Guyanese writer shortlisted for Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Apr 16, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- Guyanese writer Subraj Singh has been shortlisted for the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for his story “Margot’s Run.”

Recognised as one of the most international literary awards in the world, the prize is awarded annually by the Commonwealth Foundation for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the 56 Commonwealth member States.

Guyanese writer shortlisted for Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Subraj Singh shortlisted for Commonwealth Short Story Prize

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Commonwealth Foundation announced that Singh’s story was selected from a “record-breaking” 7,920 entries submitted by writers from 54 countries. In “Margot’s Run,” Singh tells the tale of a new mother “who ventures into the night to protect her child from a bloodthirsty creature,” the foundation stated.

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize accepts entries ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 words. Each of the five regional winners receives £2,500 GBP (approximately $700,000 GYD), while the overall winner receives £5,000 GBP (around $1.4 million GYD). According to the foundation, “winning or being shortlisted for the prize often opens up a wealth of opportunities for the selected writers, propelling them further in their writing careers.”

The 2025 shortlist features 25 outstanding stories by writers from 18 Commonwealth countries. The authors range in age from 21 to 75. Notably, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia are being represented on the shortlist for the very first time. Caribbean writers featured this year hail from Jamaica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, and Antigua and Barbuda.

The foundation stated, “Selected from almost 8,000 entries, the stories range from historical fiction to satire, via crime and speculative writing, family dramas, and coming-of-age stories.” Topics explored by the shortlisted writers include human trafficking, war, bereavement, motherhood, unlikely friendships, and unexpected love.

The international judging panel praised the shortlist as comprising stories that are “relevant, vibrant and essential reading.” This year’s panel is chaired by writer and filmmaker Dr. Vilsoni Hereniko of Rotuma, Fiji. The other judges include Cameroonian author, poet and scholar Nsah Mala (Africa); Malaysian writer and 2019 Asia regional winner Saras Manickam (Asia); British writer and journalist Dr. Anita Sethi (Canada and Europe); writer, editor and comedian Lisa Allen-Agostini from Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean); and poet, actor, musician and writer Apirana Taylor from Aotearoa/New Zealand (Pacific).

Describing the diversity of this year’s shortlist, the foundation noted: “The shortlisted stories conjure a wide range of scenarios—from a soldier on an unnamed border to a Beijing taxi driver with a vulnerable passenger, from a mother who turns to desperate measures to escape her abusive husband to a football-mad young boy and a ‘sacred’ Tamarind tree with a hidden secret. There are tales of exploitation, racism, greed, arrogance and betrayal—but also unexpected kindness, humour, courage and resistance, and the unexpected effects of small actions.”

The regional winners of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize will be announced on May 14, while the overall winner will be revealed on Wednesday, June 25. Entries to the prize can be submitted in English as well as in other languages spoken throughout the Commonwealth, including Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish, reinforcing its status as the most accessible and diverse of all international writing competitions.

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