Welcome to the zohasprose substack!
Hello everyone! I saw people have their introductions on here as a post, so albeit this is late, but it’s only been 3 days since I joined this app. Oh well.
My name is Zoha, I’m a twenty year old writer & reader. I’ve grown up on literature and have been writing all my life. My upbringing was heavily focused on literature. That’s shaped a lot of who I am today, and I carry these things with pride. (Atleast now I do, but if my 5th grade bully is looking at this; I still despise you)
I’m also a law student, and it’s taught me a lot about writing. I created this substack because although I’ve been writing on Instagram casually for a while, I wanted to use my skill in a different environment and connotation. I can’t quite pin point what I write because I write about things that consume me, though I’ll happily outline it (later in this post)
I’m also a very proud Pakistani muslimah who also lived in the gulf for most of my developing years, therefore different forms of Islamic and cultural art/ history/ literature interest me heavily. Even my Pakistani heritage.
Although I am not the perfect muslim or the most religious person- I do derive a lot from religion & do not care for not “advice” on my personal beliefs. This is mainly because if I do write about it, it’ll be from a more abstract point of view. I find the concept of all religions & spirituality intruiging. Not just my own.
I am much more fluent in English and it will be my sole language, though I do want to have moments where I can openly write about my heritage and identity.
My favourite authors have helped shape and inspire my pen a lot; Arundhati Roy, Dosteovsky, Kafka, Mary Shelley, Tartt, Darwish, Jaun Elia, Wilde, Nabokov & many more. I predominantly do read classics, though I am varied in my taste and I do more or less read everything (this is although not a safe space for Colleen Hoover enthusiasts)
I’ve also had the opportunity to grow up in an environment both in my personal life & academically where I learn a lot about politics, the fashion & beauty industry (family background) anthropology, literature etc. I am passionate about these things, and that will reflect on this account.
What you can expect from my Substack:
Open letters & reflections: I do not always write about myself, I’m often drawing muse from other people, be it a conversation I overheard in a coffee shop, an open letter to my grandmother, etc. I like dissecting intimate details in the human condition and exploring them. This includes very existential proses to gut wrenching stories.
Lists: Be it book reccomendations, general life advice, book reviews, etc. I love lists, I think all women should make lists. Lists are amazing!
Global politics, law, humanities, culture, history & media: It is inevitable that what I’m pursuing will reflect in my work. Though I do want to keep this account more abstract in terms of poetry & prose- you will see essays, critiques & opinion pieces.
These are obviously not non flexible moulds for this account as I said, I like to be a free bird when it comes to writing, though this should give you a general idea.
Lastly; I will keep this account free no matter how many subscribers reach me, primarily because I don’t want my writing to turn into a chore & burden. This is a space for me to express myself and push my boundaries and comfort zones with vulnerability, not a place for me to write and study how and what pleases audiences.
That’s all! I hope I did this right, if any of you would like to connect etc feel free to reach out! I love having writer friends etc. You can all subscribe if you like (or don’t, I’m not your mother)
-Zoha
I just stumbled across your recent post, your letter to your grandmother. In my eagerness to read more of your writing, I scrolled to the absolute bottom of your page and have decided to start from there. Your writing, from the two posts I’ve read, is beautiful. And I can’t help but see so much of myself, and what I attempt to articulate in your work. I can’t wait to read more :)