Author Saad Omar Khan, a Pakistani Canadian writer and the author of the acclaimed debut novel Drinking the Ocean, joins host Sheelagh Caygill for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about his writing and his book.
Saad was born in the United Arab Emirates to Pakistani parents and lived in the Philippines, Hong Kong, London, and South Korea before immigrating to Canada. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics and has completed a certificate in Creative Writing from the School of Continuing Studies (University of Toronto) where he was a finalist for the Random House Creative Writing Award (2010 and 2011) and for the Marina Nemat Award (2012).Saad shares insights into his multicultural upbringing and how his cosmopolitan upbringing has shaped both his view of the world and his writing. He reflects on the complexities and richness of navigating cultures, and how these experiences inform the characters, settings, and themes in his writing.
Listeners will hear a reading from Drinking the Ocean, where Saad brings to life the emotional depth and lyrical prose that have won him praise for this debut. He reflects on the literary influences that have shaped his voice, and discusses how he sought a balance of perspective for the characters of Murad and Sofi in Drinking the Ocean.
Saad strives to authentically portray the nuances of faith, mental health, and culture in his fiction. He discusses how he aims to represent these themes with honesty and sensitivity, avoiding stereotypes and instead offering multidimensional characters who grapple with real-life challenges. He shares his writing process, through to revisiions, and talks about the authors and books that have influenced him.
We touch on balancing a full-time professional career with creative writing. Saad offers advice for writers who are juggling multiple responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of discipline, time management, and self-compassion. He also highlights the role of literary communities—both online and in-person—in providing support, feedback, and a sense of belonging for writers at all stages of their careers.
The episode also explores the complexities of love, identity, and belonging, as Saad discusses how fiction can be a powerful tool for empathy and understanding. Saad offers a look at the challenges and rewards of writing about topics that are deeply personal yet universally relatable.
Find Saad Omar Khan online.