Available for the 10-plus age group, the paid activity at the ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair is a novel concept that aims to keep the love for books and reading progress to writing one’s own book

Sharjah, November 15, 2025

Writing and publishing a book and seeing it on the shelves of a book stall or at a book fair’s stalls is every aspiring writer’s dream. Sensing this hidden dream of budding writers, the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) has come with a dedicated creative writing space where the workshops for children happen.

The writing space, separated from the rest of the workshops by large faux square blocks featuring the SIBF logo, is open to all ages. Many adults with a passion for writing have also taken part. There are no trainers, but facilitators guide participants in selecting writing prompts, binding their pages with orange plastic combs, and placing them in a green folio case to take home.

This paid activity is open to participants aged 10 and above and has been especially popular with adults, who find inspiration in the prompts provided.

The first section of the workshop is the “Start Your Story” stand featuring numerous book-related activities in the worksheets neatly stacked in the recessed compartments of the display table. The interactive worksheets prompt the participant to write “a letter to a stranger who reads: someone you’ll never meet but who understands the quiet joy of books” or “draw or describe your favourite character” in the blank space provided.

An interesting activity is to “write a short note to any author living or gone”; the prompt beneath is to write to author George Orwell of 1984 fame beginning with, “Dear Orwell, Thank you for warning us before it was too late.” There are sheets to mark the daily reading progress, draw the map of your mind while reading, or to name the books that challenged or healed the reader. Then there are “quotes for quiet days” from the likes of Dr Seuss, C.S. Lewis and Hemingway on books and reading.

The participant can also jot down his/her reading timeline from childhood to teens year to adulthood marking the book that made a difference in their lives. Plot twist generators for inspiration, shelf confessions, notes and bookmarks are also available for the pick.  Once the activities are complete, the participant can proceed to the binding corner.

The perforated sheets can be bound at the “Bind your Book” corner with the front and back covers appearing in shiny silver or amber with the SIBF theme on it.

“This isn’t a traditional workshop but an activity designed to encourage prospective authors to write their own book in the future. It helps participants organise their thoughts and discover their creative goals. Working through the prompts can inspire them to write their own story later,” said Haneen Anaya, a facilitator at the pavilion.

Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 is organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) under the theme ‘Between You and a Book’, and runs for 12 days until November 16 at Expo Centre Sharjah, welcoming authors, publishers and readers from 118 countries.

–ENDS-