Guyanese writer Subraj Singh has been named on a 25‑strong shortlist for the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize—selected from almost a record breaking 8,000 entries, the highest number in the award’s 38‑year history.
Singh’s story, Margot’s Run, follows a mother who clutches her infant as a fiery ball circles her cottage, forcing her to confront a blood‑seeking creature drawn from Guyanese folklore.
The young writer holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland and has attended the Clarion West and Tin House workshops. In 2023 he completed the University of Iowa’s International Writing Programme.
The prize’s international panel chose writers from 18 Commonwealth nations, with Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia appearing for the first time. The finalists range in age from 21 to 75. Their stories span war‑time friendships, Beijing taxi rides, perilous sea voyages and a ‘sacred’ tamarind tree guarding a village secret.
“A great story moves us, makes us think, and sometimes changes us,” said Dr Vilsoni Hereniko, chair of judges. “This shortlist of relevant, vibrant, and essential reading is made up of the best 25 stories from a pool of almost 8,000 entries.”
Commonwealth Foundation Director‑General Dr Anne T Gallagher praised the entrants’ “breadth of voices, perspectives and experiences”, calling the shortlist “a powerful reminder of the creative energy that unites us”.
Five regional winners will be announced on 14 May; the overall winner follows on 25 June. All shortlisted stories will be published in “adda”, the foundation’s online magazine.
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