International Prize for Arabic Fiction Launches Inaugural Editing Workshop in Jordan

The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) last week launched its inaugural Editing Workshop, taking place from 18-22 January in Jordan at the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation.

The five-day workshop brought together participants including translators and editors from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia, aiming to develop the skills of professionals in the Arab publishing world and encourage excellence in the industry.

The editing workshop was led by two experienced names in Arabic publishing - Lebanese co-founder and publishing consultant for Dar al-Karma in Cairo, Samar Abou Zeid, and Egyptian publishing director of Dar Khan al-Janub in Berlin and 2016 IPAF-shortlisted author, Mohammed Rabie. They together led a varied itinerary of theoretical and practical sessions spanning many aspects of editing.

The participants, drawn from different Arab countries, were chosen for their prior experience and plans to work as editors in the future. They are literary translator Raneem Al-Ameri; translator Yara Elmasri; literary editor Ridha Hasni; library director and podcaster Nizar Al-Hmoud; translator and editor Muhamad A. Jamal; and editor Fatme Rokein.

Samar Abou Zeid, said:

“Mohamed Rabie and I are delighted to lead this professional workshop which brings together editors from different countries in the Arab world already working in the field of publishing, who can benefit practically from the workshop, and we hope it will also contribute positively to the work of publishing houses. We are very pleased that the workshop is being held in Amman, at the prestigious Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, and look forward to visiting the library there, meeting its staff, and learning more about its success in its cultural, teaching and social activities.”  

IPAF is the most prestigious and important literary prize in the Arab world. Its aim is to reward excellence in contemporary Arabic creative writing and to encourage the readership of high-quality Arabic literature internationally.

The editing workshop eligned with its mission to promote high quality literature by focusing on the often overlooked but crucial role of literary editors in guiding authors and shaping their novels before publication. 

Professor Yasir Suleiman, Chair of IPAF’s Board of Trustees, said:

“Literary editing and copy-editing are often a missing link in the publishing process of Arabic creative writing. Having launched a leading creative writing workshop more than ten years ago, IPAF intends to deepen its involvement in Arabic literary life by helping to train literary copyeditors in the next few years. This is not an easy task but start it must.”

The editing workshop follows 13 successful iterations of the Creative Writing Nadwa (or workshop) – the first of its kind for Arab writers – held in the UAE, Oman and Jordan. This initiative has seen a total of 95 authors develop their work.