am impressed by the young writers who can weave words together to create enchanting stories and poetry. Since 2008 we have been championing young people’s development in the creative arts and literature. In 2010 the Young Muslim Writers Awards was established. To date, we have inspired and nurtured the creativity of thousands of wordsmiths through the competition and writing workshops, and have been captivated by their enthralling writing along the way. This year we celebrate our fifth Young Muslim Writers Awards ceremony and it gives me great joy to see more children exploring the options open to them in literature and the arts. We encourage parents to champion their children’s writing and to let their talents flourish so they may go forth and become role models and ambassadors for the generations that follow. On a broader scale, since 2012 we have supported over 16,000 people across the UK through our projects in poverty alleviation, women’s leadership, youth empowerment, prisoner rehabilitation and more recently, through our work with Syrian refugees in the UK. We are grateful to our presenting partner, the Yusuf Islam Foundation, for their involvement in the Awards over the past three years. We would also like to thank Islam Channel for their unwavering support since this project’s inception. We hope you enjoy reading this Awards magazine. It’s full of useful tips, exciting stories, entertaining poetry and special messages of congratulations from media, academic, arts and sports personalities. And finally, a big congratulations to all the writers who have entered the competition. W’salam’. Syed Lakhte Hassanain - Chairman, Muslim Hands
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
YUSUF ISLAM FOUNDATION FORWARD
It takes two hands to clap! In the same way, it takes two people to enjoy a book, to enjoy any piece of creative writing – the author and the reader. Writers need readers, and readers need writers – it’s a partnership. Readers are often fans of authors, particularly famous authors of course. They read and reread their works and eagerly await the next novel in the series. But authors should be fans of readers too. The pages of a book are brought to life only once they are opened. And that’s what readers do – they breathe life into words and pages and books. Ansel Adams, a pioneering photographer and environmentalist, said, “You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” It’s the same with writing. Each writer brings his or her own total life experience to the act of writing. That’s why there is such great variety. And if you want to be a good writer, there are two things you must do above all others: read a lot and write a lot. It’s that simple. After that, either write something worth reading or do something positive that someone will want to write about. The Yusuf Islam Foundation is delighted to be sponsoring the Young Muslim Writers Awards again this year. The variety and depth of the competition entries never ceases to amaze. Please accept our heartfelt congratulations. And just as this is a celebration of young Muslim writers, let it also be a round of applause for young Muslim readers as well! Wassalam’. Zafar Ashraf
- Executive Director, Yusuf Islam Foundation
SHORTLIST - Poetry Key Stage 1 Poetry Abdul Maatin Riaz - My Mum, and others Hawwa Salim - My Mother Safa Shahzad - The Moon Poem Sanna Butt - My School Zakariya Robinson - Kenning
Key Stage 2 Poetry Abdullah Aiem - The Dragon Aminah Rahman - Spring, Autumn and Winter Hafsa Chawdry - Fireworks Imani Ahmed - No Sign Maryam Khan - Midnight Town
Key Stage 3 Poetry Hannah Rehman - A New Day Begins‌ Imaan Maryam Irfan - Writer's Block, and others Kashf Mughal - The Blindfold, and others Naima Mohamed - Free Dubai Nusrat Razzaque - Elegy About the Earth
Key Stage 4 Poetry Ammaarah Samuel - Slowly Drowning, and others Fathima Ra'ana Riyaz - Justice Maria Ahmed - Beware, and others Safeerah Mughal - A Quilt of Stars Shebana Khan - The Circus of Lies
SHORTLIST - SHORT STORY Key Stage 1 Short Story Abdul Maatin Riaz - The Pen with 70,000 Heads Maryam Sheikh - The Party and the Spider Munira Kone - The Mermaid and the Whale Saffa Amer - The Girl Who Slept on the Radiator Zaynab Hakim - My Transport to Egypt
Key Stage 2 Short Story Madeeha Islam - What Shall I Do? Myra Durrani - The Haunted House Strikes Again! Rupa Shuweihdi - A Word to the Wise Sania Ali Khan Ghori - Inspiration Zeena Mohammed - Shrouded in Secrecy
Key Stage 3 Short Story Alara Chaudhery - Falling is Dangerous Imaan Maryam Irfan - Ivory Demons Mahamed Ahmed Olad - The Power of Self-Discipline Nuha Farhaan - The Milkshake That Mattered Shahid Ali Khan - No Name
Key Stage 4 Short Story Adam Umair Anwar - The Reality of War Fathima Ra'ana Riyaz - Hidden Mariam Ahmad - The Will Safeerah Mughal - Peaceful Sleep Sonia Khan - The Toy Aisle
A Letter to a young Writer I see you’re reading again. Always reading! Good for you. There never was a writer who wasn’t also a reader. For a writer, reading is the air you breathe. Reading is inspiration. But you shouldn’t always have your head in a book. Look up! Look around! You’re observant, always noticing things. Make a note of what you see. A writer is never without a notebook. (Remembering to carry a pen… now that’s another thing.) Make a note of what you see, but also what you hear and smell and taste and feel. The stories that linger in our minds are the ones that feel the most real. And the secret to making a story seem real is using all the senses. Your reader should see the sunshine, smell the rain, hear the wind… In other words, write about what you know. What you have to say about your experience of the world is valuable and interesting. You are unique; there is no one else like you. Draw on your memories. Use your observations. We’re listening. And remember, you can disguise yourself in your characters. What you know about being alive in the world is what will make your characters come alive on the page. Also, write about what you don’t know. Be imaginative. Take us on a journey. Through reading and writing we may encounter other lives in other places. Anywhere you can imagine, writing can take you there. And of course, the more you practice, the better you’ll become. This is as true for writers as for dancers or athletes or musicians… Anything that requires skill requires practice. Try to make time for writing every day. Try to make time for re-writing, too. Think in terms of stages: first comes the gathering (notebooks, memories, research); then comes the first draft (get it down, don’t try to be perfect); then comes the revision (put it aside, come back with fresh eyes); then comes the tidying up (tweaks and edits). Sometimes it won’t quite work. But don’t despair - and don’t throw it away! Come back to it later, perhaps a long time later. There will always be something there. And sometimes it really will work. Congratulate yourself. Writing isn’t easy, but you have achieved something. You’ve said something true, and unique. That’s why you’re a writer. Good luck! _ © Andrew Cowan
WRITE, REWRITE
Begin at the end: think about the conclusion or twist in a short story before you start. Describe what is necessary, not just for the sake of describing: if the description does not add to the plot or the characterisation it may be worth leaving it out. Show not tell: this is the oldest rule and like all rules it can be broken, but it is a good habit to try to describe a scene in a way that makes the reader feel its emotion, rather than to tell the reader what to feel. No one likes being told what is sad, happy or exciting. They need to decide for themselves. If it bores you to write it, it will bore the reader to read it: you can jump time periods or move from scene to scene if not enough is happening. You do not need to follow the characters everywhere they go. Be consistent with view point: are you trying to describe what everyone sees and feels or just one person? It is not an absolute rule, but clearer, particularly when you start out to stay close to one point of view. Keep dialogue original and natural: make sure it does not just provide a function, (i.e. for A to tell B about C) but that it shows a relationship and character too (for example that A is shy and distrusts B) Don’t tell people you are writing unless you are sure they will encourage you. People can be very rude to aspiring writers. Don’t be overly discouraged by negative feedback: but do decide whether you can learn from it. You may not agree with the criticism and the person criticising may just have different taste to your style. Get good, trustworthy readers and treat them with respect (and gratitude). Write, re-write and re-write again. The work may never feel like it is finished, but it can feel complete, in the way, as Truman Capote says, that an orange is complete, but it can take a long time to get there. Good luck! _ © Selma Dabbagh
THE POETRY HOUSE Before we came, the house was a shell with the sea-winds in it. Sometimes now, gathered in silence here at the table under the beams, where long ago hens clucked, and clogs and buckets clattered, your pen might suddenly touch a wire in your mind, and an image fire the dark, and nothing has ever mattered as much as this connection between mind and pen, lines unreeling from your human hand, your story found, and told, and heard, started from silence by a single word, truth, word-music, the real thing. Let it sing. _
Š Gillian Clarke
THE BOOK Three names were in the book, one of them already crossed off. The second name was Harry Waters. Joe waited outside the pub. It was dark and seriously raining. Harry was due at any time. Same routine every night. Out of the pub door at ten past eleven. “Bye,” Harry shouted and stumbled unsteadily up the road. Joe watched him with contained fury. He patted his top pocket where the photo of his sister was. He began to follow him. The road was long and dark and Joe knew he only had to wait a short while until one of the big lorries came off the dual carriageway and headed for Tesco’s loading bay. Harry slowed up. Joe bent down to tie up his shoe laces. From behind he could hear a lorry, its big wheels thundering on the uneven road. He glanced round. The rain was hard, in the street lights it looked like knives coming down. He went on more quickly. The lorry was getting closer. Joe took quicker steps and was alongside Harry, throwing one arm around his shoulder as if he was his best mate. Before Harry could blink he pushed him squarely in front of the lorry. The vehicle screamed and swerved but it was seriously too big to avoid Harry’s soft body. Joe slipped down an alleyway. He got the book out and crossed out Harry’s name. There was just one more name then his sister’s death would be paid for. _
© Anne Cassidy
SHOW, DON’T TELL! 1. Stories can begin with the smallest of seeds. Or a single word. Or six words. The famous writer Ernest Hemingway always thought his six-word story was his best work: For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn. Try to write something short that gives an idea of the whole. Then think about how to expand it. 2. How would you like your readers to feel? Excited? Thrilled? Happy? Sad? Would you like them to find something out or to learn something? Thinking about the effect you would like your story to have will help you to choose what belongs and what doesn’t. 3. Writers rarely get everything right the first time. Allow yourself to get your thoughts down fast but remember that anything can be improved. The best of stories have been changed or rewritten many times to achieve the right effect. 4. So many stories depend on showing rather than telling. Imagine what you’re writing: What do characters look like? What do they do? How do they move? What do they say? If you allow yourself to imagine your story, you will create scenes that readers can see. 5. Read! All writers are readers. Whatever we read can help to make us better writers. _
© Nick Barlay
Yellow Crocus MARCH 1841 Lisbeth tried to be good. She was a big girl, nearly four years old. She knew she needed to sit still and not talk too much. She tried to keep her pretty blue dress neat and tidy, and she pretended to eat the food on the big white china plate in front of her. Mattie did not come with her to Saturday-night supper. Lisbeth wanted her to, but Mother said, “You are a big girl. You do not need Mattie all of the time. I will help you at supper.” Lisbeth was surprised, because Mother did not help her very often. She could just see over the top of the large, rectangular table. She liked looking at herself on the edge of the table, because when she tipped her head up and down and wiggled her mouth around her reflection changed in the dark, shiny wood. She had to be sneaky about it or Grandmother would command, “Elizabeth, sit,” even though she was already sitting. Father filled the large chair at the head of the table, and Mother perched on a chair next to Lisbeth. Lisbeth knew some of the other grown-ups, but not most of them. None of them spoke to her except to say, “Hello,” and, “Good evening,” and, “My, you are becoming quite the young lady.” Sometimes she tried to follow what the grown-ups were saying to one another, but mostly she did not understand them.
When Lisbeth got tired of looking at herself in the reflection of the shiny table, she scooched down low to look at the grown-ups’ shoes. She studied the stitching and buckles and buttons on feet of all sizes. From above, the adults looked as if they were not moving, but the view from under the table showed otherwise. The adults stretched their legs and wiggled their feet from side to side. Unfortunately Grandmother Wainwright noticed this game and commanded Lisbeth to “sit up straight.” So Lisbeth sat up but swung her legs back and forth. She swung them, making her legs go higher and higher. She held her body still so Grandmother Wainwright would not scold her for wiggling around. Accidentally she bumped the table with her leg. She stared straight ahead, hoping no one noticed. No one had. The water in her glass wiggled a bit, but nothing else happened. She tried it again. Swinging her leg forward, she kicked the table just a tiny bit to make her water dance. It worked. She did it again. But this time she kicked the table too hard. Lisbeth watched as the water glass tipped sideways into the bowl of potatoes, filling it with clear liquid before landing on the table and rolling around, dribbling the last bit of water in a circle on the tablecloth. Father yelled in his big voice, “Behave, Elizabeth,” his eyes boring into her. Grandmother glared at Lisbeth with her scrunchy, angry face. Scared, Lisbeth started crying and called out, “Mattie, Mattie.” Father insisted, “No, Elizabeth, you may not run to Mattie. You must stay at the table and eat.” Mother patted Lisbeth’s small white hand as she shushed her. “Be quiet now. Hush up. It is over. Stop your tears.” Mother was trying to be kind, but she was of little comfort. Lisbeth wanted Mattie. She sat in her chair, looked at her lap, and held back her tears. _
© Laila Ibrahim
Extract from ‘Yellow Crocus’
RECIPE FOR A POEM I Listen to the wind waterfall cascade and gentle rain toad song bird song baby’s babble conversations on the bus siren’s scream night-time whispers through an open window. II Touch a weeping rock fresh green moss a dog’s fur, cat’s grainy tongue a butterfly wing corn tassels and pollen the cactus thorn an old woman’s knobby hand the shine of purple abalone. III Smell a spring morning the rot of the Ginko with yellow fanned leaves wisps of cedar smoke breathe in terror at night and yes even death or the sharp zest of an orange just peeled. IV Make it yours turn it into song change up the words write each line backwards begin at the end and turn it around again let it rest dig deep, until it hurts show us who you are And sing it to the world. _
© Karen Lynn Williams
SCISSORS AND SELLOTAPE Writing for your job is very different from writing stories at school. At school, you might have an hour or two to think up some ideas and write your story. I have much, much longer to write mine. It can take me up to a year to develop an idea for a picture book, and up to three months to write it. Sometimes it takes me a whole day to write a sentence! And that’s not because I’m being lazy. It’s because I can’t relax until that sentence is right! So if you are having trouble thinking up an idea, or getting your story to sound the way you want it to, DON’T WORRY! Good writing takes time and the more you practise the better you will become. If I had to give you one piece of advice, it would be to read and re-read your story. Read it in your head, read it out loud, read it to your friend, or your teddy or your cat! Notice when your story starts to ramble. Notice if you’ve missed something out. Notice if your friend looks bored, or your cat falls asleep half way through. Then ask yourself some of these questions: • • • • • • •
Is this the best it can possibly be? Does it have an exciting or interesting beginning? Do I get to the point of the story quickly? Do at least two exciting things happen in the story? Is my main character interesting? Would I like to be friends with them? Does the story fit together? Does the ending make you feel satisfied?
If the answer to any of these questions is “Not yet,” then re-write your story, changing the bits that aren’t as good. This is called EDITING and professional writers like me do it a LOT. I do all my writing on a computer because it makes editing easy. I can add bits or cut bits out or move bits around with a couple of clicks. But if you don’t have a computer, you can do a similar thing with a pair of scissors and some sellotape!! Now, I’m going to re-read what I have just written. If I can just find the cat... _
© Caryl Hart
THE LEGACY
I have a bank of drawers that store my long held dreams, My heart-close longings and desires,
Wrapped up in coloured tissue, neatly laid
In pretty rows, with labels stating what they are, That name the year they were conceived, That sometimes, even, nominate the day.
From time to time I take them out and clean them up, These pretty baubles gathering tarnish,
With their patina of age, the cracks of shrinkage As they dry, the deepened colours, beautiful,
But darker than they were. I keep them free of dust,
Against the day that might, but never seems to come. I’ve left them to my children, this store of antique dreams, That they might know their father as he was,
Not merely as he seemed to be, as Time devoured his time,
But as he always meant to be, when first he gathered dreams
And wrapped them up and cherished them, and laid them by in drawers,
Who wasn’t built of meat and bone, but conjured up his own strange ghost And formed himself from fantasy. _
© Louis de Bernieres
Last boy on the planet Lifting a small handful of red berries to his lips, Santoso pauses and sniffs. Are these the kind he ate yesterday? Now that he’s picked them he’s not certain. The bush looks the same but close up they appear smaller and a little lighter in colour. Could it just be they’re not as ripe? He feels confident at least that they are not like the ones that made him sick when he first thought of eating berries to survive. Beyond that, he’s way too weak and hungry to care. Nineteen days ago he worked out this wasn’t Paradise. So where is he then? Somewhere up or down the coast from Banda Aceh and their home? Another country? How far did the giant wave carry him? He has a theory but he still doesn’t know for sure. For the first few days he was in too much agony to move far. Spasms and sharp stabbing pains ripped through his shoulders, back, arms and legs whenever he tried to move them. He must have wrenched all those muscles and tendons as he fought the wild ocean. Even after the pain had subsided he had remained in pretty much the same spot, believing that sooner or later someone would come along and find him. But nobody had. During that time he had mostly concerned himself with practical matters - finding water to slake his thirst, finding anything he could swallow that might dampen down the hunger, keeping out of the sun. Even now, whenever possible he keeps to the edge of the trees. The beach is swept clean by the sea and to begin with he had been able to pretend that the ocean’s terrible assault hadn’t happened. That was before the smell. The sickly putrescent stench thatstill hugs the trees like an invisible fog. Despite some strong and persistent sea breezes, it has lingered all this time, growing stronger as the bodies decompose. He can still smell it, his nose hasn’t got used to it. To begin with he had set off walking in the same direction he is now heading. But after a couple of days he had lost heart, changed direction and ended up back where he started. Or so he’d believed at the time. Later he was not so sure. Much of the beach was featureless after all, and one fallen tree looked pretty much like another. It was hard to think straight - eaten alive by mosquitoes, sick with hunger and so permanently thirsty he even tried to suck moisture from rocks. After a day’s rest, he had set off once more. This time in the other direction. But again, two days later, he had given up and turned back. What distance had he walked? Not very far, probably, because for the main part of each day it was impossible to do anything but lie in the shade and stare out to sea, drifting in and out of sleep, trying to conserve strength.
He felt hopelessly weak. During the day the most he could manage was a brief search for water or food in the debris beneath the trees. It was only at the cooler times - first thing in the morning and in the evening before it became too dark - that he really did much walking. And even then it was painfully slow. After returning a second time to the place he’d set off from, he had sat propped up against his familiar tree, wondering what on earth he was doing. His struggle for survival felt futile. Once he had spotted a dog, feeding on the corpses. And after a few days seabirds had started to reappear. But on his little expeditions he hadn’t spotted a single sign of human life. It was time he faced the awful truth - the cataclysm had killed everyone. Every man, woman and child. Now here he is once again with a few berries in his stomach, shuffling along in the same direction he took the first time. Before setting off this time round he marked his fallen tree so if he turned back he would know for sure he had found his starting place. But he’s not planning to turn around this time. This time he feels confident he’s heading the right way - towards Banda Aceh and home. Walking in the other direction, the number of bodies he’d seen amongst the trees had gradually thinned out. In this direction they are increasing. And what will he find when finally he reaches the city? What if he finds no one? Not a soul. What if he really is the last boy left on the planet? On that fateful morning his mother and sisters had been with him and his father on the shore preparing some food. It was busier than he had ever seen it as most local families were outside too. The earlier ground shaking had not been too severe - no one had been badly hurt. A couple of houses had collapsed and a couple more had lost some stilts and were leaning precariously, that was all. But there were likely to be aftershocks, Papa had explained. As a precaution, people were staying outdoors. Life has to go on. Many of the fishermen had already put to sea for the day’s catch and he was busy helping his father and uncle prepare their boat when the strangest thing happened. The bustle and chatter along the shore evaporated and an eerie silence fell upon the beach. Everyone had stopped and looked up from what they were doing. They stared open mouthed. The sea was draining away, retreating right down the beach. It dropped back way past where a normal low tide would take it. And way faster too - a matter of minutes instead of hours.
There were gasps of shock and wonder along the shore. Amazement became amusement as people spotted one of the boats that had just put to sea – it had been comically dumped, along with numerous flapping fish, on the never-before-seen rocky ocean bed. People laughed. They started whistling and clapping. Next minute, squealing with delight, women and children were hurrying down the beach to snatch up the hapless fish. A stranded fisherman had climbed out of his boat and was scratching his head. Papa asked him to keep watch on the boat and nets, whilst he and his brother went to assist their stranded fellow fishermen. Not long after, looking out towards the fishing boats that were still afloat on the sea, he noticed them suddenly jiggling wildly, as if they were little toys being tossed around by some unseen hand. Beneath them, a thin white line stretched through the azure sea. As he stared, the white line seemed to thicken and throb. Next minute, before anyone had chance to react, a wall of white foaming water as high as a house, exploded out of the sea and came crashing, roaring and hissing up the beach. It was so incredible, so magnificent that for the tiniest moment his heart had leapt with joy not terror. Then he saw his mother and sisters knocked down like so many matchsticks, engulfed in an instant by the raging torrent. The giant wave came so fast, they and the others who were standing that far down the beach didn’t even have time to look up and see their fate.
His father and uncle seemed frozen in their tracks. He yelled. They turned and began running. As did he. Beneath the deafening roar of the monster wave, he heard his father somewhere behind, calling to him. But he didn’t dare slow or turn round. The sea came so fast, none of them stood a chance. Not even he. Tired from walking, Santoso slumps down in the shade to rest. Actually, he is long beyond tired, but at last he thinks he recognises some features of the landscape. Maybe. It’s hard to tell because there is so much muddy mess everywhere, so much destruction. If his hunch is right, then he’s close to home. What will he find? _ © Neil Arksey This is an extract from a short story which was published to raise funds for the 2004 South Asia tsunami victims.
“The pen is mightier than the sword”
MEET THE JUDGES Ahmed Masoud is a writer and director who grew up in Palestine and lives in the UK. His theatre credits include Go to Gaza, Drink the Sea (London and Edinburgh 2009), Escape from Gaza (BBC Radio 4, 2011), Walaa, Loyalty (London 2014, funded by Arts Council England) and The Shroud Maker (London 2015). Ahmed is the founder of Al Zaytouna Dance Theatre where he wrote and directed several productions which have toured Europe. After finishing his PhD research, Ahmed published many journals and articles including a chapter in Britain and the Muslim World: A Historical Perspective (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2011). His debut novel, Vanished – The Mysterious Disappearance of Mustafa Ouda was released in 2015. Andrew Cowan was born in Corby, Northamptonshire, and educated at Beanfield Comprehensive and the University of East Anglia (UEA). He was the first person in his family to attend university. Now he is a Professor of Creative Writing and the Director of the Creative Writing course at UEA. He has published five novels, including the multi-award-winning Pig, and a guidebook on creative writing called The Art of Writing Fiction. His sixth novel is almost finished. Anne Cassidy lived in London for most of her life. In 1989 she started writing books for teenagers. Her first book was published in 1991 and since then she has published over forty books, thirty of which have been teenage fiction. She writes dark crime fiction and is best known for her book Looking for JJ which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. The sequel to this book is called Finding Jennifer Jones. Her new novel, Moth Girls, will be published by Hot Key in January 2016. Brian Keaney is an award-winning author of twenty novels for young people which have been translated into nineteen languages. He has also written more than thirty educational books and worked as a journalist and TV script-writer. He has taught writing at Goldsmiths College, the London College of Fashion and the University of Cambridge. He was born and grew up in East London. His parents were Irish immigrants and he has a large extended family in the UK and in Ireland. Caryl Hart is a full-time children’s writer and the author of over twenty picture books and young fiction.She loves to write rhyming stories, which she credits to enjoying poetry when she was growing up. Caryl’s first picture book, Don’t Dip Your Chips in Your Drink, Kate! won two regional awards. She delivers creative literacy workshops in schools and libraries. Caryl lives on a windy hill in Derbyshire with her family, her dog and two cats. She loves taking long walks, visiting cafes, baking and organising community projects.
Dr. Fawzia Gilani-Williams is a writer and the International Positive Education Network Global Representative for Abu Dhabi (UAE). She has taught at the Abu Dhabi Education Council and studied ‘Children’s Literature and Character Education: Children’s Islamic Literature in Britain, USA and Canada since 1990’ at the University of Worcester, UK. As an internationally experienced educator, researcher and writer of children’s literature, she promotes creativity, positive visibility and literature-based character development. She is the author of the Islamic Fairy Tales series and has been writing children’s literature since 2002. Gillian Clarke was born in Cardiff and lives in Ceredigion. She has been the National Poet for Wales since 2008 and was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in December 2010 and the Wilfred Owen Award in 2012. Recent books include a writer’s journal, At the Source, and The Christmas Wren, a children’s story for grown-ups. Her latest collection, Ice, was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Award 2012. She has written for radio, and translated poetry and prose from Welsh. The Gathering/Yr Helfa, written for the National Theatre of Wales, was performed at Hafod y Llan Farm in Snowdonia in September, 2014. She is currently working on Zoology, a collection of poems.
Helen Walsh is the author of four award-winning novels, all published by Canongate. Her novel, Once Upon a Time in England was the recipient of the Somerset Maugham Prize. She has recently written and directed her first film, The Violators, due for release in 2016. She lives in Merseyside with her husband and son.
Hifzha Shaheen is the Senior Journalist at The Asian Today. Having recently joined the Mosaic Network as a Mentor, she is an enthusiast of inspiring young people through postive thinking. Hifzha is passionate about grassroots community work and is a Board Member for Asian Women MEAN Business, an organisation which helps women to accomplish their entrepreneurial dreams by inspiring, championing and connecting like-minded women. Karen Lynn Williams was born in New Haven Connecticut. She has written fourteen books for children including Galimoto, a Reading Rainbow featured book and a number of other stories and articles. Her poetry has been published in newspapers and two chapbooks. She has a Master’s degree in deaf education and she teaches creative writing in the Masters of Fine Arts programs at Chatham University and Seton Hill University. Karen has lived in Haiti and Malawi with her husband and four children. Her travels abroad have been the inspiration for much of her writing. She currently lives and writes in Chinle, Arizona on the Navajo reservation with her husband and her rescue dog Reena.
Laila Ibrahim spent much of her career as a pre-school director, and that, coupled with her experiences as a teacher and her education in developmental psychology and attachment theory, provided ample fodder for the story of Mattie and Lisbeth in Yellow Crocus. After getting a Master’s degree in Human Development, she realised she wanted to do more work with children and opened her own pre-school. She is currently working on her next novel. Leila Aboulela won the first Caine Prize for African Writing. Her novels, The Translator, described by The Muslim News as “the first halal novel written in English”, Minaret, and Lyrics Alley were all long-listed for the Orange Prize. Lyrics Alley was Fiction Winner of the Scottish Book Awards and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize. Leila’s work has been translated into 14 languages and adapted extensively by BBC Radio who also broadcast a number of her plays including The Mystic Life. Leila Aboulela’s new novel The Kindness of Enemies is inspired by the life of Imam Shamil. She grew up in Khartoum and now lives in Aberdeen. Louis de Bernières is the best-selling author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Best Book in 1994. His first novel, The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts, was published in 1990 and won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize Best First Book Eurasia Region in 1991. Louis was selected by Granta magazine as one of the twenty ‘Best of Young British Novelists’ in 1993. His most recent books are The Dust That Falls From Dreams, Birds Without Wings and A Partisan’s Daughter, a collection of stories, Notwithstanding, and a collection of poetry, Imagining Alexandria. Neil Arksey is an actor, author and screenwriter who started with writing short stories. Most of his novels for children and young adults are published by Penguin Random House. He was one of the creators of Little Robots, the highly successful pre-school animated CBeebies show. As a story editor, head writer and producer, Neil has been responsible for over a thousand episodes of TV drama in the UK and abroad. More recently he has been writing feature films and an adult crime novel. Nick Barlay is the author of three acclaimed novels;, Curvy Lovebox, Crumple Zone and HookyGear, which mapped out the underbelly of contemporary London. He was mentioned in Granta’s ‘Best of Young British Novelists’ in 2003, and his fourth novel, The Wife of a Man Who, was widely praised. He has written award-winning radio plays, contributed to short story anthologies, and his journalism has appeared in many publications. Nick was born in London to Hungarian Jewish refugee parents. His most recent book is Scattered Ghosts, exploring the history of his family over the last two hundred years, which was longlisted for the 2015 Wingate Prize. He has also written short stories, radio plays and a wide range of articles. He regularly gives lessons on fiction, journalism and family history.
Pinky Lilani CBE DL is an author, motivational speaker, food guru and internationally acclaimed champion for women. She is the force behind the annual Women of the Future Awards, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, The Ambassadors programme, The Inspirational Women’s Network and the Women of the Future summit. She is an associate fellow of the Said Business School, Oxford and a Patron of DIL, the Westminster Society and Frank Water. She is an Ambassador for The Tiffany Circle of the British Red Cross and Girl Guiding UK. Pinky is a member of the board of Global Diversity Practice and on the Court of Brunel University. She is the winner of several awards and she is listed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour as well as being named by GQ magazine as one of the 100 most powerful women networkers in the UK.
Robert Crawford has published seven collections of poetry, the most recent of which is Testament (Cape, 2014). His other books include the biography of T. S. Eliot, Young Eliot (Cape, 2015). Born in Lanarkshire in 1959, Robert was the founder of the international magazine Verse in 1984 and worked as poetry editor for the Edinburgh publisher Polygon in the 1990’s. He is also the co-editor of The Penguin Book of Poetry from Britain and Ireland since 1945. He publishes poetry and works of criticism in the London Review of Books and the Times Literary Supplement. Robert is Professor of Modern Scottish Literature and Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Poetry in the School of English at the University of St Andrews where, among other things, he teaches creative writing. Roopa Farooki was born in Pakistan and brought up in London. She studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at New College, Oxford, and turned to writing after careers in corporate finance and advertising. She has published six novels to critical acclaim and has been listed three times for the Orange Prize. She has been longlisted for the Impact Dublin literary award DSC prize for South Asian literature. In 2013 she was awarded the John C. Laurence prize from the Authors’ Foundation, for writing which improves understanding between races and she was given an Arts Council Literature award. Roopa’s novels are published in the US and they have been translated into thirteen languages. Roopa teaches creative writing on the Masters programme at the University of Oxford. Rukhsana Khan is an award-winning author and storyteller who was born in Pakistan and immigrated to Canada at the age of three. She was bullied as a child and turned to books to cope. She has had twelve books published. Her 2010 children’s story Big Red Lollipop was chosen by The New York Public Library as one of the 100 greatest children’s books in the last 100 years. Some of her books have been published internationally. She’s appeared on television and radio numerous times and has been featured at conferences and festivals around the world. She lives in Toronto with her husband and family.
Selma Dabbagh is a British-Palestinian writer of fiction and the winner of the Fish International Short Story Prize (Ireland), The David TK Wong Award (International PEN), The Raymond Carver Award (US) and the Reader Competition (Germany). Her debut novel, Out of It, was published in 2011 by Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing and then by Bloomsbury UK and US. Set in Gaza, London and the Gulf, the novel was nominated as a Guardian Book of The Year by Ahdaf Soueif in 2011 and by Marina Warner in 2012. Selma’s first play, The Brick, was produced by the BBC in January 2014 and was nominated for an Imison Award. Selma is currently working on her second novel. She also works as a lawyer part-time and is the mother of two children. Shahida Rahman is an award-winning author, writer and publisher. She was born and raised in Cambridge. Her highly acclaimed historical novel, Lascar was published in 2012. Lascar was shortlisted for the Muslim Writers Awards’ Unpublished Novel Award in 2008. Other works include The Integration of the Hijab into Police Uniforms (Behind the Hijab Anthology, 2009) and The Lascar (radio play, 2009). Shahida has contributed articles on a range of social issues to numerous publications, including Best of British, The Great War, Sisters magazine, Huffington Post and Asian World. Shahida won a British Muslim Award for ‘Arts and Cultural Awareness’ in January 2015. She is currently writing her second novel. Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is the author of the bestselling memoir Love in a Headscarf, which has been translated into nine languages. She started her writing career by blogging at her website Spirit21 alongside working in the marketing and communications industries. She is currently the Vice President of Ogilvy Noor, the world’s first bespoke Islamic branding agency for building brands with Muslim consumers. Shelina has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world, and one of the UK’s 100 most influential Muslim women. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising awarded her ‘Woman of Tomorrow’, one of ten future female leaders of the British advertising industry. Her next book, Generation M is due to be published in early 2016. Shemiza Rashid is a multi-award winning interfaith art practitioner, producer, broadcaster, sixth form teacher, media consultant and mother of six. She is the founder of the children’s performing arts clubs Creative Muslim Network and Shining Ummah. Shemiza is a growing voice across the community and regional radio, where she presents the dynamic Urban Kube show on InspireFM and regularly features as and guest panellist on BBC Asian Network and BBC Three Counties Radio. Shemiza has also produced the celebrity cooking show For the Love of Food on Islam Channel. She was presented the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Public Service in 2014 and she was shortlisted for Best Female Muslim Radio Presenter and Most Innovative Radio show at the Momo Awards. Simon Brett is the author of more than ninety-five books including the Charles Paris, Mrs Pargeter, Fethering and Blotto & Twinks series. In 2014 he was awarded the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger for excellence. His stand-alone thriller, A Shock to the System, was made into a feature film starring Michael Caine in 1990. Simon has also written extensively for theatre, radio and television, where his best-known work was the comedy series After Henry, which starred Prunella Scales.
Sufiya Ahmed is the author of Secrets of the Henna Girl (Puffin Books) and was the recipient of the 2012 Brit Writers Awards’ Published Writer of the Year prize and Best Teenage Book at the Redbridge Children’s Book Award 2013. The novel has been shortlisted for the North East Teen Book Award and Rotherham Children’s Book Award, highly commended at the Sheffield Children’s Book Award and translated into Arabic, Spanish and Polish.She is the founder/director of the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation which encourages the involvement of under-privileged children in the democratic process through visits to the Houses of Parliament.The fourth book in her Zahra series, Zahra’s Second Year at the Khadija Academy, was released in October 2013. Sumayya Lee was born in South Africa during the Apartheid Era. Her debut, The Story of Maha was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Best First Book – Africa) and she has since published the sequel: Maha, Ever After. In 2014 and 2015 she served as a mentor for Writivism - a pan African literary event that is the brainchild of the Centre for African Cultural Excellence in Uganda – and edited the anthology of Longlisted writers, Fire in the Night and Other Stories. Sumayya has co-edited the 2015 anthology, Roses for Betty and Other Stories with Emmanuel Sigauke, and has written for O Magazine, and Woman&Home (SA). She also has a website where she blogs occasionally. Susan Bassnett is a writer and scholar of comparative literature and translation studies. She served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Warwick for ten years and taught in its Centre for Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies, which she founded in the 1980s. She sits on the board of several international funding bodies, including the Leverhulme Trust. Susan is the author of over twenty books. Translation Studies, which first appeared in 1980, has remained in print since and has become an important international textbook in its field. Her book, Comparative Literature (1993) has become internationally renowned and has been translated into several languages. Other books include works on Latin American literature, women’s theatre history and poetry. Recent books include Translation in Global News (2008) written with Esperanca Bielsa, Reflections on Translation (2011) and Translation (2013) in the Routledge New Critical Idiom series. In addition to her scholarly works, Bassnett is a well-known journalist and also writes poetry. She is an elected Fellow of the Institute of Linguists and also of the Royal Society of Literature. Tim Bowler has written over twenty books for teenagers and won fifteen awards, including the prestigious Carnegie Medal for River Boy. He has been described by the Sunday Telegraph as ‘the master of the psychological thriller’ and by the Independent as ‘one of the truly individual voices in British teenage fiction’. His works include Midget, Shadows, Storm Catchers, Starseeker, Apocalypse, Frozen Fire, Bloodchild, Buried Thunder, Sea of Whispers and the Blade series which has been hailed as a ground-breaking work of fiction. His most recent novels are Night Runner and Game Changer. His books have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over a million copies worldwide.
Tommy “A-Man” Evans is a poet, presenter, producer, performer, pedagogist and postgraduate researcher. In his decade long career as a musician he appeared on over forty releases, managed a record label, collaborated with multi-platinum and underground artists alike and performed in the UK, USA and Europe. Presently, he produces and presents RTV’s Beard Is Beautiful, delivers motivational talks and dynamic spoken-word performances as his artistic alter-ego A-Man. He celebrates the social, cultural and aesthetic interplay of Black and European culture as a writer for afropean.com. Tommy acts, designs, writes screenplays, edits, directs and is developing his doctoral thesis exploring the educational arena in which migration, minorities and markets intersect. Umm Juwayriyah, a pen name for Maryam A. Sullivan, is an award winning poet, playwright, and author of The Size of a Mustard Seed. A married mother of three, she is dedicated to increasing indigenous African-American Muslim narratives in the literary world. Outside of the writing world, Umm Juwayriyah is a teacher, business owner and is the co-founder of MuslimGirlsRead, an inner-city reading initiative. She holds a Bachelor’s degree with honours from Bay Path University and a Master’s degree with honours from Regis University. Umm Zakiyyah is the internationally acclaimed author of the If I Should Speak trilogy, the novels MuslimGirl and Hearts We Lost. Daughter of American converts to Islam, she writes about interfaith relations and the intercultural, spiritual, and moral struggles of Muslims in America and abroad. Umm Zakiyyah’s work has earned praise from writers, professors, and filmmakers and has been translated into multiple languages. In 2008, Umm Zakiyyah was awarded the Muslim Girls Unity Conference Distinguished Authors Award. She also writes under her birth name Ruby Moore. In January 2016 her latest novel His Other Wife is scheduled for release worldwide. Wendy Cope was a London primary school teacher for fifteen years. After the publication of her first book Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis in 1986 she became a freelance writer. Her subsequent collections include Serious Concerns, If I Don’t Know which was shortlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Award, and Family Values. She has also written three poetry collections for children aged 7 and under and a prose book (would be better to refer to this as the type of prose book as the term sounds odd), Life, Love and The Archers, in 2014. She has edited several poetry anthologies including The Funny Side: 101 Humorous Poems, Is That the New Moon? and Big Orchard Book of Funny Poems. In 2010 she was awarded an OBE for services to literature. Yahiya Emerick has extensive experience in the field of education and curriculum writing. He has authored over forty books on Islam, Muslim culture, history and youth fiction and his articles have been published by local, national and international press. In 1992, Yahiya founded Amirah Publishing to produce American-oriented literature on Islam.
THE HANDY PENCIL 1. Read Writers read. Reading helps you develop your own style, expand your vocabulary and keep your imagination active. 2. Observe Pay attention. Carry a notebook and record sights, sounds, smells, tastes and physical feelings. These can be given to your characters. 3. Write every day Practise! Write stories or letters or keep a journal. Olympians train – so do writers. 4. Know your characters Get to know your characters. Where do they live? Who are their friends? What frightens them? What are their dreams? 5. Create Dare to be different. Let your imagination soar. Spend some time simply capturing your story in print. This is your first draft. 6. Let it rest You are too close to your story to see the weak points. Walk away. Don’t even peek for as long as you can. 7. Read it again You have now gained some distance from your story and will see it with brand new eyes. You might find spelling mistakes or maybe Max, the brown dog becomes Max, the black dog. Keep a pencil handy and make notes. 8. Revise All good writing needs to be rewritten. Read through your notes and make the changes. 9. Repeat Rest and revise as needed. 10. Celebrate! You have written a story. _ © Shahida Rahman
Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t do anything It was them Not me Not us I don’t care if they say they’re one of us They’re not Because we would never do that! Every time something like this happens I want to cry And I want to hide It’s so sad It’s so wrong Nobody should be hurting anyone like that
NOT GUILTY
I was scared to come to school today Because even if you don’t say it out loud Even if you’d never hit me with sticks or balled up fists You might still look at me Like you’re looking at me right now Like just for a moment you’ve forgotten who I am I am your friend. I help you up when you fall down I pushed you on the swing Even when I got tired and wanted a turn Remember that time we were brave And chased away that big dog that was scaring The little kids in the sandbox? And the time your Popsicle fell And I gave you half of mine? Did you forget all that? That we’re your neighbours? That we’re part of the community? Because just now For an instant I saw something in your eyes Not quite a question But almost Saying, “Would you ever do what they did?” And even before you can put that thought into words And before the words can leave your mouth And cross the space between us And long before the words can hit my ear I want to shout, “NO.”
As loudly as I can “No, I would never do what they did. I would never hurt you.” And even if they look like me Or talk like me Or pray like me Or come from the same part of the world as me They are not like me Because they did that And I wouldn’t! I will say it loud and clear, “I am not like them.” I wish it were easy I wish we all wore signs Saying if we’re good or bad But we don’t And we can’t just go by what group we belong to Because none of them are perfect They’re all made up of people Different kinds of people And people can look good but be bad Or look bad but be good You just can’t tell Good and bad, we’re all mixed up, In every group In every race In every culture, Like a bunch of jellybeans that have never been sorted out So that we don’t have to taste the minty green ones that you hate Or the black ones that you like But I spit out because they taste like black licorice Remember last time when I said I was really sorry it happened? It’s true this time too But part of me is kind of tired And kind of angry A little bit That I even have to say I’m sorry Because I never did it And part of me wishes it were obvious Obvious that I’m sorry it happened Obvious that I think it’s wrong
But tell you what I’d say sorry all day long if it could turn back the day So it didn’t ever happen And part of me wishes I didn’t even have to explain Like this I wish you knew without me saying a word Like you would run up to me Touch my arm And say, “Of course! We’re ALL sorry it happened! Let’s make it better. Let’s help everyone who got hurt.” And we’d do just that. Together. If your foot were in my shoe I’m sure you’d want that too To be measured by what you do Not by what group you belong to _ © Rukhsana Khan A title poem from ‘Not Guilty’, published by Pearson Canada, part of the ‘Well Aware’ series
ASTONISHING CAPTAIN AMERICA part 1
An Extract © Andy Diggle
Comic book writer of Green Arrow: Year One (basis for hit TV show ‘Arrow’), Batman, Hellblazer and others for DC Comics; Daredevil, Thunderbolts, Shadowland and others for Marvel; Doctor Who for IDW; Rat Catcher for Vertigo Crime; and The Losers for Vertigo (later made into a major motion picture). Andy is a former editor of British sci-fi comic 2000AD.
STORIES IN OUR HEADS They’ve all got stories in their heads And that is where most of them stay. They don’t tie up the tangled threads Or polish them up for display. But some of us want to do more And we enjoy writing them down. We shape our stories, searching for The right word, right adverb, right noun. And we’re the ones who feel the thrill Of helping a story survive. No story existed until We magicked that story alive. We have tied up the tangled threads And progressed to another stage. We’ve moved the stories from our heads And put those stories on the page. _ © Simon Brett
WRITING TIPS Never forget that you are unique. There’s nobody else in the world remotely like you. There never has been and there never will be. Your view of the world is unlike anybody else’s. You have stories inside you that no one else can tell, thoughts that no one else can think, feelings that no one else can feel. And you have words inside you, thousands and thousands of little gems of power and beauty and magic, fighting each other to burst from you. Use them. Enjoy them. Dive into your imagination and watch the stories tumble out. _ © Tim Bowler
WRITING AND READING POETRY Poetry isn’t something you can do all the time. Yet it’s something that matters to most people at certain moments – particularly important moments – in their lives. When people fall in love, or experience bereavement or a new birth or a moment of crisis, often they turn to poetry as a way of giving a powerful shape to their thoughts and feelings. Quite a lot of my job involves talking about poetry. Much of the time people feel shy about discussing the stuff. Not everyone likes to confess that they write verse, or even that they read it. There can seem to be something pretentious about claiming, ‘I am a poet’. That’s because real poetry is associated with excellence, and because sometimes people think that claiming to be a poet might mean being a show-off. It’s better if other people call you a poet than if you call yourself one. Yet when I ask the members of a large audience to put up their hands if they’ve never made a poem – and I mean ‘made’, rather than written down, because not all poems get written down – very few hands go up. Making a poem is something that almost everyone has done. In fact, in every society on earth and in all societies that have left us records – from ancient Assyria and ancient China and Greece to the civilizations of the smartphone – poems have been and still are being made. Making poems is an innate human activity. It’s something almost everyone at one time or another needs to do. It starts with playing with words. Usually, good poems have an awareness of acoustics. You put the words together because they sound well together. That may be because they rhyme, or it may be because of cadences and the way you shape the lines: where you put the line breaks, and in doing so how you sculpt the language. You play with your material (language); you move words around. You fidget. Poems are born out of verbally alert fidgeting. Poems also eat specific images: the more precise you can make the images, the better nourished the poem will be. The same goes for sound: if you can find ways of including images that are slightly surprising, yet also just, at the same time as weaving them into a convincing pattern of sound, then you’ll have a poem. Too much abstraction, or too much journalism, or too much propagandistic ‘messaging’ (by which I mean banging on and on about a particular message) doesn’t help. Often poems work best when they sneak in under the radar, when they work obliquely rather than being directly in your face. If you hint at something in a poem then the reader has to become imaginatively involved in order to take that hint. If you spell everything out in letters five-feet high, then the reader doesn’t need to use much imagination, and so the poem won’t involve people so intensely. Getting the balance right between hinting and direct presentation is important but hard. The best way to learn to be a better poet is to read good poetry. Read the classics as well as the contemporary. Have you read some classic Australian poetry, Spanish poetry, Egyptian poetry, poetry from Wales and Scotland? Well, find out how to get some, and do it. Think about what makes a poem sound contemporary: does it have a distinctive tone? In what way is it different from the poetry of the past, and what does it share with older poems? If you’re able to, read poems in more than one language, and think again both about what’s shared and what’s distinctive. Most people when they start out write too much and read too little. Let what you read nourish your writing, and your own creative abilities heighten your alertness as a reader. _ © Robert Crawford
THERE’S A SPIDER IN MY BEDROOM There's a spider in my bedroom Its legs are long and hairy
It’s sitting just above the door Looking mean and scary
I'd call my mum to help me But she won't be any use
She's just as scared as I am
When a spider's on the loose My dad is not much better He'd poke it with a broom
Then the spider would just run and hide Somewhere in my room
It might end up inside my shoe And lurk there till the morning
Then when I put my foot inside Attack me without warning
I don't dare go out through the door Cos it might drop on my head
So I’ll be stuck in here for ever more Stranded in my bed. _
© Caryl Hart
THE MAP There is a hidden land, he said. I think you may have heard of it. A pair of almond eyes regarded him so gravely that he felt all his resolve, so carefully gathered over days and weeks, turned to dust and blown away by the wind. But then she nodded almost imperceptibly and summoning up his courage he continued, They say that there are those – some call them brave, some call them mad – who dedicate their lives to seeking out this hidden land. I think you may be such a one. And if I am? she asked. In answer he took from the pocket of his coat a square of paper fragile at the creases and ragged at the edge. He held it out to her. I have a map, he said. The trouble is I do not understand the way it works. She took it from his hand and spread it out. The surface was entirely blank. 'If you could possibly… he began. She put her finger to his lips and smiled. Don't worry any more, she said. I'm really rather good at reading maps. _
© Brian Keaney
LAHORE L ights snap off, the stage revealed A dust-dark house, a kite-bright sky, a clean page H ours pass, scribbled stories begin and end O n the streets, children scatter like sparrows R emember me, I’ll remember you! E choing prayers, the angels of Lahore _
© Roopa Farooki
First commissioned for the 40th Anniversary of HighLife magazine, as part of their “Curious Cities” feature
HINA’S HAPPY HEART Hina was a happy girl. She always wore a big, wide smile. Everyone said, “Hina, you have a happy heart!” Today was the first day of school. Hina was very happy and as usual she wore her big, wide smile. Hina met her teacher. There were lots of children in her class. Hina smiled and smiled and smiled. There were so many things to do. At lunch time Hina wanted to play. But Hina didn’t know anyone. So she went to one girl and said, “Please can I play with you?” “No, go away!” said the girl. A little part of Hina’s happy heart broke away. Hina went to two girls and said, “Please can I play with you?” “No, no go away!” said the girls. Another little part of Hina’s happy heart broke away. Hina went to three girls and said, “Please can I play with you?” “No, no, no, go away!” said the girls. Another little part of Hina’s happy heart broke away. Hina went to four girls and said, “Please can I play with you?” “No, no, no, no go away!” said the girls. Another little part of Hina’s happy heart broke away. Hina went to five girls and said, “Please can I play with you?” “No, no, no, no, no go away!” said the girls. Now there was nothing left. Hina’s happy heart was all broken. The bell rang and the children went inside. Hina sat on the carpet. Hina’s big, wide smile was missing. When Hina went home her mummy said, “My little Hina, where is your big, wide smile? I can’t see it!” Hina started to cry. The next day Hina didn’t come to school. The teacher called Hina’s mummy. The teacher talked to the girls about Hina’s broken heart. “We are sorry,” said the girls. “We all have to be kind,” explained the teacher. “If we are kind we can grow happy hearts inside ourselves. It’s not kind to tell someone to go away.” “We will fix Hina’s broken heart,” said the girls. That day the girls cut out heart shapes on coloured paper. They wrote notes on the hearts and sent them to Hina. As Hina read each note, a little piece of Hina’s heart began to glow. After Hina finished reading all the notes, her happy heart was bigger than ever before! When Hina went back to school, the girls in her class never said “Go away” to Hina or anyone else ever again. Instead they said, “Come and play with us!” _ © Fawzia Gilani-Williams
ADVICE ON WRITING POEMS
1. READ This is by far the most important piece of advice that anyone can give to an aspiring poet. Read the poetry of the past, and of the present day. That’s the way to learn how to write poems. Don’t expect to enjoy every poem you read. Look for poems that appeal to you, and read those again and again.If you immerse yourself in the work of a particular poet, your own writing will be influenced by that poet’s work. This is part of the learning process. You will probably go through phases in which you sound like a poor imitation of Seamus Heaney or Sylvia Plath or whoever. This aim is, eventually, to find your own voice, which is unique. 2. TRY FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR When you’re trying to write, it is easy to become discouraged and give up after five or ten minutes. Don’t do this. If I’m having difficulty getting started, I tell myself I’ll try for an hour, and, if I still can’t get anywhere, I’ll allow myself to stop. Usually I have something by the end of an hour, even if it is only one line that I like. 3. DON’T EXPECT TO GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME Some poems may take hours, some take days, months, or even years. They often go through many drafts before the poet is satisfied. 4. REMEMBER YOUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY You may have to write poems at school and hand them in to the teacher. That’s OK, as long as you remember that there is nothing to stop you writing other poems that you don’t show to your teacher or anyone else. When I began trying to write, the knowledge that I didn’t have to let anyone see it was very important, and sometimes it still is. _
© Wendy Cope
ON FINDING INSPIRATION
One Monday morning in 1978, I walked to the small green school in my little piece of sunny South Africa, and sat down at my wooden desk. I stuck my pencils in the inkwell and realised with horror that I had forgotten all about my teacher’s instruction: please bring in a picture from a newspaper or magazine. Our teacher was a lovely woman in high heels and a cheerful sari. “Now children, I want you to paste the picture into your English books and then write as much as you can about it.” Everyone nodded obediently while my eyes darted around the classroom looking out for anyone with an extra picture. Sure enough, one of the swotty boys, who also happened to be rather snobby, was busy laying out his collection of brightly coloured pictures. I went over, and asked nicely. He shook his head. I begged and pleaded - and after thinking about it for absolute ages, he finally parted with the only black and white picture. I swallowed my disappointment, grabbed onto it gratefully and scuttled back to my seat. It was a picture of a new hotel being built in my city’s Golden Mile - the road along the beach, and the place where most people took their Sunday afternoon drive. I loved the beach road and yesterday, my father had cruised slowly past this hotel and pointed it out to my brother and me. It was the tallest building in the city and had a lift on the outside. “And inside,” my father said, “instead of normal lights, there are beautiful crystal chandeliers! Like a palace!” I glued the picture carefully into my exercise book and chewed on my pencil for a few seconds before getting on with the task. For the first time, I waited impatiently for our teacher to mark my work – and squealed with delight as she stuck a star into my book! The gold star shone against the black and white picture and I hopped and skipped back to my seat – amazed that I could write and even more amazed that I’d enjoyed it . . . Nowadays, getting started is always the most difficult thing for me and whenever I am stuck or overwhelmed, I search around for something familiar, and start with that. I think of the Maharani Hotel that is no longer such an icon in my hometown and remind myself that it is a little easier if you know what you’re writing about. I also remember the boy who thought he was giving me his worst picture and tell myself that inspiration often comes from unexpected places or people.
_
© Sumayya Lee
MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATIONS “May your strong Muslim values continue to deepen your writing, and uplift you with the vision of a more beautiful world.” Abdal Hakim Murad Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, Director of Studies (Theology and Religious Studies) at Wolfson College and the Shaykh Zayed Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Cambridge University
“Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers in this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. I have no doubt that you will continue to go from strength-to-strength and will be celebrating many more achievements in years to come. By entering your work into the competition you have shown you are passionate about writing. I discovered my passion for boxing when I was your age and quickly learned that to be the best I had to train hard and practise. The great thing about writing is that you can practise wherever you are; on holiday, at lunchtime, or even pretend you’re a journalist and write about the sports you watch on TV! “I remember reading that the great boxer Jack Dempsey once said, ‘I was a good fighter, but it was the writers who made me great’. Keep writing!’” Amir Khan Former Unified Light Welterweight Champion of the World Current WBC Silver Welterweight Champion of the World
“I’m very pleased to learn about the Young Muslim Writers Awards and magazine. It is important that young (and older) Muslim writers are encouraged to tell their stories. It is especially important now that we live in a world that too easily demonises, simplifies and reduces Islam.To the awards nominees: Please continue to tell your stories. The world needs them in all their human complexity. Tell your stories with honesty. And never apologise for your story: it is yours and it matters. I send my very best wishes.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Multi-award winning author of Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun (Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2007) and Americanah
“I would like to offer my congratulations to all the nominees at this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. As an opera singer and story teller, I am always interpreting texts and stories and strongly believe in the communicatory power of the written word. Keep creating and inspiring us all!” DANAE ELENI Soprano, Story-teller and Educator
“Having judged this award in a previous year, I know how good the standard of entries is and what a range of talent there will be. I am always impressed by the imagination and inventiveness of the young writers who enter this award, unafraid to play with form and language and prepared to bring new perspectives and new voices to the page. I wish you all good luck in the future – keep writing, keep editing and keep submitting stories to as many competitions as you can.” Di Speirs Editor, Books - BBC Radio and Music Production, London; producer of Books at Bedtime
“Well done all you writers! Since our earliest ancestors learned to scratch letters and pictures onto stones and sand, human beings have expressed their thoughts and opened up their imaginations in millions of wonderful ways. Writing is the basis of all civilisation, all education, all progress. And you are part of that great process. Keep sharpening your pencils and tapping your computer keys, and you will make great contributions to the peoples of the world.” Elizabeth Laird Children’s author and winner of the Scottish Arts Council Children’s Book of the Year for The Garbage King and Smarties Young Judges Award for Hiding Out
“Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers! It’s a fantastic achievement to FINISH a story, let alone be shortlisted, so well done. I never finished any stories until my 20’s, so could never enter any competitions, so don’t forget to carry on reading and creating.” Francesca Simon Bestselling author of Horrid Henry and winner of British Book Award for The Children’s Book of theYear 2008
“Huge congratulations to all the young writers shortlisted for the Young Muslim Writers Awards. Writing is a great way of exploring ideas, making sense of what we see around us, and trying to understand other people better. It’s also great fun. I hope you enjoyed taking part in this competition and that you’ll go on writing, and enjoying it for the rest of your lives.” Gillian Cross Multi-award winning author of over fifty books, including Wolf, The Demon Headmaster and After Tomorrow
“Dear Writers, It is my pleasure to congratulate the winners of the prestigious Young Muslim Writers Awards. Is it presumptuous for me to assume to know what you have been through to get to where you are? The years of creativity, failure and success. Piles of screwed up paper in a bin. Thoughts and ideas that have taken years to come from the back of your head to the front. The constant looking back to go forward! The problem is, it continues. The beauty is, it continues. My favourite part of creativity is the struggle. It is when you are most alive. We are so privileged as artists to do what we do. We have the ability to show people a way out of the everyday. I wish you all the success you deserve and no matter how hard it gets, keep believing in yourself!” Idris Khan RCA MA Internationally acclaimed London-based artist and one of the most exciting British artists of his generation; completed his Master’s Degree with a Distinction in Research at the Royal College of Art in London in 2004
“I’ve been a creative writer from an early age. It’s a very personal and powerful art that we should be proud of. But in saying that, we should always take each day as beginners; how beautiful is it that we have the opportunity every day to learn more? I want to congratulate everyone who has participated in the Young Muslim Writers Awards!” Islah Abdur-Rahman English film director, actor and screenwriter, and creator of Corner Shop Show
“I wish you the very best with your writing. No one ever gets it just right the first time. Revision is an important part of being a writer. When you write, dig deep inside of yourself to bless the world with a truth that can only come from you. And have fun too!” Laila Ibrahim Author of Yellow Crocus
“Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers at this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards for their amazing work. Life has taught me that achieving your goals – whatever they may be – is all about hard work, dedication and having the bravery to be yourself. You are all extremely talented writers and poets so I encourage you to keep going, keep telling your stories, and keep working hard towards your dreams.” MO FARAH British Athlete and reigning Olympic, World and European 5,000m and 10,000m champion
“I would like to congratulate you all for submitting your work to this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards. By putting your pen to paper and writing you have shown to have passion, dedication and the stamina to pursue your dreams. It’s important to believe in yourself and in your enviable ability to entertain readers. Sometimes we find that it doesn’t work out the way we want it to; the story on which you spent a long time has taken a different direction, you might not win the competition you entered, or in my case, sometimes my team and I don’t win the match we have trained for. However, it’s important to remember you can try again. The remarkable thing about writing is that you can practice wherever you are; the playground, the bus and even your walk home all become your ‘studio’ or ‘training pitch’ to think of new characters and ideas. If you become too stressed or feel pressured, take a step back and remember why you are writing. Try to recall the joy it brings you and the fun you have. Take each story or poem as a new opportunity to express yourself and remember to make the most of every moment of the journey. Congratulations again and I wish you all the best with your writing.” MOEEN ALI International English cricketer and joint recipient of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year 2015
“To all the shortlisted writers, I’m so proud of you for making it to this stage. May you keep climbing new heights of powerful writing, forever and after. Congrats!” OMAR MANSOOR Fashion designer and first Pakistani to showcase at London Fashion Week
“Congratulations to all the young writers! You are inspiring role models in art. You have taken a bold and worthy step towards following a journey that brings excitement, obstacles, passion, and success in your writing.” Ruqsana Begum
British & European Kick-Boxing and Muay Thai Champion
“Congratulations guys and girls! Please keep writing and pursuing your literary dreams. Remember, ‘the ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr’. - Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).” TEZ ILYAS
Stand-up comedian and finalist for Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2013 and BBC New Comedy Award 2011
“To each of the shortlisted writers I say WELL DONE! I loved your stories. They were wonderful. But don’t stop there. Keep writing, keep growing, keep exploring your gift. Be bold. Be creative. Believe in your magic and share it with the world.” TIM BOWLER Multi-award winning children’s author and recipient of the Carnegie Medal 1992 for River Boy
“I would like to send my warmest congratulations to all these talented young writers from all over the country, and am greatly looking forward to meeting them at the Awards ceremony. Writing, in whatever form you choose, is so very important because each and every one of you has a voice and a story to tell. I wish you all success, wherever your writing career may take you.” Tim Robertson Director of The Royal Society of Literature
“Congratulations to all the brilliant writers. We are very passionate about academic excellence amongst young people and we are proud to see such inspiring talent, focused dedication and a demonstration of tremendous skill. Writing can be your best friend, your biggest challenge, and your most enjoyable pastime - sometimes all at once. It is so wonderful to explore faraway worlds and unchartered territories with only a notebook and pen. Never stop writing, you are all amazing!” AMAZING MAGAZINE
“Barefoot Books warmly congratulates all the children that have taken part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2015. We hope you have all enjoyed taking part and writing your fabulous entries!” BAREFOOT BOOKS
“Congratulations from Templar Publishing and Big Picture Press to everyone who took part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2015. We’re proud to be able to support and encourage all young writers in continuing to write and create stories.” Templar Publishing and Big Picture Press
“Congratulations to all of the young writers at the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2015! Keep writing (and reading!)… who knows where it may take you!” David Fickling Books
“Egmont Publishing would like to congratulate all of the fantastic writers who took part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2015. We are thrilled to be able to support all young aspiring storytellers and hope you’ve all had great fun writing your amazing entries this year!” Egmont Publishing
“The team at Frances Lincoln Children’s Books send warm congratulations to all the talented young writers who have entered the Young Muslim Writers Awards. Keep reading and keep writing!” Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
“All of us at Hachette Children’s Group would like to congratulate the young writers participating in the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2015. You have all done fantastically well reaching this stage and we hope you continue to grow and succeed as outstanding writers in the future.” Hachette Children’s Group
“Kube Publishing would like to congratulate all of the young writers involved in the Young Muslim Writers Awards. We are proud and privileged to celebrate the incredible work of so many young and diverse voices.” Kube Publishing
K KUBE PUBLISHING
“What On Earth Books congratulates all the writers who have taken part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards. Keep writing.” WHAT ON EARTH BOOKS
“Little Tiger Press would like to congratulate all the brilliant writers that have taken part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards. We are honoured to be part of this project and hope you keep nourishing your talent, sharing your stories and expressing yourself through your creativity. Well done!” LITTLE TIGERS PRESS
“Puffin would like to congratulate all the participants in the Young Muslim Writers Awards and encourages them to keep writing!” Puffin Books
“Sweet Apple would like to congratulate all those who took part in the Young Muslim Writers Awards 2015! We believe that inspiring the authors of tomorrow is just as important as publishing great books today which is why we are honoured to be a part of this wonderful initiative. You all have the precious gift of imagination. Keep using it to open windows into new worlds!” Sweet Apple Publishers
“Sweetzone would like to congratulate all the shortlisted writers and winners on making it through to this stage. You have done extremely well and should be proud of yourselves! We pray your talent continues to grow and you have a very bright future ahead inshaAllah. Enjoy the sweets!” SweetZONE
“Usbourne Publishing congratulates all the young writers who have taken part in this project. Keep writing!” Usborne Publishing
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Young Muslim Writers Award
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