The Writers Lounge

A monthly membership for Muslim women to learn and strengthen their creative writing skills

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“The Writers Lounge was instrumental in my growth as a writer.  Hajera offers a gentle, guided approach to all creatives seeking a place to call home. She has been a source of knowledge and inspiration in all things writing-related.” — Sadia Kalam

In the last few years, I’ve been blessed to work directly with over 50 writers, Alhamdulillah! Almost all of them struggled with their writing in one way or another: 

If you’re in the same boat and any (or all!) of these comments speak to you, you’re in the right place.

The Writers Lounge is a space where you can thrive as a writer:

>> Create non-negotiable time in your schedule for writing during the week.

>> Get inspired to write with writing tips and prompts.

>> Share your deepest writing struggles in a safe space and work through them.

>> Share your writing and feel nourished by receiving kind-hearted and positive feedback from other writers.

>> Ask questions and learn from published authors about writing and the publishing industry.

>> Deepen your writing skills and learn the craft of writing in a way that feels easy and enjoyable.

>> Receive motivating and encouraging feedback and critique on your writing from Hajera.

“Since joining The Writers Lounge, I have been more intentional about my writing and I have learned so much about the craft of writing. I learned how to write in different voices and how to write scenes and stay in them. The best part for me is the community. It’s a safe space to share my writing, no matter the topic, knowing I will get constructive feedback which will help me grow as a writer.”  — Sana Samad

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What’s Included…

Fees: $79 CAD/month
^{*Membership to The Writers Lounge will automatically renew every month. Payments are non-refundable but you can cancel anytime and your membership will be valid until the end of the billing period.}

Whether you’re writing regularly but still struggle with imposter syndrome and calling yourself a writer, or you haven’t written in years and writing regularly feels like a dream that always stays out of reach, at The Writers Lounge you will feel like a writer.

“Before joining The Writers Lounge, I didn’t have people to share my writing with, or talk to about writing in general. I’ve learned so much from Hajera and all the members. I love this safe space we have for our writing. I look forward to our writing sessions because it’s motivating and you are forced to allocate time to your writing. I also love our Discussion Sessions, I almost always learn something new from them or I feel inspired by the other sisters. Best decision I’ve made to join a writing sisterhood, especially a Muslim one where we can also include a huge part of our life in our writing: Islam.” — Nura Gureh

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The Backstory…

In 2020, when the pandemic started, I was yearning for connection with other Muslim writers. I was also doing a lot of freelance editing work at the time and didn’t have an opportunity to connect with other writers in a deep and sustained way. I created a private Facebook group called “The Writers Lounge.” But as Facebook groups tend to go, the activity in the group petered out fairly quickly.

In late 2022, I recreated The Writers Lounge, this time on Slack, and beta-tested it for two months with writers who had already worked with me. The idea behind the group was still the same: a place for Muslim writers to connect, share experiences, and support each other on their writing journeys.

But this time, the program had structure and built-in components to keep writers motivated to do what they loved and wanted to do, but struggled to make time for it and prioritize it in their life — to write.

My hope for this program is that it gives you a writing community that sustains your writing practice and gives you a space where you belong as a writer — a space where we connect, learn from, encourage and motivate each other in our writing. A space where we can thrive as Muslim writers and become stronger writers.

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FAQs

“Joining The Writers Lounge allowed me to connect with other writers having similar struggles, and opened up a world of writing for me that I didn’t understand much earlier. Listening to others’ woes about their writing, and the efforts they made to overcome them, helped me feel more grounded and I was elated to exchange my ideas with them.” — Haya Ismail

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About Hajera

I wrote stories as a kid. I wrote in my diary as a teen. I kept up a blog in my early 20s. I’ve always been a writer. But it took me a very long time to acknowledge that fact and even longer to call myself a writer. 

The first piece of writing I wrote that was ever published (an op-ed in The Ottawa Sun), the editor wrote asked me if this was okay as a bio: “Hajera Khaja is a writer from Toronto, Canada.” I balked at the statement. I wasn’t a writer. How could I call myself that?! 

I told him to change it to “Hajera Khaja is an amateur writer from Toronto, Canada.” 

That was in 2009. It took me almost a decade before I was able to acknowledge all the faulty notions I had of what a writer was and who a writer looked like, before I was able to embrace myself as a writer. Truthfully, I still get a little uncomfortable when people ask me how my writing is going and what I’m working on. And after working directly with more than 50 writers now, I know I’m not alone. 

But Alhamdulillah for all the struggles that I’ve had because I now get to share this journey with other writers and help them through their own struggles. I’m always amazed by how quickly writers bloom when they’re a part of a space that uplifts them, that respects their writing goals and dreams, and that gives them nourishment when they’re feeling low. When you’re surrounded by other writers who share your struggles and feel your pain, everyone stretches their arms out to support each other. And a beautiful community of writers emerges. 

Come join us and witness the growth that’s possible in your writing, and in you!

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