Interview with Author Hadayai Majeed – Ramona Portelli Blog

Interview with Author Hadayai Majeed

Hadayai Majeed is a retired organizer and co-founder of the Baitul Salaam Network, Inc. an organization that advocates for survivors of domestic abuse located in metro Atlanta. She began writing professionally in 1996 when an incident in her life prompted her to keep a journal as a way to heal. She is the owner/manager of Spencer-Majeed, Ltd. a writing and publishing business. Since then she has compiled two anthologies that feature her work and the work of other talented artist in her community.

Tell me more about your latest book

Her first anthology Joy of Islam: Anthology of Praise has photos in black and white of original art the cover is in full color and is a work of art by a seventh grader (at the time) named Alia. Her most recent work Joy of Islam: The Practice in Word and Art. Both works feature poetry, short stories and photos of original art by other artist in her community and around the world.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?

The most challenging part of writing in general and in particular compiling anthologies is getting over the fear of failure. When compiling your work and the works of others you must remove your ego from the project and see it from the eyes of the of the potential reader. Also meeting deadlines and working with a variety of artist can be like herding cats.

What is your normal procedure to get your books published?

As a self-published author I am in charge of the project from start to finish. I work with a team of freelance editors and proofreaders who are great at what they do. They keep me focused and give me much needed criticism. Since I am in charge I am responsible for the securing the funds to get the work printed. It is a lot sometimes and can be scary. 

What motivated you to become an author?

I was motivated to become an author after I did research on a topic that involved discussing a very controversial aspect of my faith. Once completed I just did not trust the people I approached to write the book to do it justice. So I took a leap of faith and did it myself. The project was not my best work and I learned a lot about writing and publishing from the effort. Also I was fortunate the book sold enough to cover all the cost and make a small profit.

How many books have you written so far?

To date I have compiled two anthologies and written one book:

Emerging Victorious: A Dialogue on Polygamy/Polygyny in American 2000 (out of print).

Joy of Islam: An Anthology of Praise 2004 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1418420247/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Joy of Islam: The Practice in Word and Art 2019 sold on www.spencer-majeed.com.

As an author, do you prefer the traditional book or online version? Why?

I prefer the traditional book due to I like the feel of a book in my hands. However, I am not ruling out publishing an online book in the future. It is something about an online book at this time that makes me not feel close to the work.

How hard or easy is it to establish and maintain a career in writing?

Although it is very hard to establish a career in writing I find it exhilarating and worth the time to try. Since I am retired and have time to write I do. My advice to anyone who wants to make a career of writing is to write, write, take classes and attend workshops. Just jump in the water with faith and see what happens. If you write every day you are a writer already. You just need to hone your craft and get others to appreciate it and be willing to pay to read your writing.

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