Power to the Writers! : An interview with Shaymaa El-Gammal, Journalist & Media Consultant
Power to the
Writers!
 |
| Photo by : Basma Fathy. Edited by: Ahmed Atef Megahed |
An interview with
Shaymaa El-Gammal, Journalist & Media Consultant
Believe it or not, a lot of people are
actually afraid to look themselves in the mirror each day. They're not all
excited about facing their daily routines and responsibilities; managing to
suppress their feelings inside, not giving themselves a chance to breathe
freely every now and then. However when they start asking for help, they usually
receive the same advice; "Go away, travel sometime, lighten up a bit, you
need to change…" Nonetheless, no one actually helps them, only until they
meet a wise man who would instruct them to start writing. Yes, to simply start
pouring out what they have in mind, heart, and soul in papers to release the
amount of pressure they are facing every single day.
Consequently, this power of confession comes
to their rescue. It revives their soul and helps them explore a whole new
dimension of sanity, relaxation, and peace.
But, some people use this power as their own profession. They practice
it as a way of discovering the world, making a difference in one's life, or
simply babbling about it for the fun of it. Shaymaa El-Gammal is one of those
people who enjoy this power of confession. She goes with the motto of, "Don't
Hide What You Are!" Her job as a writer has grown in her ever since
she was a child, which encouraged her to start a blog and post her own
ramblings to the world as well. Not having the difficulty to validate what she
has in mind, she developed into a professional, daring, interesting Journalist
and Media Consultant. Her writings are spontaneous, very enjoyable to read, and
highly informative. We have come across her very own first book, "Ta2 Marbouta," and decided to interview her, so she can tell us more about her
experience with publishing, writing, and self-development. Speaking about her
own thoughts and revelations, or as we called it above "babbling,"
she managed to present her own "EAT PRAY LOVE" journey to us. Make sure you grab your copy; you will
definitely find yourself in a chapter or two. Who knows, maybe it may encourage
you to break-through your silence and start writing your own book someday. To
check out her latest updates, go to http://www.facebook.com/Shaymaa.Gammal.
·
Please introduce yourself to our
readers.
I'm
Shaymaa El-Gammal, 25 years old. I'm married and I have one kid called, Firas.
I've graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University to work as a Tour
Guide for a while. Then, I shifted my career to a Children Instructor when I
came across Kelmetna magazine and started practicing my writing, which I
neglected since I was 12. At that point, I regained my real passion towards
writing, so I started working as a Journalist along Education. Now, I
contribute in several publications, like Cairo 360, Al-Wafd News Portal… etc. I
love music, reading, photography, food, and surfing the net.
·
What does the book talk about?
It's
a collection of my articles, ramblings, and revelations I've written since 2008
and till now. It presents several occurrences I've experienced, like the first
time I fell in love, my marriage, the birth of my baby boy, the death of one of
my friends/relatives, along with some situations I tried expressing my point of
view through them.
·
What encouraged you to write?
I
started writing my diaries when I was around 9 years old; what I thought about
some movies, songs I liked, famous quotes… etc. Having so much time on my
hands, as I was brought up in Saudi Arabia, made me write; I disliked the
loneliness. But then, I stopped at the age of 12 and started writing again for
Kelmetna as I mentioned before.
·
What does your child, Firas, represent
to you? Did marriage influence your writing by any means?
Firas
represents the future I'm living for. My world revolves around him and my
husband. My marriage encouraged me to be more successful due to my husband's
love and constant support. Of course, I had to turn down a lot of opportunities
in TV and Journalism, but it's ok; it's never too late to achieve it later.
·
What made you decide to write a book?
I
took the decision when I read these specific books: "Rice in Milk" by
Rehab Bassam and "Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite" by Paul
Arden. Rehab taught me how to write about myself; how to be cosy, honest, and
universal at the same time, while Paul introduced me to creativity, innovation,
and breaking the habits writing/publishing. Also, Al-Shorouk publications
stimulated my thought of working on my project, after I saw their successful
experiences of turning several blogs into books.
·
What inspires you?
Usually
ideas come to me whenever I witness any influential incident, read a book, or
watch a video on YouTube… etc. Strangely, I feel the urge to write whenever I
go to Virgin stores; its atmosphere urges me to pick a café afterwards and just
write!
·
What's the difference between writing
a book and writing on your blog?
You
don't have to think of the consequences when you write a new blog post. In
other words, you are able to breathe, caring less about your writing style. On
the other hand, writing a book requires solid structure, more vocabulary, and
organization. You have to deliver a message, not just rant.
·
What's your parents' response after
reading your book?
Surprisingly,
they respected everything I wrote and no one made feel bad whatsoever.
·
What's your life philosophy?
As
Fayrouz once sang, "I'm a humming bird… my people set me free to wander
under the sun through endless roads…," I enjoy life, freedom, work, and
the sun. My eternal daydream is to fly while sleeping. I love living as simple
and as light as a bird. My motto is to accept all human beings just the way
they are.
·
How do you picture yourself when
you're 40?
I
think I'll gain weight, but I'll enjoy who I will become. I'll always feel I'm
in my 20's. I'll refuse to wear high heels. I'll be writing a lot, and will
have good fans too. I'll maintain my childish character with my kids.
·
What do you mainly focus on in your
writings?
I
write what I feel; I do not usually seek to be funny or try to deliver what
everyone wants. I am who I am, and that's simply it.
·
Do you think writers have a different
personality? Is it true they live in their own bubble?
Usually,
a writer lives two lives; a public one and a secret one. He/she has to
successfully separate both personalities to be able to get in touch with
his/her inner-self. It's all about focus and control. A writer can be very shy
and decent in real life, but may live like hookers on paper to engage with what
is written.
·
To which extent stability is important
to a writer and how?
Stability
is not essential to a writer; on the contrary, it's very damaging. It can kill
any inspiration along the way. That's why, the best writings are produces in
times of love, break-ups, giving birth to a child, divorce, death… etc.;
occurrences like these create amazing pieces.
·
What would you say to those who did
not unleash their writing talents yet?
You
have got to release your souls and get out of your cage, that's simply it. And,
here's a small tip for you; if you're not brave enough to write as a first
person, you can always use a third person narrator.
·
It has been brought to my attention
that you discussed loneliness in your book. In your opinion, how deep can it
affect girls?
Loneliness
can turn a girl into a positive, creative artist. It can help her make peace
with herself. On the other hand, she can become worse by all means; acting all
differently and doing thing she's not usually satisfied about.
·
Clearly, it's demonstrated how much
you love Fayrouz. What's the story?
Including
her unique voice, I feel she has sung to most ladies out there; encountering us
in several emotional states. She's deep, thoughtful, calm, and not glamorous,
which I strongly like about her. Fayrouz is an idol to me, like Guevara or
Marlin Monroe to anyone else.
·
Do you believe in change?
Indeed!
Everyone changes as he/she becomes older. Man's relationship with God is a
living proof of that. Writers need change in their lives be able to develop
their writing styles every one and then. New experiences definitely revive your
way of life and help you endure the amount of pressure you're going through any
period of time.
.. N.O.H.A ..
Shaymaa
El-Gammal's Contacts:
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