From left at the IPAF workshop on literary editing are Ridha Hasni, Nizar Al-Hmoud, Yara Elmasry, and Muhamad Jamal in the International Prize for Arabic Fiction’s editing workshop. Image: Showman Foundation, Abdul Hameed
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘The Structural Editing of a Novel Manuscript’
Our readership of course is very familiar with the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF, which earlier this month announced its 16-book shortlist for 2025.
As it happens, the program also has produced this month a first in its 14-year series of Creative Writing Nadwa (or workshop) events: a workshop with a focus on editing.
The workshop ran January 18 to 22 in Jordan at the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation.
Structured as a five-day workshop, the program brought together translators and editors from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia. its intent, of course, was to infuse some focus on professional editing skills—which in many instances has not been as regular a part of text preparation in Arab-world publishing as it is in some other parts of the world,
The editing workshop was led by Lebanese 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 led a varied curriculum 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.
The group comprised:
- Literary translator Raneem Al-Ameri; translator Yara Elmasri
- Literary editor Ridha Hasni
- Library director Nizar Al-Hmoud
- Translator and editor Muhamad A. Jamal
- Editor Fatme Rokein
International Prize for Arabic Fiction chair Yasir Suleiman at this month’s seminar, with editor Ridha Hasni. Image: Showman Foundation, Abdul Hameed
‘Enriching for Us as Editors and Trainers’
Following the Amman workshop, Abou Zeid, said:
“Over five days, Mohammed Rabie and I shared our editorial experience with a group of talented and motivated editors and translators from different parts of the Arab world.
“The workshop presented an overview of the publishing processes used in various genres of books, before focusing on novel editing and discussing in detail the structural editing of a novel manuscript.
“After comparing the published novel with its first draft, the participants were able to identify the main tasks of copy-editing, which in turn led them to see the necessity of establishing and following editorial guidelines.
“A session was also devoted to technical problems encountered while using Arabic language software.
“The experience was enriching for us as editors and trainers, as well as on the human level, as we got to know each of the participants over the course of the workshop. “
Abou Zeid went on to thank the prize program and the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation’s team members “who hosted us with such grace and kindness.”
‘Helping To Train Copyeditors’
Yasir Suleiman, chair of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction board of trustees, was quoted, saying, “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 10 years ago, IPAF intends to deepen its involvement in Arabic literary life by helping to train copyeditors in the next few years. This is not an easy task but start it must.”
The workshop program overall has seen a total of 95 authors develop their work.”
In an interesting cooperative measure, the International Prize for Arabic Fiction again this year is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, which under the direction of Dr. Ali Bin Tamim produces the larger Sheikh Zayed Book Award, with its 7.8-million-dirham purse (US$2.1 million), annually recognizing winning books in nine categories and a “Cultural Personality of the Year.”
The Cultural Personality honor includes a purse of 1 million dirhams (US$272,262).
Both of these award programs make generous efforts in funding translation of Arabic content into other languages.
International Prize for Arabic Fiction Samar Abou Zeid editing workshop co-leader. Image: Showman Foundation, Abdul Hameed
More from Publishing Perspectives on the International Prize for Arabic Fiction is here, and more on publishing and book prizes in general is here. More on translation is here, and more on Arabic in the publishing world is here. More on the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is here, and more on the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre is here.
More on the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is here, and more on the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and the work of Bin Tamim is here. Publishing Perspectives is the world media partner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
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