In the enchanting realms of literature, where magic and adventure intertwine, a young author from Saudi Arabia has carved her name in history.
Ritaj Hussain Alhazmi is not just an inspiration for other young writers but for anyone who dares to dream big. At the tender age of 15 years and 37 days, Ritaj was verified as the youngest newspaper columnist (female), an achievement that speaks volumes about her passion and dedication to the art of storytelling.
Ritaj's literary journey began early. By the age of six, while accompanying her family abroad for studies, she was already weaving tales and exploring the realms of imagination.
"I started writing at the age of six while I was accompanied by my family to study abroad," she said.
@gwrarabic خطّت الكاتبة الشابة من المملكة العربية السعودية، رتاج حسين الحازمي، اسمها في التاريخ بعد أن حققت لقب أصغر كاتبة لأعمدة صحفية في العالم في عمر الخامسة عشرة وسبعة وثلاثين يوماً. 📹 تعود ملكية بعض الفيديوهات إلى موقع pexels.com
♬ original sound - Guinness World Records Arabic
At only seven years old, Ritaj started visiting libraries in Saudi Arabia and eventually started writing short stories. She published her first novel, written in English and titled Treasure of the Lost Sea, in 2019. Her second book, titled Portal of the Hidden World, was published in November 2020.
After her second book was published, Ritaj qualified for the record for the youngest person to publish a book series (female). Ritaj followed this up with her third novel, Beyond the Future World.
Read this story in Arabic here and check out more content in Arabic here.
In an interview, Ritaj shared insights into her creative process, the challenges of writing, and her aspirations. Ritaj is very diverse in the topics she reads about, let alone the journals she reads from.
She believes that a good story lies in having a great structure. However, to achieve a well-written story, it must be memorable, so ensuring the story is consistent and adding compelling character details can help with that.
“I always thought the writers of my favorite childhood stories just woke up one day and sat down to write the most amazing stories. I only realized how serious writing was when I understood how structure played a crucial part in storytelling,” said Ritaj.
Ritaj learns by reading reviews of her own books. She says: “They give me a chance to realize what kinds of things I am good at and what I need to improve.”
Revealing a secret to aspiring authors, she warned that relying on things you cannot control for motivation can lead to disappointment. She explained: “Aspiring writers would make sure that motivation is not driven by something that can be affected by mood and quickly disregarded the minute the writer feels uninspired.”
Curiosity is the main driver for many teens when it comes to reading; however, it is not easy to achieve in storytelling. Alhazmi said writer’s block is not a myth and it is something she experienced during her eight-year journey. “The solution to writer’s block is to slow your mind and think from a different perspective.”
Alhazmi believes every writer needs training, saying: “The best money I spent as a writer was on courses that genuinely helped me develop my skills. One of the biggest mistakes I made when writing my first book, Treasure of the Lost Sea, was thinking I could do it without experience or guidance.”
A soon-to-be-published fiction entitled The Passage to the Unknown and several others such as The Day Before 2050 are on the way from Ritaj. She might also come up with an idea for a non-fiction book in the future.
Becoming someone who can influence people to reach their biggest goals is one of the reasons I strive to break Guinness World Records titles. I think this record-breaking journey is helping me realize my full potential.
As Alhazmi continues to break barriers and explore new worlds, both literal and literary, her journey serves as a beacon of inspiration.
Her story is a vivid reminder that age is but a number, and that with passion and perseverance, the realms of imagination are limitless.
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