Debut authors come to fore in DSC Prize

New Delhi : About 30 per cent of the 88 entries received for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2018 are by first-time authors, highlighting the proliferation of debut novelists writing about the region.

"The total number of eligible entries received this year is 88, which is the highest ever for the prize since its inception in 2010. This underlines the growing importance of South Asia in the international literary landscape and the role of the prize to showcase the immense talent writing about this region," the prize organising committee told IANS.

Books by debut novelists make up a significant 30 per cent of the total eligible entries that have come in. The prize has also been able to attract the interest of several smaller publishers with niche interest in South Asian writing.

"While the number of entries for the DSC Prize has grown over the years, what is interesting is the number of new and upcoming writers who are writing about the region and the range of issues that are getting written about.

"The DSC Prize has always encouraged new writers to write about the South Asian region. Indeed the first two winners of the DSC Prize and the winner last year have been debut published novels," said South Asian Literature Prize and Events Trust, which administers the prize.

The $25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature is an international literary prize, specifically focused on showcasing and rewarding the best talent writing about the region.