Talk

​Coping Through Humor: On Writing Mischief Diary and Learning How to Forgive

​An inspirational talk on the power of creative writing to heal

Arab Open University

PRIVATE EVENT

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About the Event:

In this event, Nada Faris will speak for approximately 15 minutes. She will share a personal story about her journey into literature and how it helped her forgive her parents. Following that, she will guide a four-part writing exercise using Marshall Rosenberg's Non-Violent Communication. During the exercise, audience members will be invited to write down a memory of when they experienced negative emotions, such as feeling wronged, hurt, disappointed, sad, ashamed, or angry. They will then learn how to separate the objective events from their subjective interpretation of the story. By tuning into the sensations in their bodies, they will then identify their feelings, and by naming their feeling, they’ll be able to uncover their underlying needs. Lastly, they will learn how to express their needs in a compassionate manner. Nada Faris took this process a step further when writing her book Mischief Diary by transforming her negative memories into humorous tales. Students will receive an additional writing prompt to try at home that will help them inject humor into their painful memories. After the four-part writing exercise, the audience will have 45 minutes to ask questions about Nada's life as an artist in the Middle East and about the writing exercise they had just learned.

About the Presenter:

The event will be presented by Nada Faris, a writer and certified coach for creatives. Faris holds an MFA in Creative Writing and Literary Translation from Columbia University and has represented Kuwait in the UK and in the US. She has received an Arab Woman Award from Harper’s Bazaar Arabia in the category of Inspirational Woman for her impact on creatives in Kuwait, and is, furthermore, the author of multiple books in different genres. Her shorter works have appeared in The Norton Anthology for Hint Fiction, Gulf Coast Journal, Indianapolis Review, Nimrod, Tribes, One Jacar, The American Journal of Poetry, and more.

Event Objectives:

By the end of this 2-hour event, students will:

• Learn about the radical healing potential of creative writing.
• Hear about a writer from Kuwait and listen to her personal experience of navigating her creative passions while making ends meet in a demanding society.
• Acquire 4 journaling prompts that can improve their relationships with their loved ones, friends, family, and co-workers.
• Receive an additional writing prompt that can help transform their negative memories into funny anecdotes. 

​Details

• Title: “Coping Through Humor: On Writing Mischief Diary and Learning How to Forgive”
• Description: An inspirational talk on the power of creative writing to heal memories with a special emphasis on humor as a tool for transformation.  
• For: Arab Open University
• Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023
• Time: 3-5 PM
• Duration: 2 hours 
• Language: English
• Admission: Free (but Private event for registered AOU students only)

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Private Event for AOU Students

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