The Dubai International Program for Writing (DIPW), an initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), launched its 2026 Novel Writing workshop, reaffirming its commitment to nurturing emerging literary talents across the Arab world.
Building on a series of successful workshops held across several Arab countries, the workshop aims to expand channels of support and empowerment for young writers. It will run for four months starting in April and will be held remotely, enabling participants from around the world to participate. The workshop will be supervised by Dr. Shahla Ujayli, novelist and professor of Modern Arabic Literature and Cultural Studies.
This year’s workshop will feature monthly virtual sessions, introducing participants to both foundational and advanced principles of novel writing, its transformations, and its relationship with socio-cultural contexts. Additionally, participants will gain insights into narrative components, structures, genres, viewpoints, as well as archetypes, character types, and their relationship to the time and place of events.
Dr
Shahla Ujayli expressed her delight in supervising this workshop, emphasizing that it represents a valuable opportunity to discover and refine new narrative voices within a structured framework that blends theoretical knowledge with practical application. She added, “We aim to support participants throughout their journey in novel writing, from developing ideas to producing complete texts with strong artistic and aesthetic values. We are also committed to fostering an interactive environment that encourages the exchange of ideas, insights, and experiences, as well as enhances participants’ confidence in their literary projects.”
The workshop includes a reading program and a practical writing program, through which participants will produce complete texts. The program’s administration will be responsible for publishing selected works following a comprehensive editing and review process.
The workshop builds on the success of previous editions, with the last Novel Writing Workshop held in Jordan, in collaboration with the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, which resulted in the publication of four novels. These include ‘The Memory of Salt’ by Walaa Abazeid, ‘The Game of Seats’ by Raghad Zayed, ‘The Men of the Chess Club’ by Saifuddin Mohammed, and ‘Al-Hajira’ by Aseel Al Azzam.
Since its launch in 2013, DIPW has trained over 500 participants from across the Arab world through its series of training sessions and produced nearly 300 books covering genres, including novels, stories, children’s literature, translation, travel literature, and critical and research works. These achievements reflect the DIPW’s ongoing role in enriching the Arab literary landscape, developing human capital, and supporting young creatives and writers on their path toward professionalism.
DIPW seeks to empower emerging young creatives and writers across the Arab world by promoting a culture of reading and enhancing the role of literature for individuals and society through its series of creative writing workshops across all genres.
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