DHAHRAN, 30 November 2005 — Women of all nationalities are invited to submit their original creative writing for inclusion in an upcoming anthology of poetry, essays, and short fiction.
The book, tentatively entitled “Where Prayer Measures Time: The Women of Saudi Arabia Speak,” is the latest project of poet Nimah Ismail Nawwab. Her best-selling collection of poetry, “The Unfurling,” was published in 2004 to worldwide acclaim.
“The goal of this collection,” Nimah said, “is to provide a true representation of the variety of women living within the Kingdom by accepting submissions from both established and emerging writers. Women throughout the world are contributing to society in important ways. Saudi Arabia is no exception.”
The book will be published in English but work translated from Arabic is welcome. Any woman who has lived in Saudi Arabia is encouraged to submit.
Nimah sees literature as a way of building bridges between cultures. By creating a venue for women within the country to express their views on current issues she hopes to generate an opportunity for readers to gain insight and understanding of a part of Arab society which has often remained silent.
She conceived the idea for the anthology after noticing many false impressions about the lives of women in Saudi Arabia. “Misconception often leads to misunderstanding and intolerance,” she explained. “While giving poetry readings and presentations abroad I noticed a hunger for information about life in the Kingdom. It fit well with a long-held dream of mine to bring together writers in Saudi Arabia to work on a common project.”
Last summer she began assembling a group of professionals to serve as editors, readers, and translators. The team has members living abroad and in both the Eastern and Western Provinces of the country.
“I am a firm believer in the need for diversity,” said Nimah. “One of the most intriguing and exciting aspects of the anthology is that it embodies diversity on all levels. Our team, which consists of writers, academics, and poets living in Saudi Arabia and beyond, was chosen because each woman brought specific skills to the project. These skills, when combined, create a very strong body of knowledge. Our goal is for the anthology to serve as a mirror that accurately reflects the range of skill and experience of women within the Kingdom.”
Pit Menousek Pinegar, who will serve as the book’s poetry editor, commented, “An anthology of women’s voices — poems, stories, and essays — from Saudi Arabia can only deepen understanding in a world fraught with misunderstanding. Literature is international language. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that such a body of work has the potential to heal rifts between East and West.”
Pinegar lived in Saudi Arabia from 1982-1986. Her latest collection of poems, “The Physics of Transmigration,” was published in April 2005 and is nominated for a 2006 Pulitzer Prize.
Recent events underscore the need for understanding between vastly different cultures. Nimah has been called “the voice of Arab women” by media outlets such as Newsweek and The Washington Post. But it’s a title she seems uncomfortable accepting.
“I’m flattered that reviewers have found merit in my work but it’s wrong to think that one poet can represent or reflect the voices of an entire population,” she says. “I hope women throughout the Kingdom will be excited about the anthology project and support it by sending us their writing.”
She says many other well-known Saudi writers plan to submit work for inclusion in the anthology. “It’s important to have both established and emerging writers,” she explained. “Young people look up to pioneers willing to serve as mentors to a new generation of talent. I hope to continue the literary tradition of nurturing free expression and creativity.”
She believes readers will be impressed by the literary merit of the collection. “Our country is filled with bright, capable women. Many have been writing for years. I look forward to this anthology providing a home for their work.”
Submissions for the anthology are being accepted via Nimah’s website: www.theunfurling.com. Submissions should be copied and pasted into the form provided on the site.
Poems should be single spaced, one poem per page, with the author’s name and contact number on each page. Limit three poems per writer. Essays and fiction should be double spaced and formatted with one-inch margins. The author’s name and contact information should appear on the first page in the top left corner. Essays and stories of up to 3,000 words are accepted. Limit one prose submission per writer.
Submissions must be received no later than March 30, 2006. Complete guidelines can be found on the website. Further inquiries can be directed to [email protected].
