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Announcing the Winners of First Chapter – The ELF-Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship
Date/Time: Saturday 5 February 2022 11:30-12:30
Venue: Al Habtoor Ballroom, Habtoor Palace, Al Habtoor City
Language: AR/EN
Session No: 112
Grab your seats to find out who are the ten winners of the first global standard mentorship programme in the region: First Chapter – The ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship. The opportunity of a lifetime for aspiring writers from the UAE, the Fellowship will identify and nurture emerging writing talent and highlight their work on the world stage.
The winners will receive one-to-one mentorship from international authors, some of whom are appearing at this year’s festival, including top crime writer Mark Billingham; Shahad Al Rawi, the youngest writer to make the Arabic Booker Prize shortlist; Libyan novelist Najwa Bin Shatwan; award-winning YA and children’s writer Ali Sparkes and Annabel Kantaria, inaugural Montegrappa prize winner, who has recently published her fifth book.
Writers will also gain access throughout the year-long programme to experts in the industry, with exclusive workshops from a range of master storytellers including internationally acclaimed authors Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith.
Other mentors taking part in the fellowship are Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, the Queen of Nordic Noir; one of Kuwait’s most celebrated writers, Taleb Al Refai; acclaimed British author Patrick Gale, and Greg Mosse renowned creative writing teacher, writer and editor who works in consultancy for stage and screen.
The winners will receive one-to-one mentorship from international authors, some of whom are appearing at this year’s festival, including top crime writer Mark Billingham; Shahad Al Rawi, the youngest writer to make the Arabic Booker Prize shortlist; Libyan novelist Najwa Bin Shatwan; award-winning YA and children’s writer Ali Sparkes and Annabel Kantaria, inaugural Montegrappa prize winner, who has recently published her fifth book.
Writers will also gain access throughout the year-long programme to experts in the industry, with exclusive workshops from a range of master storytellers including internationally acclaimed authors Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith.
Other mentors taking part in the fellowship are Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, the Queen of Nordic Noir; one of Kuwait’s most celebrated writers, Taleb Al Refai; acclaimed British author Patrick Gale, and Greg Mosse renowned creative writing teacher, writer and editor who works in consultancy for stage and screen.
