I remember a sketch that I made at the back of my copybook when I was still 9 years old. Whether it was for a drawing competition or just a school project, I can’t recall. The draft, however, is etched in my memory, crisp and clear today still. Maybe to make out why my teacher was so impressed about it, I would look at the sketch very often, if not every single day, and wonder what was so cool about it. It was the sketch of a girl in front of her desk with a bubble over her head which read: “I want to be a journalist when I grow up.” I don’t know why I wrote ‘Journalist’ when I was telling everyone that I would grow up to become a Scientist (!!) or a pilot!
Ladies and gentleman, I am Shaima and I am today a Writer and an Entrepreneur. I started writing my first novel at the age of 13. I am still trying to figure out what triggered it (don’t worry I did not have a difficult childhood and I was under no pressure, whatsoever). I only remember I used to complete all exercises in my English textbooks as soon as I got hold of them – from chapter one to chapter last – during school holidays. I would watch Skynews and BBC news every morning and I would read every novel I was offered and when I did not have anything, I would take my English dictionary and try to put random words in context and have someone correct it. One day I just switched on my dad’s computer and started writing. And never stopped.

I just did not know where writing would take me, but since I was very reserved and timid and hardly voiced out any views or opinions (trust me I had a lot), I found sanctuary in writing. Competition was fierce at school at that time, every student wanted to be better than the other and language was certainly not given much importance. I kept it as a hobby and chose Science as my field of study! I was very good at Physics by the way, and I still thought I would soon become a scientist 

One late evening, an uncle of mine came to my place. From my room, I heard him apologize for the time, saying it was urgent and it was about me. Everyone was alarmed. I was double alarmed, wondering what I did this time. I tiptoed closer to hear the “adults’” conversation.
“Shaima is not a normal kid.” My uncle told my father. My heart sank. “But what happened? What did she do?” my father replied, worried by his words. My uncle took out a binding from his bag and showed my father. “This” he exclaimed, “cannot be the job of a child. This is senior level novel writing! I don’t know what we should do of her but I had to tell you this.”
I still believe he was exaggerating but I was mad at my cousin for letting her dad get hold of a copy of my novel. I was not able to figure out what “the adults would do to me now!”

Luckily, the tension doused quite rapidly. In fact, my dad did not even tell me anything. Cool and open-minded that he is, he has always lived by the “live and let live” philosophy. (And then when you are that young you can’t seem to understand what would tick off the elders and what was actually not a matter of concern so sometimes you are just worried for a big nothing.) Days went by. Until I came across one who would later become my Guru, or Master. He read my “novel”. To him, the canonical writer should now consider taking seriously what she does best. Write. Learn. Write again. Learn more. Write while learning. This is where my life took a whole new direction. After my O level exams, I made up my mind, I am changing my field to Language. I studied English and French as main subjects. I found my world. I was a born critic and writer. I went on to study Political Science at the University of Mauritius. With a particular interest in International Relations. I was steering in the direction of journalism as it seems. Journalism in Mauritius, however, did not interest me the least. If it were for journalism, I would rather make it to the big international ones (which was kind of impossible at that time). So, in the mean time I was helping my dad in his business.

To understand the business world more, I flew to China where I worked for about five years. I was in awe. China is the platform where the world meet. I became a freight forwarder. I loved meeting new people and I loved my job. But the forwarder was incomplete without her words. To bride this gap, I started teaching my Chinese fellows English and French, and I wrote and translated for surrounding hotels. China, which I thought would destroy my writing skills, is actually where my writing-to-sell talents were unleashed. I had to write for Asians to convince Africans, Indians and Americans. I had to juggle with every styles and every types of English. I had to learn different types of advert and copy and assess completely different audiences; what works for a Chinese is not necessarily correct for an Arab and words that would convince an American would not necessarily trigger any interest in an African.

Now find the right word which everyone would agree upon. On a regular basis. It may sound like a total mess but I was much aware that it was knowledge that I would never get in a book. So, I grabbed it with both hands. What irresistibly followed was the very called-for, ruthless Critic! How could I allow any text or advert of my “clients” to be published without properly analyzing the whole of it? This is how the Critic got back into action. This time not for social or political issues but for an area I mastered the hard way: the use of words. Any use of words…
Back to Mauritius, I was just still oblivious that I could make money from all this. For me, it was passion and nothing else. Until a designer friend of mine, , crossed my way and changed my perception on the very spot. He somehow managed to convince me that I had to bring all this to the next level. He will be assisting with his brilliant designs and visual consultancy and I would ensure the wordings and critiques. Thus began this new adventure.

Well, on the side, I travel. I discover new cultures and in this way, I keep honing my tools. What happened of my journalism ambitions? Don’t worry honey, you may get an impartial paper quite soon.
Oh, and just in case you are thinking that I am only a hopeless writer, make no mistake, I do cook and bake (sometimes) and I looooove decorating cakes. I am also into martial arts, hah! And I often get involved into business, it’s in my blood, I can’t help it.

P.S: Since this is an “about me” section and in case you might want to know, this was the most difficult text for me to write. There is always an awkward feeling in telling my story, just in case I sound biased. If this doesn’t tell you enough about me, I don’t know what will. And yeah, If it was indeed biased, I am ashamed of myself  I’m sorry.

Find my link on: .www.ShaimaKaudeer.com