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Jean Sasson:
I read your book about "MAYADA, Daughter of IRAQ". It obviously is one of the best book I have read until now.My question is "When we write about somebody else's story as being a third person. what things should we basically focus on? As they only tell us the events that happened. what suggestion would you give that could change a simple story into a magnificent piece?
Jean Sasson
Hi, MayuCh, Thanks so much for your question -- and, for your very kind words about Mayada, Daughter of Iraq.
In this case, I was mainly interested in Mayada's experiences while in prison in Saddam's Iraq, as few people knew exactly what happened to Iraqis imprisoned in Iraq during those days of a ruling dictator. In fact, I knew Mayada well so I asked her many questions and she responded to those questions. I believe that when writing someone's story, that the writer should always pursue where the answers of the subject lead. For example, when Mayada told me that the other prisoners were curious and wanted to know the details of Mayada's life -- as she was from a very prominent Iraqi family -- I asked her to dig deep in her memory and tell me the same stories that she told the other female prisoners. This she did. So I believe that there should not be a list of questions and the writer only take the answers to the first questions and write the book, but that the writer should listen carefully and when the subject's answer leads to another question, that question should be asked, too. Thus the stories expand, giving the reader a much wider horizon. Mayada's story started out as a prison story, but ended up revealing so much about Iraq and Iraqis that existed outside those prison walls... Thanks again, and a most happy day wished for you! Jean
In this case, I was mainly interested in Mayada's experiences while in prison in Saddam's Iraq, as few people knew exactly what happened to Iraqis imprisoned in Iraq during those days of a ruling dictator. In fact, I knew Mayada well so I asked her many questions and she responded to those questions. I believe that when writing someone's story, that the writer should always pursue where the answers of the subject lead. For example, when Mayada told me that the other prisoners were curious and wanted to know the details of Mayada's life -- as she was from a very prominent Iraqi family -- I asked her to dig deep in her memory and tell me the same stories that she told the other female prisoners. This she did. So I believe that there should not be a list of questions and the writer only take the answers to the first questions and write the book, but that the writer should listen carefully and when the subject's answer leads to another question, that question should be asked, too. Thus the stories expand, giving the reader a much wider horizon. Mayada's story started out as a prison story, but ended up revealing so much about Iraq and Iraqis that existed outside those prison walls... Thanks again, and a most happy day wished for you! Jean
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