هل يخاف السعوديون الكتابة عن السعوديين؟

In the Saudi cultural scene, a writer may be present at seminars, awards, books, and platforms, but they are absent when it comes to serious critical reading. In contrast, discussing a Gulf or Arab writer seems easier, as the distance allows the critic to say what they want without thinking much about what will happen to the relationship after publishing the article.

But is the problem really the lack of writing about Saudi writers? Or is writing present, but it is often celebratory, event-based, or governed by close relationships?

Why does critiquing a writer we know become more difficult than critiquing a writer we do not know?

The Difficulty of Accepting Criticism

The writer and reader "Samar" believes that one of the reasons for the weakness of critical writing among Saudi writers is the difficulty of accepting criticism, considering that some writers treat criticism as a personal stance rather than a literary reading open for discussion.

Samar compared this to what she observes in the Kuwaiti scene, where, according to her experience, a writer can comment on and criticize another writer's work openly, and readers can direct their negative observations to the writer without it necessarily turning into a personal feud.

She summarized her position by saying that Saudi writers "only want praise," and that writing about some of them remains in "corners of praise" and does not transform into critical readings that address both strengths and weaknesses.

Regions Writing About Their Own

Despite the validity of this opinion, it did not receive unanimous agreement, as some believe that the Saudi scene is more diverse than to be reduced to this image. Poet and writer Mohsen Al-Suhimi viewed the issue from a different angle, pointing to a notable presence of writing about local writers and authors in several Saudi regions, including Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, and Al-Ahsa.

Al-Suhimi noted that these regions are rich with a large number of writers, authors, and media figures, and that their residents intensively write about their local figures and governors in various forms and methods.

Here arises another question: Is the problem in the absence of writing about Saudis in general, or in the nature of its spread? Does this writing concentrate in regional and local frameworks, while its presence diminishes when we talk about the Saudi literary scene as a general national scene?

Writing About Saudis: A Dangerous Slippery Slope

Writer and critic Muflih Al-Balawi provided a more direct testimony, based on a personal experience in writing an article that discussed a poet and critic from a literary perspective, all of whom are Saudis.

Al-Balawi stated that writing, for him, was not merely a neutral critical practice, but rather writing accompanied by a set of considerations, including his personal relationship with the individuals he writes about, their acceptance of his observations, and the potential impact of what he writes on his professional relationships, as well as on his opportunities to appear on certain platforms.

He pointed out a notable paradox: when a writer is close to the person they are discussing, they are required to prove their distance from flattery, forcing them to minimize expressions of praise and highlight some observations to avoid being accused of favoritism.

Conversely, criticizing an institution or cultural entity may place the writer—according to his experience—in an "opposing" position, which could affect their future relationship with it.

For this reason, Al-Balawi described writing about Saudis as a "dangerous slippery slope" that the writer may avoid for fear of the consequences.

Complex Personal Issues

Ahmed Nasser Al-Bushri offered a similar interpretation, suggesting that the reason may stem from a weak acceptance of criticism, whether negative or positive, and the existence of distancing gaps between writers, authors, and critics. According to Al-Bushri, these gaps make writing about individuals more sensitive, as the critical discourse may transcend the text to the relationship between its author and the subject, potentially transforming into "complex personal issues."

Ivory Throne and Sanctity

Saleh Saeed Al-Ghamdi found the question difficult, and the answer even more so. He pointed out that part of the answer can be linked to the sanctity and ivory throne that some writers and creators have constructed around themselves, finding those who carry these chairs and thrones for them, which over time has created an elitist isolation that only those like them can enter. Al-Ghamdi emphasized that this ivory elitism has seen its chairs shattered in front of the boldness of social media, which has "deflated the puffery," allowing everyone to say: You are me, and I am me.

Creators Are Few

PhD student in the Department of Literature and Criticism at King Khalid University, Saeed Al-Shahri, had a different opinion, stating that the creators deserving of writing about them are few, citing literary awards that only go to known and repeated names, and noting that there are writers who solicit critics based on their personal relationships.

Is the Problem in Culture or in Relationships?

Ultimately, the issue appears to be larger than the question: Why don't we write about each other?

For literary criticism to thrive, it does not only require an abundance of books, collections, and novels, but also needs an environment that allows for reading, discussion, and disagreement. The entire Saudi cultural scene should not be reduced to the absence of criticism or the dominance of flattery; there are critical writings, studies, and readings addressing various Saudi experiences. Furthermore, the phenomenon of regional writing that Al-Suhimi pointed out reveals a wide interest in local achievements, even if the forms and levels of this interest differ.

Perhaps the deeper question raised by this issue is:

Does the Saudi literary scene need more writing about its writers, or does it need a greater space for freedom in disagreeing with them?

And has proximity to the Saudi writer become a reason for silence about them, while distance from the Gulf or Arab writer grants us greater freedom in reading and critiquing them?