Commonwealth short story prize winner keen on giving back to Guyana

Guyanese creative writer Subraj Singh is eager to make his contribution to the literary landscape of Guyana on completion of his studies.

The 32-year-old was recently announced as the Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner for the Caribbean in the regional phase of the competition with his piece ‘Margot’s Run’; a captivating story set in rural Guyana, where a mother tries desperately to protect her son from an unseen force that continues to bring him harm.

In an interview with Ignite News, Singh shared his deep passion for reading and writing, as well as his love for the arts, noting the power of literary expression to invoke thought and feelings through the spread of information.

“I wanted to write because I really enjoy reading, and I feel like I have stories to share, from a Guyanese point of view, that other people might enjoy. I also wanted to become a writer because I believe that although art is a form of expression, it is also an opportunity to highlight societal concerns, and to really make people think about certain situations and circumstances, as well as establishing possible solutions or methods for making those issues easier to navigate.”

Singh is passionate about his work, which he said is greatly influenced by Guyanese culture, and he is keen on delivering his work from that perspective. Highlighting significant support coming from his family, he said they are the primary source of his knowledge about Guyanese folklore, which is an important part of his literary work.

Singh said he is currently focused on completing his studies as an English graduate, but is also working on several pieces from the Guyanese standpoint.

“I am also working on a manuscript of short stories that is speculative and heavily influenced by Guyanese culture and traditions, but I am a slow writer, so it might be a while before it is completed. However, that is okay because good writing takes time.”

Singh, who is based in the United States, grew up in Leonora, on the West Coast of Demerara. He attended Queen’s College, the University of Guyana, and the National Drama School of Guyana, before completing his studies at the University of Maryland, where he studied Creative Writing.

“For my work, I have won a Guyana Prize for Literature award, and I was shortlisted for the Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize. After finishing my studies, I plan to contribute to the literary scene in Guyana in some capacity,” Singh posited.

Singh is currently pursuing a PhD in English and Creative Writing (Fiction) at the University of Missouri. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Fiction) from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in English (Literature) from the University of Guyana.

He is a 2023 Tin House Workshop Scholar, a 2023 Lambda Literary Fellow, and a 2022 Clarion West alum, according to Tin House Magazine.

Singh has also been supported by the Gabo Fellowship and the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program and has won a Guyana Prize for Literature award. He was also shortlisted for the Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize and the Columbia Journal Print Contest.

His writing has been published in Caribbean Beat, ImageOutWrite, The Arts Journal, and others, with stories forthcoming in Columbia Journal and AGNI.