Surrey New Writers Festival

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May

18th

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2024

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ABOUT snwf

Surrey New Writers’ Festival (SNWF) has ​been hosted annually by the School of ​Literature and Languages at the University ​of Surrey since 2013. It is a vibrant all-day ​celebration of contemporary writing, ​welcoming writers, readers and students ​from across London and the South East.


Previous writers we have featured include ​Monica Ali, Diana Evans, Julia Armfield, Neel ​Mukherjee, Inua Ellams, Michael Donkor ​and Elise Valmorbida.


This year, we are proud to have Blue Bear ​Bookshop as our official bookseller with ​titles available for purchase on site.

SNWF 2023 – ‘The best of Surrey’ celebrating 10 years of the SNWF.

This year's edition of the festival will take ​place between 11am-7pm, May 18th, 2024 at ​the Rik Medlik Building in the University of ​Surrey.


We will be joined by the following authors:

Headliner

Megan Hunter


and featuring


Rowan Hisayo Buchanan

Santanu Bhattacharya

Freya Bromley

Paula Cocozza

Nicola Dinan

Kit Fan

Emma Glass

Sarvat Hasin

Anna Metcalfe

Gianni Washington


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programme

11am-11:50am Kit Fan and Gianni Washington in conversation with Dr. Sharlene Teo


12pm- 12:50pm Santanu Bhattacharya and Emma Glass in conversation

with Lydia Dhoul

1pm- 2pm- lunch break


2pm-2:50pm Rowan Hisayo Buchanan and Nicola Dinan in conversation with Dr. Lena ​Mattheis

3 pm- 3:50pm Paula Cocozza and Anna Metcalfe in conversation with Dr. Gabriele Lazzari


4pm- 4:50pm Freya Bromley and Sarvat Hasin in conversation

with Prof. Marion Wynne-Davies



5pm- 6:15 pm Headliner Megan Hunter and Surrey New Writing Prize award ceremony


6:30pm- 7:30pm LitSoc Open Mic



15th May 2024 Shortlist Announcement


Congratulations to our shortlisted authors!


We received 108 entries of a very

high calibre- from this, 10 stories

were selected and judged

anonymously and our 3 winners

decided after a 1.5 hour deliberation,

decided on a point system of the

three categories [literary merit, interpretation of ​theme, and originality of ideas].


Winners will be announced on May 18th, Saturday ​at 5pm in 03 MS 01, the Rik Medlik Building, the ​University of Surrey.

Thank you to all the writers who entered our ​inaugural prize- we loved reading your stories. ​Please enter again next year.

Prize Sponsor

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short story prize

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1st Prize £1400

2nd prize £400

3rd prize £200

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2024 Prize Judges

Anna Metcalfe

Novelist and Short Story Writer

Rowan Hisayo Buchanan

Novelist and Short Story Writer

Elizabeth James

Director Strategy and Operations, Surrey ​Institute for People-Centred AI

The Surrey New Writing Prize is an annual ​short story prize awarded to the best piece of ​short fiction written in response to a given, ​topical theme.


The prize is open to writers residing in the UK ​of all ages and backgrounds. Both ​unpublished and published writers are eligible ​for entry, as long as the work submitted is ​original and previously unpublished.


Winner and runners up will be invited to a ​prize ceremony to take place at the Surrey ​New Writers Festival on May 18, 2024. Winning ​stories will be showcased on the People-​Centred AI Institute website.


In keeping with the University of Surrey's ​forward-thinking, globalised outlook, this ​year's theme is People and Artificial ​Intelligence.

We are looking for stories which think globally ​and move deeply, exploring the contemporary ​condition in original and incisive ways.


How can creative writing interface and ​present new possibilities for key areas such ​as sustainability, animal/human health and ​our ongoing interaction with AI-powered ​language models?


We are looking for stories that inspire us to ​think about the dystopian/utopian ​possibilities arising within our global future.


This is not strictly a science fiction / ​speculative writing competition - all genres ​are welcome, particularly literary fiction.



What do we mean by the theme People and ​Artificial Intelligence? Here are some ​suggestions, though these are by no means ​exhaustive:


Stories that explore how AI can empower ​people.


Stories that explore the impact of AI on ​individuals and their adaptation to change.


Stories that move the conversation away ​from the uncanny valley and robots in care, ​towards embracing possibilities to reduce ​patient loneliness, isolation and pressure on ​public services.


Stories that explore bias and focus a ​magnifying glass on our own behaviour and ​attitudes towards AI.


Stories that explore AI and its relationship (or ​lack thereof) with spirituality.


Stories that examine AI in everyday contexts

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RULES

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Entries must be 2000 words minimum (not ​including title), 5000 words maximum.


Entrants may enter as many stories as they ​like, with an entry fee of £6 per story.


The story must be written in English.


Entries must be original and not infringe upon ​the right or copyright of any person or entity.


Both published and unpublished writers are ​eligible for entry, as long as the work has not ​been previously published anywhere in full or ​in part, online or offline.



For full rules, submission guidelines and entry ​click here.


There are no age restrictions, but writers ​must reside within Great Britain.


A shortlist of 10 will be drawn from the entries.


Judges will read all shortlisted stories ​anonymously.


Entries will be judged on


1) literary merit

2) interpretation of theme

3) originality of ideas

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