Writer's Block Magazine

Meeting the Board: Chaakir and Alexandra

Last but definitely not least, we want you to meet our dear Social Media Manager Chaakir Benzina, and our lovely Graphic Designer Alexandra Barbu!

Meeting the Board: Jeremy and Eda

The second batch of our new editorial board wants to introduce themselves to you. Meet our Final Editor Jeremy Bernard, and our Website Manager Eda Saridogan!

Meeting the Board: Brendon and Sona

The 2019-2020 Editorial Board of Writer’s Block would like to introduce themselves to you. Today, we will meet our Editors-in-Chief: Brendon Booth-Jones and Sona Simonian!

The 333 Challenge

Recently I was talking to a friend about things that I spend a lot of my time, energy, and in some cases even money on, but I don’t want people to know I spend a lot of my time, energy and in some cases money on: things like eating healthy and staying in shape, but also decluttering or minimalizing my possessions and practices like mindfulness or yoga. I think part of the reason I want to keep these pursuits on the down low is because I perceive stereotypes around them that I do not want to be associated with. Yes, I exercise, but I’m not a fitgirl and I definitely do not run a Pinterest page on Marie Kondo, even though I do sometimes watch her show on Netflix. I also think I experience a lot of pressure, in the seemingly transparent age of social media, to make things like healthy lifestyle choices appear effortless. And I also want you to think I am deep and intellectual and spend all my time reading Tolstoy or something rather than trying to decide which of my six million handbags truly sparks joy in me.

Writer’s Block Is Looking For Editorial Board Members!

Writer’s Block is looking for fresh, new, enthusiastic, talented, and creative editorial board members! Do you like writing, editing, or do you have any journalistic aspirations? Then join the Writer’s Block editorial board!

What/who is Writer’s Block?
Writer’s Block magazine is the student magazine of the English department at the University of Amsterdam, but we have an international readership and contributors from across the globe. In our magazine, which is released every 3 months, we publish articles, essays, reviews, interviews, short stories, poetry, photography, and artwork. Even though the magazines are published in English, we also encourage students from outside the English department to join our board, so it doesn’t matter if you study astrophysics, law, pedagogy, history, or play the clarinet in the national orchestra – everyone is welcome at Writer’s Block.

Sona’s Top 10 Murakami Books

Chances are that, if you have ever had any personal contact with me, I have ranted to you about my love for Haruki Murakami. To be fair, it is one of my many obsessions I can talk about for hours and hours. Especially once I’ve had some wine. Me and Murakami’s story is simple: I was once scrolling through Tumblr (before it died, obviously) and I came across a photo set of ten books. One of these books was Norwegian Wood. I felt like the book was calling me, luring me in like a siren song. It took me well over a year to buy my copy though. In the summer of 2015, I went to visit my family in Los Angeles. Somewhere along the trip I dragged my aunt to Barns & Noble and there she bought me the book that had been haunting me. I am not the type of person who believes in destiny and spiritual stuff like that, but I am thankful to the person who reblogged that photoset to my dashboard, and even more to my aunt for actually buying me my first copy. Both opened the doors to the hard-boiled wonderland I would like to call Haruki Heaven.

Synergy: Writers and Editors in Collaboration

“You don’t try to reverse the river or get it to jump over a mountain, you harness its flow and energy to gently urge that it join up with other tributaries.”
David Byrne

1. Introduction

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think that writing is a lonesome activity. Granted, like many writers I spend a lot of time by myself in a room, working on a computer. Seeing as I maintain my focus best when there’s no-one else around, I often choose to be on my own when I write. However, the writing process isn’t merely comprised of typing words on a page. In fact, there are various important facets to writing that involve other people, and so writing, for me, becomes a game of communication and collaboration. Not only has such collaboration enabled me to write higher quality texts, but I also find it energizing and motivating.