Amid the growing cultural movement in the United Arab Emirates, creative writing workshops are emerging as an open space for testing and refining talent, and as a platform where experiences intersect to reshape the writer's relationship with their text and expressive tools.
Between those who see them as a genuine springboard for discovering new voices, and those who are wary of their capacity to entrench ready-made moulds, the question is renewed about how effective they are in producing a literary generation that possesses its own tools and expresses its vision with awareness and independence.
In this survey, Al Bayan offers a multi-angle reading of this experience, tracing its impact on developing the creative sensibility and building critical awareness, as well as its ability to strike a delicate balance between guidance and individuality — reflecting its growing presence in the UAE's cultural scene.
A fundamental difference
Dr Hind Al Mashmoom, chairperson of the administrative board of the Emirates Writers Union (Dubai branch), said that creative writing workshops represent an effective tool for discovering and refining literary talents, but that they cannot substitute for innate talent, which she considers the foundation of any genuine experience. She stressed that creativity is only complete when talent is combined with the critical and intellectual tools these workshops provide, helping to steer the writer towards producing a conscious and coherent text.
She noted that writing is not merely a spontaneous practice but a conscious process built on clear objectives and specific intellectual questions, explaining that the intellectual transformations and openness experienced by the new generation have created broader opportunities for learning and experimentation — which reinforces the role of workshops in keeping pace with these changes and developing writers' tools.
Nevertheless, Dr Al Mashmoom cautioned that the absence of standards — particularly among some commercial publishers — could limit the impact of these workshops if creative writers are not supported by genuine guidance focused on quality rather than mere publication.
A necessary stage
Poet Dr Jaber Al Khalsan affirmed the fundamental role that writer-dedicated training workshops play in honing talent and developing literary skills, describing them as the essential refinement stage for any writer seeking distinction. He noted that a person may not fully recognise their potential at the outset, but that these training platforms allow them to discover themselves and the latent abilities they possess.
Dr Al Khalsan pointed out that workshops help build an integrated literary community that allows the writer to see their true place among peers, adding that this literary interaction generates a desire for growth, as the writer learns to develop their strengths and address weaknesses through positive comparison with the experiences of others.
Dr Jaber emphasised that training workshops give the writer strong constructive incentives, viewing these incentives as complementary to the preliminary qualifications a creative person must already possess — such as an innate capacity for writing, richness of imagination, and breadth of intellectual horizon. He affirmed that workshops, in general, provide the writer with constructive incentives that build upon the foundational skills, imaginative capacities, and intellectual abilities they already hold.
A vital extension
Media figure Ahmed Lootah addressed the role that dialogue sessions and cultural seminars play broadly in enriching social awareness, describing them as a vital extension of traditional media from which people draw knowledge and deepen their learning.
He praised the efforts of the Emirates Writers Union in supporting young people through diverse initiatives that employ media, social platforms, and cultural festivals, providing moral, psychological, and material support that contributes to preparing a cultured generation of writers.
He explained that the demands of the age require delivering "fast information" in intensive formats that keep pace with the changing behaviour of the audience, pointing to the success of modern initiatives in compressing learning time through focused sessions. He also stressed the importance of grounding the writer's talent on firm foundations, viewing writing as a journey of self-development before transmitting culture to others.
He highlighted the role of cultural institutions in projecting the Emirati writer onto the world stage in a manner that respects societal values, affirming that these efforts represent "a good planting" that yields renewed creativity, while looking forward to the continuation of cultural momentum in qualifying an aware generation capable of carrying the journey forward.
A launch platform
Hanadi Al Anees, administrative coordinator of the Emirates Writers Union (Dubai branch), said that creative writing workshops constitute an important launch platform for the beginner writer, enabling them to build a network of relationships that facilitates their entry into the cultural scene. She stressed, however, that these workshops do not guarantee the sustainability of a literary career, as that depends fundamentally on the writer's capacity for continuous commitment to writing, independent development of their projects, and constant engagement with the cultural environment.
Al Anees cautioned that collective work within workshops can sometimes weaken the creative imprint, as a result of submission to ready-made directives or the pursuit of general taste, in addition to excessive revision of the text that strips it of its spontaneity. Even so, she noted that these workshops equip the writer with important critical tools, help them discover hidden aspects of their text, and distinguish between a draft and a revised work — concluding that a writer's success depends on their awareness in receiving feedback as a means of development rather than a constraint on their creative voice.
A real-life experience
Writer Hafsa Al Dhanhani affirmed the importance of specialised literary workshops in refining a writer's skills while preserving the independence of their creative voice, citing her experience in the "Writers' Retreat" programme, which imposed no uniform mould but instead encouraged individuality.
She explained that the experience contributed to developing her tools, particularly in short story writing, through a focus on plot construction, character drawing, and the deployment of time and place in a mature style, alongside enriching her linguistic repertoire.
She added that the interactive activities prompted her to adopt new approaches removed from conventionality, while granting each writer the freedom to develop their own narrative identity — resulting in diverse and rich texts. She noted that the collective book Hikayat Al Bayt (Tales of the House), in which she participated with a story titled "Half a Human", preserved — despite its collaborative nature — the individuality of each creative experience, with the workshop succeeding in achieving a balance between the collective framework and artistic distinctiveness.