Autofiction on screen Pepe/ Autofiction on screen / 1 ISSN 2162-6669 –issue no.1, Winter 2012 Teresa Pepe University of Oslo Abstract )n this paper the blog Yawmiyyāt Ānis [Diary of a Spinster] written by the Egyptian ฀Abīr Sulaymān [Abeer Soliman] ͳ is conceived as a form of autofiction. )n fact, two aspects of online writing are of great importance for Egyptian bloggers. Firstly, blogging has given the Egyptian young people the possibility of sharing their innermost feelings and daily frustration without the fear of identification and humiliation due to their relative anonymity. Secondly, the computer operates as a projective device that allows users to discover and create different versions of themselves ȋSorapure, ʹͲͲ͵Ȍ. Thus, blog writing facilitates autobiographic writing but at the same time turns daily life into fiction. The analysis of Abeer Soliman’s blog aims to show how the computer has an impact on the way diaries are written. On a structural level, ) will highlight the presence of distinct literary features that are enhanced by the medium: the use of visual/audio components, the interaction with readers, and the presence of links. All these elements are essential for the understanding of Abeer’s self‐representation. As for genre classification, ) will show how Abeer uses her diary to talk about unspoken subjects in Egypt and to involve her readers in a challenging game of interpretations regarding the hybrid status of the blog. The study reveals that Abeer’s self‐presentation in her blog aims to change the common beliefs regarding unmarried women over the age of thirty in Egypt. Also, linking fictional stories to her narrative Dz)dz is a way to claim that sexual harassment, intimidation, rejection on the grounds of one’s marital status affect every Egyptian woman on a daily basis, regardless of their economic, intellectual and social status. Blogs are often conceived by their authors and by social scientists who have studied them, as a space for identity construction and self‐presentation. ʹ )n particular, online diaries can be studied as forms of autobiographical storytelling unique to the Web ȋSorapure, ʹͲͲ͵, p.ͳȌ. )ndeed, they differ from traditional diary writing as the computer has an impact on the way they are written. On a structural level, online diaries are characterized by distinct literary features that are enhanced by the medium: the use of visual/audio components, the interaction with readers, and the presence of links. All these elements are essential for the understanding of the blogger’s self‐representation. As for a genre classification, blogs challenge the distinction between fictional and non‐fictional writing, as autobiographical accounts are often mixed with fictionalized accounts, commentaries and fictional stories. )n this paper ) argue that blogs can be conceived as forms of autofiction that include the presence of data provided by different media ȋphotos, videos, audio‐filesȌ. An example of this is ฀Abīr Sulaymān ȋAbeer SolimanȌ’s blog Yawmiyyāt Ānis [Diary of a Spinster]. ) chose this blog for several reasons. First, Abeer shows impressive writing skills and fine use of literary language; her blog has been turned into a book in January ʹͲͳͲ and sold out very quickly. Second, if it were not for the blog, her access to the Egyptian literary circle would have taken much longer. Third, Abeer is aware of the fact that blogs can be hybrid between fiction and non‐fiction, so she uses her online diary to involve her readers in a provocative and challenging game of interpretations. Egyptian women online diaries )n the past years the Egyptian blogosphere has evolved from a platform for political and social activism and citizen journalism to a broader space for personal expression and creativity. More generally it has become an incubator of new ideas and new identities which evolves alongside the mainstream public and slowly reshapes it from below ȋLynch, ʹͲͲ͹Ȍ. ͳ Arabic words are transliterated according to the standard in Oriental Studies and their English translation is indicated in brackets when possible. As for the author’s name, ) will use the transliterated version that she uses in her blog and on her Facebook page. ʹ See for example: Jose Van Dick ȋʹͲͲͶȌ, DzComposing the self: of diaries and weblogsdz, Fibreculture, issue ͵. Autofiction on screen: self representation of an Egyptian “spinster” in a literary blog