Good morning dear readers! As January stays cold and grey, we hope today’s blog will give you a bit of brightness and maybe even a burst of inspiration!
Today we are getting to know Koyal writer, Sidra Ansari and the many writer hats she wears! In this video she will answer our seven introductory questions. Listeners can learn about the contemporary women’s novel she’s working on and also get an inside scoop on her favourite craft books.
1. Pitch yourself as a writer in seven words.
I nurture my soul first, then edit.
2. What personal creative project are you working on at the moment?
A women’s contemporary fiction novel set in Birmingham and North Wales. I’m enjoying the journey of getting it down at the moment and I look forward to the day I can share it with readers!
3. Name seven books that are a permanent fixture on your shelf.
1. Save the Cat by Jessica Brody
2. 20 Master Plots by Ronald B. Tobias
3. Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul
4. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
5. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
6. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
7. Finding Peace Through Prayer and Love by Sidra Ansari
My own book! Haha. A shameless plug for you, right here!
4. What are you reading at the moment?
The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass.
You might notice that I have a lot of craft books on my shelf, it is a testament to the fact that I’ve been working on story and the idea of creating a good one, for a while. the hope is the knowledge will, one day, permeate into my brain and writing. Wish me luck!
5. Borrowing from Hemingway’s concept, but with our thematic twist, tell us a seven-word story.
She dies but she lives on, infinitely.
6. This group is named after a bird. If you could spread your wings, take flight, and go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
Medina tun-Nabi- The City of the Prophet.
This question speaks to my spirituality. The first ever time I visited Saudi Arabia for the lesser pilgrimage was just after I began practicing Islam as a young adult. A year later my life changed drastically as my prayers were answered and I got married to a wonderful human being. It is the place that symbolises hope, true peace and love.
The pandemic has meant a visit has recently been impossible and this means it’s the first place I’d like to go, if I had the chance.
7. Using seven words only, share a golden nugget of writing advice.
Make time and space; you will flourish!
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So that’s Sidra Ansari, freelance writer and lovely Koyal. We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about her and her writing. Don’t forget to check in next week for the third Koyal interview
The Koyal Writers 
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