A writer who found his passions at a young age, with two published novels by the age of 26 under his belt, and a BA in PR Advertising from GUST, Yousef Aljeeran takes us on a creative journey in establishing himself as an author in Kuwait. He’s a trilingual speaker, and a copywriter with an interest in languages, culture and the creative industry. The path of writing took Yousef towards exploring the Arabic language in-depth, eventually opening doors of endless imagination.
Yousef started writing short poems, or as they are called in Arabic, Khawater. With time, he began dwelling on the Arabic language and its intricacies, acknowledging that it is a world of its own. “[The] Arabic language is really heavy in terminologies and words. You’d find one word that has so many meanings, you can just play around it, and it will leave your imagination open,” said Yousef.
His inspiration mainly comes from people, traveling, culture, and the language itself. Yousef’s latest published novel is in Arabic, and he details the experience of writing in Arabic best as, “I can describe one thing, but in other terms without even mentioning the actual word, and with the Arabic language, it’s an ocean of words. That’s why when I use the language, it’s more of creating not just writing, I feel like I’m creating and shaping the word itself.”
The novel is titled Bardan w Salamn, and revolves around one question, which is presented from the very start, as Yousef believes that every novel starts with a question. The novel portrays a child searching for his identity, a teenager searching for her past, and the crossover of life in-between. Yousef had the idea for the novel for two years, his research alone took him one year, after that he immersed himself into intensive writing for around six months. As a whole, the novel took him three years to develop and complete.
Every writer is naturally faced with challenges, and to Yousef, inspiration is one. He thought inspiration “Would be like that dreamy movie scene while sitting on the beach, or watching through a window, and waiting for a bird to get me inspired.” But, it was more like rolling up his sleeves, and deciding where and when to start. Yousef also believes that the story is shaped by the characters themselves, that is another challenge in itself. “How to go with the flow, and lose myself with them, as if I’m not the writer anymore,” he said.
As a creative mind, a copywriter, and an author, his insight on the creative world in Kuwait is imperative to share. Yousef loved the 50’s and 60’s eras in Kuwait, where the theatre, performance arts and creativity thrived. Where writers would sit down with actors, musicians to produce masterful works that would continue for years to come, leaving an unforgettable creative imprint. Yousef emphasized on how this didn’t just fall on the work itself, but the unison of a creative team as a whole. “[As creatives] We need to connect to make something great, even if it’s not the same thing. I believe in diversity, but we need to know each other, know what makes us diverse to excel, not to judge and say the other person is wrong, but to understand each other better.”
TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word? Unexpectable.
How would you describe your mother in one word? Compassionate.
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked? How to be tall like you?
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Book a month-long trip with an unknown group on the internet.
What is your theme song? أنا السما – راشد الماجد [Ana El Sema – Rashid Almajed]
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? Peace /سلام
Where would you like to live? Paris.
What is your dream retirement location? Bali.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind? عاشر من تعاشر، فلا بد من الفراق [Live with whomever, for parting is inevitable]
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?Horse.
Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it? Singing in public even with my bad voice.
If you could change your name, to what would you change it?I would choose it again!
How would you describe your handshake, in one word? Open for discussion.
What is the toughest part of your character? Ready for the twist.
Who is your favorite historical figure? Ghazi Al-Gosaibi.
What in the world do you least desire? Famine.
What do you think is lacking in the world, which would make the world a better place? Let everyone living by his own.
Why do you think most people who do, like you? Good listener, easy going, ready for a new adventure.
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…” Following your heart.
For more information, follow @yaljeeran on Instagram.
