After many writing trials and editorial meetings, students in the Department of English Language and Literature at the Women's Faculty at Ain Shams University in Cairo last month published the first edition of a new magazine entitled The Self. Sponsored by the Egyptian-International Publishing Company (Longman), the magazine includes opinion pieces and works of fiction. “The Self is a spark of change,” said novelist Sahar Al-Mougy, a member of the editorial board, at the ceremony. She added that the magazine could serve as a venue for the publication of material testifying to “questioning and creativity that could lead to change”. Al-Mougy won the Cavafy Prize for Literature for her novel Noun in 2007 and the Sharjah Women's Club Award in 1999 for her novel Daria. She is also a columnist, a college professor and a radio presenter. Her tips for others wanting to follow in her footsteps were to “read, to listen, and to do as much as you can to expand your knowledge and explore the world”. Creativity is the result of practice and hard work, she said. “The first time you write is a challenge,” said Marwa Hanafy, The Self's editor-in-chief. She recalled how hard it was to let her students be “friendly with writing” and start their stories. “But The Self is a very good opportunity to explore capabilities.” The magazine includes material on a wide range of issues that affect women attending college, including etiquette in class and what to wear, as well as success stories and book reviews. There is a section for inspirational stories and a talents section including photography, painting and short stories. A long piece in the first issue reviews two successful student productions of Shakespeare's Macbeth and The School for Scandal, by the English dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Egyptian novelist Mohamed Al-Mansi Qandil is also a member of the magazine's editorial board. He is best known for his novel Moon over Samarqand, which won the Sawiris Foundation Award in 2006. The writer is a freelance journalist.
