Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was editor of the school newspaper. I started writing in 2011 because I was living in a war zone and wanted the truth to get out.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
Social media has taken over as the main source of news for many people.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
J.D. Salinger
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Telling the truth, and being balanced.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
In writing.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Office document, the internet: www.google.com in English and Arabic. Driving to onsite interview locations in Syria.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
Any American who wants the truth about Syria.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I wanted to get the truth out from an eye witness perspective about the conflict in Syria, my home.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My best work has been on the massacre of Kessab, Syria in March 2014, and the massacre of Ballouta 2013. 2 historical events in Syria.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write only the truth. Double check your sources. Keep writing. Do not edit anything, unless it is a lie or a mistake.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I was pitched an idea by an editor to write an open letter to Margot Wallstrom, the leader of Sweden. She also replied to me in print.
What's your favorite drink?
Guava Juice.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Cooking in the kitchen
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Many people think Syria was a grass-roots uprising. That is the main misconception.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.