Former English instructor motivates aspiring authors

Former HFC English instructor Dr. Deborah Al Najjar recently founded DESIRECompass Coaches, a writing consultancy to help aspiring authors complete the first draft of their books.

“The reality is that most people get stuck starting a book or finishing a draft of a book. They find themselves in perfection mode and doubting their words. Encouragement and motivation are key factors in sustaining the necessary energy to complete any goal – especially a book draft,” said Al Najjar, of West Bloomfield.

She is currently offering a 90-day program – a group coaching container – in which clients can start and complete a book project in just three months.

“I am taking a group of writers through the process of beginning and completing a book draft,” she said. “The 90 days is really a bit longer as we get started in the process of establishing a daily (five days/week) writing habit. We have a virtual bootcamp on Zoom, an accountability partner, as well as personal and group coaching sessions. The writers will be focused on their project on a daily basis. By the end of the project, we will all have a book draft completed. Almost always, the book will need editing and further work, which is par for the course.”

She spoke briefly about her advice to writers, regardless of what their level is.

“The advice I give new writers: Keep it simple. For established writers: Let go of perfectionism and what you think you know. Let go of the work you already did or the writer you believe you are. Keep the stakes low. Stay focused on your passion, not on the outcome,” explained Al Najjar. “Essentially, all the advice is the same. Show up to the practice and get out of your head. This is advice I need first and foremost because I can be my own worst enemy.”

Becoming a coach

While working on her doctorate, Al Najjar completed a 7-month coaching program that helped her become more focused on completing her dissertation about the first Gulf War. It also helped her get in touch with her own desires, inspiring her to become a writing coach.

“Coaching people as part of my training had me feel confident that I could create a business and work on my own. I have never been a business owner. I had my father, a grocer, as a model. It is an interesting turn of events. Very unexpected, certainly,” said Al Najjar. “It felt very organic and in flow at the time. I have been working in the self-development field as a career and academic coach for more than three years. I shifted away from the high pressure career path I was on (academia) to one-on-one coaching and some group coaching. Coaching is in alignment with my training as an educator. It is also in alignment with my disposition and character as a motivator and public speaker.”

Her career in academics has complemented her new career as a coach.

“Teaching has had me hone in on my purpose, which is to be a public servant and to serve students in particular,” she said. “We are all students of life and have a strong craving to keep transforming our lives for the better.”

Her consultancy also offers relationship coaching as well as career coaching. Although her coaching services are open to people of all backgrounds, Al Najjar is currently giving focused attention to the Arab American community.

“I have worked with all kinds of people in my life. I care about racial, sexual, and cultural justice. Integrity and being conscious about one’s identity in the world have always been crucial,” she explained. “We are here to help one another. We are here to transform the world into a more just world for our own group and other groups. There are many Arab/Iraqi writers out in the world, but not as many as there could be. There certainly are not that many Chaldean Iraqi writers, painters, and artists that have visibility. I would love to be of service to my communities of writers and artists. If someone needs help, I am happy to work with them. We need a diversity of perspectives.”

Inspired to write

Weam Namou, author and executive director of the Chaldean Cultural Center in West Bloomfield recently interviewed Al Najjar. (The story includes a 30-minute video interview with Al Najjar, which provides a better idea of her coaching style and approach.)

“For decades, Dr. Deborah Al Najjar has been using her writing and teaching expertise to help others unleash their innate talent by removing the obstacles in their path,” said Namou. “She is someone who can guide people to accomplish the results they’re looking for – whether it’s in their writing, career, or personal life.”

To date, Al Najjar has co-edited an anthology called We Are Iraqis: Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War. She’s been published in the Indiana Review and the Michigan Quarterly Review. Currently, she’s working on a screenplay.

“We Are Iraqis – which I co-edited with my friend and colleague Dr. Nadje Al-Ali – is an anthology featuring artists, academics, and activists who are of Iraqi descent,” she said. “It is a chronicle of essays, poetry, painting, fiction, and academic interviews. First and foremost, it is a creative endeavor and an expression of people’s lives and beliefs.”

Her desire to become a writer began while attending Mercy High School in Farmington Hills.

“My teachers at Mercy High cared about us. They motivated us to think beyond the basics,” she recalled. “I learned how to analyze literature and to question daily realities. I became a critical thinker in high school because of literature courses and writing essays.”

Rewards and challenges of being a professional writer

Al Najjar earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor. She later earned her master’s degree in creative writing from Wayne State University. In 2017, she earned her doctorate in American studies and ethnicity from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.

Prior to earning her doctorate, Al Najjar taught at HFC from 2001-17. She left the College to move to L.A. to begin her doctoral program.

“I loved our students at HFC,” said Al Najjar. “I loved the diversity of the campus community and the commitment to teaching and working closely and intimately with students. I still remain close to several students.”

Al Najjar spoke about the rewards and challenges of being a professional writer.

“My biggest personal challenge has been grief blocks and maybe my own insecurities about being true to myself. What do I really want to write about? I have a lot of stories to tell, and maybe I have feared judgment or condemnation,” she said. “Writing a book is not only about talent, but also commitment and time management. It’s about releasing all your old stories that you have inherited and that you have chosen to invest in – whether it was a conscious choice or not.”

As for the most rewarding part, it’s honoring herself. “Showing up to the practice and the excitement of discovering a fresh perspective or new crisp sentence that surprises me.”