A LIST OF EGYPTIAN WOMEN WRITERS FROM THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL PRESENT

Below is a list of women writers who were born in Egypt or whose writings are closely associated with the country, since the eighteenth century until present (organized by the author’s last name).

Note: For those of you who would like to be listed here, please leave your name, titles of your works and any important links in a comment.

A

• Ghada Abdel Aal (born in 1978), blogger, newspaper and magazine columnist, and screenwriter
• Basma Abdel Aziz (born in 1976), writer, psychiatrist, visual artist and human rights activist
• Randa Abdel-Fattah (born in 1976), novelist, lawyer, and human rights advocate
• Aisha Abd al-Rahman (1913–1998), novelist, biographer, critic, and educator
• Noor Abdel Maguid (active since 2010), novelist and scriptwriter
• Hadeel Abdelsalam (active since 2011), writer, pharmacist, poet and blogger
• Samah Abou Bakr (active since 2005), children’s author and writer
• Leila Ahmed (born in 1940), professor and writer
• Dina Al-Mahdy (active since 2010), writer, translator, editor and blogger
• Radwa Ashour (1946–2014), professor and novelist
• Lina Attalah (active since 2004), journalist and newspaper editor
• Celine Axelos (1902–1992), poet and columnist

B

• Hala El Badry (born in 1954), journalist and novelist
• Salwa Bakr (born in 1949), critic, novelist, and translator
• Rehab Bassam (born in 1977), published blogger

D

• Qut al Qulub al Demerdashiyya (1892–1968), novelist

E

• Soheir El-Calamawy (1911–1997), short story writer, literary critic, and novelist
• Mansoura Ez-Eldin (born in 1976), novelist and journalist
• Fathia El-Assal (1933–2014), writer and playwright
• Rania El Bishbishy (active since 2015), writer
• Sahar El-Nadi (active since 2010), author, wellness mentor, instructor, speaker, blogger and photographer.
• Nourhane AbdelRahman El Rachidy (active since 2014), writer

F

• Safaa Fathy (born in 1958), poet, filmmaker, playwright, and essayist
• Sikeina Foad (1945–2004), journalist and novelist

G

• Noura Gamal (active since 2017), novelist
• Shaymaa ElGammal (active since 2011), writer, editor and life coach
• Hadil Ghoneim (active since 2006), essayist, author of young adult and children’s books
• Marwa Gohar, (active since 2013) writer and novelist

H

• Sherine Hanaay (active since 2011), animation director, scriptwriter, novelist and translator.
• Sarah Hagrass (active since 2016), scriptwriter and writer.
• Mai Hawas (active since 2005), writer
• Mirna El Helbawi (active since 2018), journalist, radio broadcaster, and novelist
• Reham Helmy (active since 2012), emotional intelligence, parenting and relationships consultant, researcher, writer, editor and life coach.
• Rania Hussein Amin (born in 1965), children’s author, illustrator and novelist

J

• Randa Jarrar (born in 1978), writer and translator.

K

• Jacqueline Kahanoff (1917–1979), novelist, essayist, and journalist
• Ghada Karim (active since 2016), writer and columnist
• May Kahled (active since 1998), novelist, writer, radio broadcaster and translator
• Sabah Khodir (active since 2016), writer and poet
• Alexandra Kinias (active since 1998), screenplay writer, novelist and women rights advocate.

L

• Mona Lamloum (active since 2016), children’s author and relationship consultant

M

• Sabrina Mahfouz (active since 2014), poet, playwright, performer and writer
• Mother Irini (died in 2006), abbess and religious writer
• Donia Maher (born in 1979), artist and writer
• Samia Mehrez (active since 1985), professor, researcher and writer.
• Iman Mersal (born in 1966), poet
• Zeinab Mobarak (active since 1997), fiction and play-writer, lyricist and translator
• Sahar El-Mougy (born in 1963), professor, novelist and writer
• Darine Elmoslemany (active since 2019), writer

N

• Saiza Nabarawi (1897–1985), journalist, newspaper editor, feminist
• Mona Elnamoury (active since 2011), university teacher, literary critic, creative writer and literary translator
• Iris Nazmy, writer, journalist, film critic
• Amira Nowaira (active since the 1990s), educator, translator, non-fiction writer

R

• Marwa Rakha (born in 1978), relationship and dating writer
• Somaya Ramadan (born 1951), short story writer, novelist, translator, educator
• Alifa Rifaat (1930–1996), short story writer, novelist
• Marwa Rouchdy (active since 2017), writing therapist and writer
• Myriam Rizkallah (active since 2010), editor, translator and writer.

S

• Nawal El Saadawi (born in 1931), feminist writer, novelist, playwright, psychiatrist
• Arwa Saleh (1951–1997), feminist activist and student leader
• Rasha Samir (active since 2001), novelist and journalist
• Heba Sawwah (active since 2017), writer
• Samah Selim (born in 1950), writer, scholar and translator
• Huda Sha’arawi (1879–1947), writer, feminist leader, nationalist, and founder of the Egyptian Feminist Union
• Magda Shafea (born in 1950), novelist and writer
• Rania Shoukry (active since 2014), psychological therapist and writer.
• Ahdaf Soueif (born in 1950), novelist and political and cultural commentator
• Rasha Sonbol (active since 2011), children’s author

T

• Miral al-Tahawy (active since 1995), novelist, short story writer
• Galila Tamarhan (died in 1863), early female contributor to medical journals
• Aisha Taymur (1840–1902), poet, novelist, feminist
• May Telmissany (born in 1965), Egyptian-Canadian novelist, translator, film critic, educator
• Munira Thabit (1902–1967), journalist, non-fiction writer, memoirist
• Yasmin Thabet (born in 1987), poet and novelist

Y

• Lucy Yacoub (1935–2012), a writer and translator of more than 120 books.
• Essad Younis (born in 1950), actress, TV host, producer, scriptwriter, and author
• Rose al Yusuf (1898–1958), actress, journalist

Z

• Sarah El-Zahaby (active since 2016), writer
• Amina Zaydan (born in 1966), novelist, short story writer
• Latifa al-Zayyat (1923–1996), activist and writer.

Photo credit: Women of Egypt Magazine