We were lucky to catch up with Rukayya Adams recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rukayya, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
That’s one interesting question. As someone who grew up in a place with a language and culture that’s different from mine, I have been the stranger in the room many times. However, when I think of the question in terms of the writing and publishing industry, it becomes bigger because I belong to not just one but two minority groups. I am a visibly Muslim woman and I am an African (who lives in Africa).
So to answer your question, three things have helped me successfully navigate being both a writer and a publishing professional.
The first one is acceptance. I don’t mean accepting the weird ways that we are sometimes treated but embracing our identity wholly – both the challenges and the opportunities. When I learned to accept myself fully, I stopped looking or begging for a place at the table and created my own table. That leads me to the second thing.
I realised that being the only one in the room that looked like me was bigger than me. If no one looks like me in the room that means they are stuck somewhere else looking. Looking for their space, searching for their home, and squinting into the crowd trying to see someone who looks like them. So this became my purpose: to help women who look like me find their space and make their writing dreams come true.
Last but definitely not least was becoming so good that what made me different no longer mattered to the people in the room. At least those that matter anyway, because there will always be people who cannot look beyond appearances and their biases.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an absolute bookworm. There is nothing I love more than reading and discussing books so I became a writing coach and a book editor.
Right now, I am blown away that I have been able to edit dozens of works and teach over 1600 writers. What has me even more blown away is the fact that in less than 8 weeks, my team and I will be launching a first-of-its-kind writing membership in Africa for female writers only.
It’s a dream come true because 10 years ago, I didn’t think I’d live to see this day. In fact, I had abandoned writing to become a Laboratory Technologist because I thought I needed a career path that was “practical” and it took being handed a death sentence to go back to writing.
You see, everything else fades into the background when you are running a race against time. I knew I had a lot to share with the world and my clock was ticking, so I shut every other thing out. But the more I wrote, the more I had to say and I just kept thinking “If only I had more time.”
Years later, against all odds, I got my miracle cure. My world became bigger and brighter, and I suddenly had more time. Even though my clock is no longer a ticking bomb, I know I still have limited time because my writing dreams have grown beyond just mine.
I now get to teach other female writers how to write their best books and successfully launch them into the world.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In reflecting on my journey, I’ve found three qualities to be particularly impactful in my growth and development.
The first thing is being curious about everything. I have always had a deep thirst for knowledge and a fascination with how the human mind works. This deep curiosity led me to study Psychology.
What I have learned is that when we constantly ask “why” and seek to understand the world around us, we learn things faster, build more meaningful relationships and make better decisions.
The second thing is grit. I have had my share of challenges like everyone else and I believe that without perseverance and obsession with the long-term vision, we cannot achieve great things. So our ability to look beyond our current challenges, failures, and shortcomings is invaluable. I’m very emotional, so my process is not quite so cut and dried. I always take my time to cry and feel all my feelings before bouncing back.
The last and most important thing for me is empathy. Beyond every framework, strategy, and checklist we must genuinely care, understand and feel for others. I’ve found that people know when we truly care and this fosters trust, loyalty, and reciprocity, all of which will eventually lead to a great network of support, mutually beneficial relationships and opportunities for collaboration and growth.
For those early in their journey, my advice is to embrace curiosity, cultivate grit, and prioritize empathy. Never stop seeking knowledge and understanding. Persevere in the face of challenges. And above all, approach every interaction with empathy and compassion
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client embodies authenticity and purpose. They are women, mothers, and Muslimah writers crafting stories that stick, make an impact, and stir emotions.
I am drawn to projects spanning literary fiction, women’s fiction, Islamic and non-fiction narratives exploring themes of self-discovery, womanhood, and mental health. Additionally, I welcome Romance manuscripts that go beyond the physical spark and do not contain explicit content.
The perfect client for me embraces imperfection and prioritises creating timeless works over rapidly producing numerous titles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thestoryanatomist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestoryanatomist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestoryanatomist/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rukayya-adams/
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
©Mike Jones for Personal Photo
