Reading time: About 2 minutes
Ashraf Zaghal says that true originality comes from how a story is told, not from the novelty of the concept.
Born in Jerusalem, Ashraf Zaghal moved to Toronto in 2006 to study Environmental Engineering. Between 1998 and 2016, he published four poetry collections in Arabic: Wheels of Ashes (Ramallah, 1998), Sleeping as I See (Ramallah, 2001), A Desert in the Metro (Beirut, 2013), and Portrait of the Ugly Family (Amman, 2016). His work has been translated into English, French, and Hebrew. His debut novel, Seven Heavens Away, is being published by House of Anansi this month. Alongside his literary pursuits, Ashraf is passionate about nature and the life of rivers. He holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering and an MFA in Creative Writing.
I was excited to talk to Ashraf about how he approaches writing.
Q. Roughly how much time do you spend writing every day?
I write for one to three hours a day. I try to commit to at least one hour, no matter how busy or uninspired I feel.
Q. What’s a simple activity or habit that makes you a better writer?
Reading. I read about 30 pages every day, slowly and attentively. When I’m working on a specific writing project, my reading becomes more opportunistic — I focus on themes and settings similar to the project I’m working on.
Q. What interferes with your writing?
I have a full-time job, so it’s never ideal when a great idea, concept, or metaphor hits me at the wrong moment. And sometimes I get distracted when I’m uncertain about a scene or character. I start searching the internet, and before I know it, I’ve lost my focus.
Q. How do you persuade yourself to sit down to write on days when you really, really DON’T feel like doing it?
I put my phone on silent and walk aimlessly. By the time I return, there’s usually something waiting to be written.
Q. Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found helpful for writing?
I love what Charles Bukowski says in his poem “So You Want to Be a Writer?”: ‘If it doesn’t come bursting out of you in spite of everything, don’t do it.’ These lines really capture the urgency and necessity of writing from the heart.
Q. Which stage of the writing process do you enjoy the most: researching, writing or editing/rewriting and why?
I enjoy the writing phase most — it’s when I feel productive, truly doing the work. Research can be fun, but it’s a labyrinth. Editing and rewriting are another labyrinth — enjoyable, but without the momentum that writing gives me.
Q. What’s one of the best books you’ve read (either fiction or non) in the last five years?
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. I loved the world of the story: the setting, the characters, and how nature is not merely a backdrop. It’s interwoven with everyday life, spirituality, and social structures.
Q. What book are you reading right now?
I’m currently reading Bad Cree by Jessica Johns.
Q. What do you think is the biggest misperception that new writers have about the act of writing?
Many beginners feel pressured to come up with a unique idea or an intriguing premise. But true originality, I think, comes from how a story is told, not from the novelty of the concept.
