Hi readers,

If you read the title above, then you know what this blog post is about.

When I began writing more seriously in 2019, I knew that I would at some point need a way to keep myself accountable. Once, while listening to Day 9 speaking on the Dropped Frames Podcast, a video game podcast I really enjoy, he mentioned that Brandon Sanderson is a master at expectation management- he writes a blog called the State of the Sanderson every year, where he explains the progress of each of his various projects.

Here, I steal this idea with thanks to Brandon Sanderson and Day 9. I will write a bi-annual blog called Ammar’s State where I fill you in on the various writerly happenings of the past 6 months, then elaborate on the status of the projects I am working on. If you want to skip the recap, just scroll down until you see the heading projects.

Recap of The Last Six Months:

The first months of 2022 were spectacular, Alhamdulilah. In January and February I ramped up sales of Sarim, my action novel about teenage exorcists in Muscat, 2022, by doing more promotions and videos about the book and letting people know what it is. At some point, a teacher from Al Shomoukh International School reached out to me and I (ME) visited a school to talk to high school teens about books, reading, and the power of folklore in shaping culture. And they were EXCITED!

I also took part in the Middle East College Open Day. This was my first experience selling books in person, and it was AWESOME. So many people were confused seeing a random novelist’s booth nestled between Qatar Airways and a garage booth. Thanks to Middle East College for inviting me. Honestly, I loved this event because it taught me so much about interacting with readers, and that there are a lot more of us out there than I thought. Here’s a photo commemorating the event.

Things got really fired up at the Muscat Book Fair, where I had a minor viral tiktok go out. About 200 people actually visited me (ME) at my booth at the Muscat Book Fair, which I shared with Mr. Isaac from Family Bookshop here in Muscat. It’s amazing how much heavy lifting a silly tiktok which does not even feature the book can do. Here is another photo.

In total, Sarim sold around 700 copies, which I think is incredible. Thank you to everyone who buys books and reads them for a hobby. You make it possible for me to continue doing this without dipping into my life savings.

Now, the updates I discussed were all before April, 2022. Honestly, things went very quiet after that. I signed on Oman English FM 90.4 to begin recording Majan Chronicles, which is a radio show and podcast with original short stories written by me and produced by various amazing talents from the station and elsewhere. I love that show because it directly addressed all the people who told me they like stories but dislike reading.

I think talking about Majan Chronicles is an excellent Segway for me to transition towards my current projects. This ends the summary section.

Projects:

In June 2022, this is what I am working on at the moment. Please know that all dates are tentative and can change at any moment based on the strange things life throws at me. That said, I will do my best to keep the date promises written here.

1- Majan Chronicles: Majan Chronicles is a series of audio fictional short stories written and presented by me on OmanFM 90.4, and which also go on most podcast platforms. The stories range from questions about smoking, family, love, and why the weather in Oman is so hot. My plan is to finish 12 stories by August 2022. After that, I aim to compile the stories into a short story collection, print and sell them as a book. Readers will be able to scan a QR code to have the story play from spotify. I believe these stories are simply, but with enough beauty to be fun. The goal is to provide an audio/reading hybrid for people who want to start reading in English. There will be minimal major edits here, since the stories have already been edited and have been recorded for Radio. The timeline for Majan Chronicles to hit shelves is 29/12/2022.

2- Hazim: Hazim is the second book in the Sarim Series. It starts around 6 months after the bittersweet ending of Sarim. We learn more about Asaad Al Nabhani, Eman becomes James Bond, and Mishal becomes a bit more reliable even with the appearance of a worse Big Bad. I have gotten major edits from my editor for Hazim, and will begin draft 3 in July. I expect this book to be completed after 5 drafts. The cover will once again be created by the great @mimoon_art . The timeline for Hazim to hit shelves is June 2023.

I have a couple of early-phase projects sitting on the backburner at the moment, but I am not ready to talk about them yet.

Based on the feedback from Sarim, my main goal for the coming period is to write with more beauty, to do extensive proofreading, and to make the physical books a little smaller, making them easier to read for you. For Sarim, I aim to re-market it a little bit in an attempt to hit 1000 sales locally.

That’s it, these are my plans and projects for the future. Thank you to every single reader in Oman and outside of it who supports me in sales, kind words, and likes on social media. Thank you for telling your friends about me. I love you, and I look forward to giving you more things to read down the line.

Read for Joy,

Ammar