Generally entrants may write about whatever subjects they wish. In 2010 we introduced two special awards, one for stories on the 2010 Commonwealth theme of Science, Technology and Society and the other for a short story written for children.
Many of the winners have used success in the competition as a stepping stone, and have gone on to write more short stories, write and publish novels, achieve newspaper and magazine publication and write screenplays, and have become well-known in their countries and internationally.
Anietie Isong, a Nigerian winner, went on to be a winner in the Olaudah Equiano prize for fiction, as did Chike Inugwe. Usha Rajagopalan, an Indian writer, after winning the competition published an acclaimed first novel 'Amrita'. Laurie Kubuitsile, a Botswana writer, who received a Highly Commended award in 2004 for her short story, 'A Pot Full of Tears', has since reached international audiences, winning a prize in the John Reid/Tom Howard contest (USA) and being published in the UK magazine, Mslexia.
Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian writer, after winning the short story competition for 'Half of a Yellow Sun', was shortlisted for the Orange Prize and was winner of Best First Book for the 2005 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for her novel 'Purple Hibiscus'.
1998 winner Sharon Rundle was introduced to the editor Dr Meenakshi Bharat by another former winner Sujata Sankranti from Delhi, and together they have edited an anthology of well-known and emerging writers from Australia and the Indian subcontinent. Entitled “Fear Factor, Terror Incognito”, it was released at the end of July 2009 by Picador India; and in October by Picador Australia. Sujata has also published a book of her short stories, ‘The Warp and the Weft’.
As well as the benefits of a monetary prize, past winners report a number of different advantages, including exposure in overseas markets, media attention, recognition amongst their literary peers, increased confidence in their writing abilities and a better sense of validation as a writer. Winners also report that continuous rejection from publishers was one of the biggest challenges of being a writer, and one which this competition was helping to address.