The publishing world is a grim, dream-crushing, confidence-breaking, money-making machine that chews up and spits out even the likes of JK Rowling before aspiring-Rowlings can meet a miracle. But for many of us, stories run thick in our blood, and no matter how many literary agents tell us ‘nay’, we can’t rest easy without putting pen to paper. Some of us seek alternative means of being read, and go cyber. And some of us, like the author of UAE bestseller, Desperate in Dubai, get discovered by such means. We caught up with Amira Al Hakawati to find out how she did it.
Before Desperate in Dubai became a book, it was an online blog. Why did you choose this medium?
Before Desperate in Dubai, I tried writing books and they failed miserably. The main reason was that I wasn’t motivated enough to write when nobody was reading what I was writing. I started blogging because the fact that there were people reading my story encouraged me to keep at it.
When did you start getting a returning readership that were leaving comments and encouraging messages?
It happened straight away because I marketed it straight away. As soon as I posted a chapter I went on ExpatWoman.com and just said, ‘Hey I started writing a book, this is my first chapter. Here’s the link. Let me know what you think.’ So people started reading it, and I had really good feedback immediately.
And when was it that Random House India approached you?
I started the blog in May 2009 and it was the summer of 2010 when I was approached by an editor at Random House who said that they were interested in turning my blog into a book, and they wanted an outline and synopsis.
Do you know how they came across your blog?
I have no idea. When I read the email I thought it was a joke. Because that’s everyone’s dream right – to get an email from an editor saying we want to give you a book deal?
It is indeed, but all that attention must have put you on someone’s radar. Do you think it was just blogging that made your work a big hit or the marketing you put into it?
I think it was a combination. As a blog it’s easy to access; no one has to go out and buy it. If someone recommends a blog, all you have to do is click a link and you can read it. But the blog itself only attracts people who are blogging and reading blogs. If not through Facebook or forums like ExpatWoman, I’d have to read and comment on lots of blogs to get people to notice me and read my blog. So I went on a few forums. On Facebook I joined lots of writers groups. Also when I first started Twitter wasn’t such a big deal. But I think now I’d make use of Twitter and not restrict myself only to expat or UAE forums.
So it comes down to good marketing.
Yeah, a lot of work went into it. It wasn’t all just chance. I did send letters out to agents at the beginning, but got rejections. It’s not easy. And I know I’m not the best writer in the world. But I also know that I’m good at telling stories. With Desperate in Dubai, the writing is ok, it’s not poetic. But the story itself is a page turner, and it helped that I had a specific target audience in mind.
That’s why genre fiction is actually a lot easier to market, isn’t it?
It’s true. Also I had to tailor the posts according to the medium that I was using. It wasn’t like a novel at all. It read like a TV series. Every post ended with a cliff hanger and that got readers coming back.
Now you’re not the only person posting a novel online. What do you think has made you stand out from the crowd?
A lot of people start writing because they have a story to tell, but you need some foundation. You need to learn the craft of writing. It’s essential that you have some kind of creative writing background, or you have someone who does have a background to guide you through the process, because there is so much more to a good book than just a story. My advice to people who want to write is that if you can’t go on a creative writing course, at least read books about writing. You might think it’s a bit crass and believe writing is all about inspiration – but no, there is a skill to it. It’s an art form that you hone, and you hone it by practicing, and reading, and getting critique.
‘Desperate in Dubai’ by Ameera Al Hakawati is available at all good bookstores across Abu Dhabi.
Want to get read?
Looking for support and writing buddies in the capital? On the second Wednesday of every month, a motley group Abu Dhabi denizens ranging from management advisory businessmen to therapists, meet at Café Arabia to talk about writing. Leading second lives as aspiring script-writers, poets and novelists, they offer advice on each other’s work and recommend writing competitions or online mediums of getting their writing out there.
