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The Government of Guyana financed Guyana Prize for Literature competition, 2013, is slated to be held in August, with 33 entries in five categories, the majority being from locally-based Guyanese writers. This was revealed yesterday by Secretary of the Guyana Prize for Literature Management Committee, Mr. Al Creighton, in an exclusive interview with Guyana Chronicle.
According to Mr. Creighton, in previous years most of the entries for this competition, which is a biennial act of recognition, have come from overseas-based Guyanese writers.
He further stated that in order to enter the competition, a writer must be Guyanese or if non-Guyanese the person would have had to be resident in Guyana for at least 10 years.
Overseas-based Guyanese can also enter the competition, and another criteria for the competition is that the books which are being entered must be published books.
Manuscripts
Creighton noted, however, that the change to this year’s competition is that concessions are being given to the locally- based writers, since they are allowed to enter manuscripts which have not yet been published.
According to him, over the years efforts have been made to develop local writers, and in this regard this year seven workshops are being held.
Five workshops have so far been held by persons such as overseas-based Guyanese writer, Pauline Melville, Dr. Paloma Mohamed, Ruel Johnson, and foreign writer, Janice Lowe Shinebourne.
Creighton said that there are also two upcoming workshops, one of which will be held by overseas writer, Gaiutra Bahadur, and will be based on non-fiction writing.
These workshops, he pointed out, are being held so that the locally-based Guyanese writers can be given ideas on how they can improve their work.
He explained that persons who have previously entered unpublished manuscripts and have since had them published can now enter that work as a first publication.
Additionally, persons who have previously entered their manuscript and have not managed to have them published now have a chance to improve upon it and enter it again, something which was not previously done.
Creighton revealed that for the three main categories of best fiction, best poetry and best drama, the winners will each receive US$5,000, and for those persons who are entering into the first book prizes in fiction and poetry, the winners will each receive US$3,000.
When asked about the arts and writing field in Guyana, Creighton said that there is need for more public events to showcase the work of local writers, since fewer of these are being held.
The quality of writing in Guyana, he noted, can be improved through various workshops as well as through the availability of editing services, or the local writers learning to edit their own work.
The Caribbean press, he said, is assisting local writers, since they have now begun to publish the work of local writers, and it is just a matter, now, for those writers to take advantage of the opportunities.
According to Mr. Creighton, in previous years most of the entries for this competition, which is a biennial act of recognition, have come from overseas-based Guyanese writers.
He further stated that in order to enter the competition, a writer must be Guyanese or if non-Guyanese the person would have had to be resident in Guyana for at least 10 years.
Overseas-based Guyanese can also enter the competition, and another criteria for the competition is that the books which are being entered must be published books.
Manuscripts
Creighton noted, however, that the change to this year’s competition is that concessions are being given to the locally- based writers, since they are allowed to enter manuscripts which have not yet been published.
According to him, over the years efforts have been made to develop local writers, and in this regard this year seven workshops are being held.
Five workshops have so far been held by persons such as overseas-based Guyanese writer, Pauline Melville, Dr. Paloma Mohamed, Ruel Johnson, and foreign writer, Janice Lowe Shinebourne.
Creighton said that there are also two upcoming workshops, one of which will be held by overseas writer, Gaiutra Bahadur, and will be based on non-fiction writing.
These workshops, he pointed out, are being held so that the locally-based Guyanese writers can be given ideas on how they can improve their work.
He explained that persons who have previously entered unpublished manuscripts and have since had them published can now enter that work as a first publication.
Additionally, persons who have previously entered their manuscript and have not managed to have them published now have a chance to improve upon it and enter it again, something which was not previously done.
Creighton revealed that for the three main categories of best fiction, best poetry and best drama, the winners will each receive US$5,000, and for those persons who are entering into the first book prizes in fiction and poetry, the winners will each receive US$3,000.
When asked about the arts and writing field in Guyana, Creighton said that there is need for more public events to showcase the work of local writers, since fewer of these are being held.
The quality of writing in Guyana, he noted, can be improved through various workshops as well as through the availability of editing services, or the local writers learning to edit their own work.
The Caribbean press, he said, is assisting local writers, since they have now begun to publish the work of local writers, and it is just a matter, now, for those writers to take advantage of the opportunities.
The Guyana Prize was inaugurated by former President Desmond Hoyte in 1987, with a view to promoting the development of local literature, and is the country’s oldest acknowledgement of the creative arts.
It is customary that this prize is for a particular year, and the actual handing over would take place the following year.
The last competition was held in 2011 for the 2010 prize, and previous winners of this prize have included Wilson Harris, Fred D’Aguiar, David Dabydeen, Pauline Melville, Ian McDonald, Cyril Dabydeen and Ruel Johnson.
