The word is out. I am planning my first science fiction writing workshop in Dubai, in April. I would like to connect with science fiction writers and aspiring authors, and work together to imagine the future. The workshop planning for 2 hours every Saturday for 4 weeks, venue is tentative. I am hoping to get between 5-8 participants, so seats are limited.

It is my first planned workshop and I know that there is a lot to learn. I will aim to help participants write a science fiction short story and have it ready by the end of the workshop. As well as encouraging them to come up with an idea for a novel. The workshop will be collaborative. We will be discussing science fiction works, talk about different genres, exchange our experiences and interests in science fiction, do lots of writing, and give feedback to each other. I am not going to be the only one giving feedback. I will lead the workshop but participants will be active as well.

The whole idea of the workshop came to me while working on a business plan for a publishing house dedicated to publishing Arabic science fiction and translating global science fiction to Arabic. I have published 5 Arabic books so far (3 of which are sci-fi), and my work has been translated to English, French, and Italian. I have seen a global interest in Arabic science fiction and have good knowledge of the Arabic literary scene. Unfortunately, Arabic literature has been focusing mostly on reviving the past. We have been stuck in looking back into history for a long time. I am a fan of historical fiction, but I am also a fan of science fiction. I’d love to see us looking forward. As much as we can learn from the past by reading about it, as much as we can be ready to contribute to the future by imagining it. Other nations have been looking forward and producing different narratives of how the futures will look like; we need our own perspective, narratives that come from the region, with its rich cultural heritage and history. A formula that can add much to the global discourse and give new perspectives to the future.

With the rapid technological advancements and the emergence of AI, there has never been a time in history that demands us to imagine that future like today. It is a pressing need. We need to observe what’s happening NOW and its near future effect. Our lives will be much different in a few years. If we don’t imagine our futures, others would imagine it for us.

If you are interested or know anyone interested in joining this workshop, don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email on: fadizaghmout@yahoo.com

Let’s widen our imaginations and shape our lives into the future we want.