I won this competition back in 2005, when the rules permitted any Singaporean citizen or permanent resident to enter. That made the competition a very tough one, since you had to compete with the best writers in the whole country.
Since then, the competition rules have changed. Published writers and ex-1st prize winners (like myself) are no longer eligible to participate. The idea behind these new rules (which were introduced in 2009) was to discover new, unknown writing talent in Singapore.
So if you are a new, unknown writer and you think you can write well, do give this competition a shot. The prize money is quite generous - as generous as it gets in Singapore. $10,500 goes to the first-prize winner, in the form of cash, enrichment grants and gift vouchers.
3 comments:
Good chance to write stories about Singapore's political awakening! Phwroah!
Mr Wang. I used to edit a number of literary magazines in my younger days (Days of Being Wild). One had to get a permit from the then Ministry of Culture and it was always understood that the permit could be rescinded any time if one runs foul of the Government. If you published too many anti Government articles your permit would not be renewed.
In fact, if your read are interested in the REAL iron first of the PAP they might want to read Gopal Baratham's A Candle Or The Sun where there is a hilarious caricature of a Ministry functionary.
They might also want to read Dennis Enright's Memoirs of a Mendicant Professor about his run in with the PAP.
And, of course, who can forget Paul Theroux picture of a Minsirty toady in Saint Jack?
Has the PAP changed? No it has simply become more covert!
Dear Mr Wang,
I am in the progress of working on my entries for Golden Point. I suppose now that you've publicised it on your blog, there will be more contenders. :)
Any advice from a past winner concerning writing or the competition to the rest of us?
Cheers,
J
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