Etching on paper,'David and Goliath'- part of the series 'Four illustrations for a Spanish book' 1655. Rembrandt. Wikicommons/ Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. Some rights reserved. The title of this piece is not original, taken from George Orwell’s biographical essay, but I could not find a better one when asked by openDemocracy to write about my journey in becoming a writer.
My motivations to write and their development have shifted over the years as the fortunes of my life ebbed and flowed: struggling with unemployment, personal trials, exile, alienation as well as unexpected success – all played significant roles.
In this piece I will chart this development as I see it, not with the purpose of inspiring others so much as providing an insight into my struggles as an inexperienced Arab writer with its tests as well as its rewards.
