4 Sept 2016

Finding my true direction



Recently I’ve been meeting up with frustrated writers like myself. The experience has been rewarding. I found The Dubai Writers’ Group on google meetups, we meet on Saturdays at a quaint little café called Shakespeare and Co.  

The organizer, Heidi, throws challenging writing prompts at us and allows us fifteen minutes to put down our thoughts for each prompt. These writing exercises – to my surprise – are so thought provoking, the fact that there is a time limit really does help the creative process. On other days we discuss our own work (writing projects) with each other and provide feedback. I enjoy these meetings immensely, the company, and the occasional banter which only frustrated writers understand and appreciate.

Meeting with like minded, multi passionate people here in Dubai has been a great help for my emotional health. Of course I still have my bad days, but the friendliness of the people I am meeting here in Dubai and the ease in which they open up to me and allow me the emotional space to express and be myself is just wonderful. I didn’t find that kind of kinship when I was living in the UK, people there are closed up, assuming, cold, distant and extremely unwelcoming.

I also recognize all my own efforts in finding such good people. First I searched for single mothers like myself and joined their group and the emotional support we provide each other has just been so healing for me, knowing that there are so many kindred spirits who had been through and are still going through the exact experiences as mine. Then I went searching for a writing group and insisted I don’t miss any of their meetings. This has also opened up a new horizon for me, they’ve given me faith to work on my novel again, after I had abandoned it due to multiple publishing rejections.

I’m starting my own poetry group ‘The Frustrated Poets’. We will meet weekly at my place and I’m really looking forward to meeting all the poetry lovers I hope my group will attract. It feels so good to be able to share my passions with people who are equally passionate, interesting and intelligent. It feels good to have found a better life, after all the alienation, to feel like a belong. Sometimes in the wind of change we find our true direction.