Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2018 shortlist announced

By Wasafiri Editor on October 5, 2018 in

Wasafiri is delighted to announce the shortlist for the Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2018. This year the prize received over 800 entries from sixty different countries. The judges for this year’s prize were Kerry Young in the Fiction category, Malika Booker in the Poetry category and Elleke Boehmer in the Life Writing category. Speaking on this year’s prize entries, Chair of Judges and Wasafiri Editor-in-Chief, Susheila Nasta said, ‘representing fresh perspectives from around the world, this year’s entries were both innovative and ambitious, passionately engaging with subjects that are key to contemporary life and the conflicts of our times’.

Reflecting on her own category, Elleke Boehmer noted that ‘the life writing this year was strong and evocative of many involving lives lived around the world. The shortlisted five pieces of life writing are representative of this strength, and of the dilemmas and losses that many of us grapple with.’ Kerry Young shared similar sentiments, saying ‘I found the 2018 shortlisted fiction entries inspiring. They cover a wide range of important issues, are well observed, fluently written and engaging. The judging process was smooth and efficient. And fun.’

This year’s prize ceremony will take place at The Blenheim Saloon in Marlborough House on 25^th October. The winners in each category are to be decided by all three judges, as well as Susheila Nasta. Tickets for the award ceremony can be purchased through Eventbrite here.

Here is the shortlist in full:

Fiction

Dead Tongues by Peter Coles

The Window by Nicki Frith

The Other Things in the Blood by IfeOluwa Nihinlola

Last Evening’s Call From Mother by Melusi Nkomo

Plunder by Deirdre Shanahan

Life Writing

Mountain of the Night by Jo Jackson

Make Sure to See the Exit Door by Miah Jeffra

Diary of a Teenage Boy by Len Lukowski

Feeding Grief to Animals by Rebecca Parfitt