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Oct 28Liked by Muslim Writers' Salon

Man, I really wanted to attend, but I fell asleep and couldn't rise from the slumber. Was I listening to my body or was I being lazy? Lol. Probably a bit of both, and the fact that I forgot about the session haha. The alarm went off too late into my nap.

This is really good advice, and it extends to all forms of creativity. It's something I've been practicing myself for a little while now, and so far it works. Though I know myself so I know I could definitely benefit from some of that militaristic mindset too.

Thank you for sharing this. Could you also post Said's socials if he has any?

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Yes, thanks for the reminder! You can find him on IG here: www.instagram.com/saidshaiye

Sometimes a boot camp works! I'm reminded of the Prophet saws' advice that the best deeds are those done regularly. However it might not be a daily regular! He also taught us to respect the body's need for food and rest so inshallah we find a balance.

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Thank you so much for this advice, Allah bless you all! I have been writing a novel and this advice helps incredibly. I believe I would immensely benefit having someone there who could support and encourage me, however I am also a dependent without a substantial stable income (unless a 50 dollar monthly allowance counts :D)! It sometimes can feel so negative not having someone and feeling the book is going nowhere at the moment. Or when you doubt yourself, sometimes for good reason; in my case, my writing style is weak and my language and vocabulary is genuinely quite basic and not that great. But no matter what we fight through it, I much ask for duas on my novel journey; it's a fiction suspense with a Islamic essence (morals, values, and hopefully some subtle teachings) so that it could not only appeal to Muslims, but non-Muslims and those against it as well to understand and be invited to the blessed religion while hopefully staying accessible and unassuming to all! Thank you

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I felt this with my whole being. I've always wanted to be a writer but the inertia is immense! Even for someone with no formal diagnosis of any neurodivergence, the struggle can be incredible and the internalised self-shame can be debilitating.

Thank you for sharing this and for sharing Said's thoughts on the matter. Like him, I tried walking away from writing - or at least, just let myself walk in different directions because writing felt too tiring, too naked, too vulnerable and I felt guilty for wanting to call myself a writer but never actually writing. Now, I've embraced it as a life companion and one of my callings in this fleeting life. It's wonderful to remind myself that I'll always have writing and I can return to it when I'm ready, without guilt nor shame. BaarakAllah!

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Alhamdulillah for letting go of shame and guilt! Writing is a life path but it doesn’t have to be a gruelling one. Let it be there for you when you need it. Inshallah you’ll have the space you need to write what words want to flow!

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Practice, practice, practice.

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My best friend is chronically ill and a neurodivergent. My partner has ADHD. My brother is autistic. Even though I am neurotypical, I see how the mentality of being productive hurts them. If I really think back, it hurts me too and why I experienced burnout previously. I have deconstructed the way I think about work (and it's quite easy to do when you think, live and breathe next to people that can't afford to sacrifice themselves for productivity's sake) but it is still so ingrained, constant reminder like last week's salon is needed and much appreciated to avoid shame and advocate for all kinds of writers.

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