Omar Zakaria

Meet Omar

Omar knows good writing.

Omar Zakaria holds a degree in English with a focus on Creative Writing from Yale University. In college, he dedicated himself to understanding the craft of compelling writing. Throughout his academic career, he aimed to make his writing clear, succinct, and relevant to whoever was reading it.

One particular experience turbo-charged his passion for teaching writing. He worked at the non-profit organization New Haven Reads, which helps middle and high school students whose reading skills are below grade level to improve their reading and writing skills. There, he honed his ability to help students find their voice and improve their prose, regardless of where they were in their development as writers.

Omar believes reading is the best way to understand how to write and develop a personal and distinctive writer’s voice. Even the same story transforms depending on who is telling it and how they tell it. It pays to study the masters; Omar’s favorite essayists are George Orwell, David Sedaris, Zadie Smith, and Michel de Montaigne. He likes to recommend short essays to his students by someone who has grappled with the same questions or problems they do, which helps students identify meaningful themes and refine their tone. He also champions the principle of “show, don’t tell.” This guideline has encouraged his students to write engaging, honest narratives, in which every sentence is so good that it is hard not to read the next one.

Currently residing in New York City, Omar works in the film and television industry, writing and developing screenplays. His hobbies include tennis, baking, rock climbing, and adventures of all kinds.