Issue 9 Writer Spotlight | Huma Farid
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Huma!
HF: I am an obstetrician gynecologist both by day and by night (babies have their own timelines) and have always loved writing since I was a kid.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
HF: I have doubted myself every time I have written something. Is this piece good enough? Will this resonate with others?
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
HF: Publication of a piece is of course the ultimate validation and mark of success, but what is even more important is to look at your own work and recognize the beauty and truth of that, even if no one else does.
C+B: What do you think makes a creator or their work impactful?
HF: What makes an artist impactful is when our values align with our art.
Me in 3 words: Motivated; curious; bibliophile. The one constant in my life is my motivation to continually grow and challenge myself. Being curious about others' experiences and thoughts is what makes us human and relatable. I love the written word in general (I was the kid who would read the cereal box at breakfast because my mom forbade me from reading at the kitchen table) and books in particular.
My favorite creator of all time: Cliched answer, but I love Jane Austen. I read Pride and Prejudice at 14 and still own that copy of the book nearly 30 years later. She captured the flaws in her society so precisely and with such vivid description that I felt like I could understand 19th century England. Despite the constraints of societal norms at that time, she was a feminist who subtly pushed back on expectations for women. From her, I have learned to write even when things feel hard.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: Painting! I always love looking at other people's artwork and find it (theoretically) relaxing to paint. I am a terrible artist but feel like abstract painting could be better for someone like me who has no artistic talent.
