The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF), a major literary event in Asia, started in 1986 as an opportunity for Singaporeans to experience literary talents from all over the world, while promoting national and Southeast Asian writers as well. It hosts meetings with writers, thinkers, and academics, while also organizing workshops, seminars, lectures, and performances. Continuing for 10 days, the SWF is a hub for amateur and veteran literary figures and enthusiasts, celebrating writings in Singapore's four official languages: Malay, English, Tamil, and Chinese.
In 2017, the SWF's venue is the Civic District which includes buildings like the Arts House, the Asian Civilizations Museum, and the National Gallery. "The mission of the festival is to not only present the world's major literary talents to the people of Singapore, but also to promote new and emerging Singapore and Asian writing to a wider public", according to the official website for the Festival. IBTimes Singapore brings you the list of 10 Singaporean authors who are expected to be present at the SWF.
1. Grace Chia
Grace Chia is a poet, author, editor, and journalist from Singapore who has published several books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of her works include Womango, The Wanderlusters: A Novel, Cordelia, and so on. She is well-recognized nationally, with many of her poems and stories being included in the Singaporean academic courses. She has previously attended and given a speech at the SWF, and she is all set to do so this year too.
2. Adrian Tan
A best-selling author and lawyer, Adrian Tan is best known for his fiction novels: The Teenage Textbook and The Teenage Workbook. His book was adapted as a movie called The Teenage Textbook Movie and also into several stage plays. Tan is also an international debater and TV personality. He is expected to speak at a debate on November 12 at the SWF.
3. Chitra Sankaran
A well-known literary figure in South Asia, Chitra Sankaran is primarily an Assistant Professor in the National University of Singapore. Her books include Myth Connections: The Use of Hindu Myths and Void of Reason. She is currently writing a book based on ecology in Southeast Asian women's fiction. She is slated to appear in "Aram: An Intercultural Dialogue" on November 5.
4. Phan Ming Yen
Phan Ming Yen is chiefly known for his books, namely That Night by the Beach and Other Stories for a Film Score, The Adopted: Stories from Angkor, and Lost Bodies: Poems between Portugal and Home. He is scheduled to appear at SWF on November 4, in the event "Between Covers I: The Art of Inventive Roads."
5. Amanda Chong
Amanda Chong is a professional lawyer and a part-time poet. Her first poetic work, Professions, was published in 2016. She won the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award and her poems have been published in The Straits Times and Quarterly Literary Review Singapore. She will appear in two events at the SWF, on September 3 and 5.
6. Ng Yi-Sheng
A poet, fiction author, researcher, journalist and activist, Ng Yi-Sheng is best known for winning the Singapore Literature Prize in 2008 for Last Boy, his first poetry collection. He has also authored SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century and Eating Air. His compilations include Loud Poems for a Very Obliging Audience and All the Lovers. In the SWF, he is set to appear on November 10 and 12.
7. Kirstin Chen
Chen has penned novels like Soy Sauce for Beginners and Bury What We Cannot Take, which will be published in 2018. She is a recognized name in the literary world, winning awards from the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies, Sewanee, Hedgebrook, and the Napa Valley Writers' Conference. The SWF featuring her is set to take place on November 10.
8. Koh Buck Song
This Singaporean author has more than 30 books to his credit, including poetry collections, travel books, and anthologies. His works include The Worth of Wonder, The Ocean of Ambition, Brand Singapore, A Brief History of Toa Payoh, etc. He is also a columnist, editor, and 'haiga' artist. He will appear at the SWF on November 5 and 12.
9. Hidayah Amin
Becoming a writer at the young age of 11, Hidayah Amin has continued her literary journey with books like Gedung Kuning and The Mango Tree. She is the author of four non-fiction and three children's books. Her book, The Mango Tree, has gained a lot of popularity. Amin is expected at a story-telling event at the SWF on November 4.
10. Robert Yeo
Yeo is a poet, playwright, and author from Singapore who is known for his literary works like The Singapore Trilogy, The Best of Robert Yeo, The Eye of History, etc. He received the SEA Write Award in 2011. His events at the SWF will take place on November 3, 6, and 12.
So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets and prepare to be swept away in the world of writers.
