Open to submissions on an annual basis, Sing Lit Station's Manuscript Bootcamp is an intensive editorial programme that gathers writers, critics, literary academics and publishers together to critique and workshop a handful of the best manuscripts that Singaporean writers have to offer.
Writers often crave feedback, but lack access to a diverse selection of credible sources. Workshops are great for soliciting thoughts on individual pieces, but it's often difficult to oblige someone (and the correct someone at that) to read your entire manuscript.
Open to submissions on an annual basis, Sing Lit Station's Manuscript Bootcamp* is an intensive editorial programme that gathers writers, editors, literary academics and publishers together to critique and workshop a handful of the best manuscripts that Singaporean writers have to offer. Put through days of thorough analyses and feedback from industry professionals, the manuscripts are then revised and edited by the author. What happens next is entirely up to the author, after being given access to the support system formed during the Bootcamp.
Manuscript Bootcamp will alternate between poetry and prose submissions every year. Hence, we seek to receive poetry manuscripts on odd-numbered years (e.g.2023, 2025, etc.), and manuscripts of fiction and creative non-fiction on even-numbered years (e.g. 2022, 2024, etc.); our submissions window is estimated to take place within the first quarter of every year.
*The 2024 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp will have a special focus on works of creative nonfiction. Now open for submissions till 30 May.
2024 (NONFICTION)
We’re switching things up. The fifth edition of our prose-centric Manuscript Bootcamp is entirely focussed, this time, on the production of creative nonfiction in Singapore. Rather than solicit manuscripts of creative nonfiction, we’re also gonna use Bootcamp to seed new manuscripts and to prioritise the imparting of skills and knowledge from experienced practitioners to junior, aspiring nonfictionists.
Our Bootcampers are expected to attend four workshops held in late Jul / early Aug 2024; generate four essays, approx. 2,500 words each, over the month of Aug 2024; and to receive critique from our esteemed lecturers over four follow-up workshops conducted in late Sep 2024. We offered four places to the following writers in Singapore to participate in Manuscript Bootcamp 2024 (Nonfiction): Ada Cheong, Don Shiau, Euginia Tan and Varsha Sivaram.
Applicants to Manuscript Bootcamp 2024 (Nonfiction) had to submit a literary CV, and a portfolio of materials comprising a book proposal with accompanying writing sample (max. 5000 words) and a 1,000-word essay written in response to an excerpt from Boey Kim Cheng’s essay “Something Fine”, collected in his seminal essay collection Between Stations (2009):
After comparing the merits of Moroccan hash to the Indian variety, the talk settles on the idea of home.
“So where would you spend the rest of your life, if you had to call a place home?” Mark looks at Suzanne, who with her long dark hair, finely detailed face, bronze sheen and sensuously slim body seems like somebody he would like to spend the rest of his life with.
“Home, my parents’ village in Sussex. Haven’t been back for a few years now. My dad is a baker, makes really beautiful bread. Been thinking about going back to help him.” A shade of disappointment shows in Mark’s face.
“For me, anywhere but my parents’. I would stay forever in Leh, Ladakh, if possible. It’s paradise, you know.” Rudy has spent a year researching Ladakhi customs, inspired by Andrew Harvey’s A Journey in Ladakh. His English is accentless, the heavy German tone shed in years spent travelling and working overseas.
Anita, a Swedish poet with the Chinese words for love and endurance tattooed on her arms, says, “I want to go back to Oaxaca, so different from Sweden. Everybody knows everybody there. The children laughing, they have the most beautiful faces. And the colours they were, it makes you happy to be there.”
Adam, an American Japanese, says, “Tokyo, if I didn’t feel so excluded at times. I was born in San Francisco, grew up in Boston and Honolulu and then it occured to me that maybe my real home is Japan. So I’ve spent the last three years teaching English there. It’s been good but I do miss something. When they hear my Japanese, that’s when I realise I don’t quite belong.”
“How about you, Mark?”
“Right here, right now. This is home, the present. Now.”
It is my turn. I tell them about Singapore, about the walks my father took me on, how walkable it was, the city, the different quarters, the beautiful buildings. How things changed in the late 70s, the fever of developments erasing what to me was a very unique place, a place where different races and cultures had come together and built whole streets and districts that reflected this meeting and blending. I realise it is the first time I have spoken about the longing for the places in my childhood, the places that held for me the few happy memories of my father. Perhaps these vanished places are vital to me because of my father; my memories of our being together are welded to them. Now that I have reached the furthest point on my journey away from home, and prepare to take up a new life in a new country, I am able to confess my love for the country I have lost. Maybe never had. Would it be home for me, if things were to revert to the way they were?
Our applicants were selected internally, solely based on the overall excellence and promise of their portfolio; we also ensured that two-thirds of our finalists comprised writers who were either unpublished or who had yet to publish a full-length manuscript in the genre. In the case of Manuscript Bootcamp 2024 (Nonfiction), this amounted to one published writer within a cohort of four, chosen out of a longlist of 8 writers that included Olivia Tong, Pamela Ho, Ruo Wei Lim and Stephanie Chan.
a) LECTURERS
Our four esteemed lecturers are uniquely tasked in the following fields of creative nonfiction writing: memoir; investigation; criticism; and place / travel writing. They are visual artist and writer Tania De Rozario, author of Dinner on Monster Island (Harper Perennial, 2024); Kirsten Han, managing editor of the Mekong Review and author of The Singapore I Recognise: Essays on home, community and hope (Ethos Books, 2023); essayist and critic Cher Tan, whose debut essay collection is Peripathetic: Notes on (Un)belonging (NewSouth Publishing, 2024); and the Singapore Australian poet Boey Kim Cheng, author of the novel Gull Between Heaven and Earth (Epigram Books, 2017), the essay collection Between Stations (Giramondo, 2009), and winner of the 2023 Kenneth Slessor Prize For Poetry for his collection The Singer And Other Poems (Cordite Books, 2022).
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
On matters of content:
All applicants must submit, as part of their portfolio, a 1,000-word essay (+/- 10%) written in response to an excerpt from Boey Kim Cheng’s essay “Something Fine”, collected in Between Stations (2009) (see description above).
All applicants must also submit, as part of this portfolio, a book proposal with an accompanying sample of creative writing. While there is no minimum word count, this proposal cannot exceed 5,000 words (+/- 10%), must be situated within the genre of creative nonfiction (see rule 1.3), and should contain at minimum:
a working title;
a description / abstract of the project’s creative aims and objectives;
an envisioned list of chapters / essays;
a sample of writing from the above list of chapters / essays (see rule 1.2.3.).
We are looking for the following examples of creative nonfiction, following submission guidelines for the Singapore Literature Prize, administered by the Singapore Book Council: literary criticism, biographies, memoirs, personal essays and travel writing. We will not accept cookbooks, self-help manuals, travel guides, academic studies, business books, commentaries or textbooks. The work should be accessible to the general reading public and not intended for a specialised or academic readership.
Only 1 submission per person is allowed, and submissions must be authored by a single person. Samples of creative nonfiction should be in English, although nonstandard usage and inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work will not be read.
On matters of format:
Portfolios should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not .pdf), Times New Roman pt 12, single-spaced.
While we do not require your CVs to be formatted in a specific way, do ensure that information is laid out in a clear and legible manner.
On matters of eligibility:
Manuscripts submitted before 1 Apr 2024 and after 30 May 2023, 2359 hours will not be considered for the Bootcamp.
Participants must be physically present for the Bootcamp for all stipulated dates (see Important Dates below).
Participants will have to declare if (i) they are a writer who have at least one full-length work of creative nonfiction published / due to be published, and (ii) if they are a previous Manuscript Bootcamp finalist. Participants will thus be expected to provide a supporting CV that includes their name, NRIC, address, contact details, job / occupation history, and all past publication details / literary endeavours. Any inconsistences / falsehoods / deliberate omissions caught by the programme organisers will face automatic disqualification.
Board members and employees of Sing Lit Station, as well as their immediate families and the immediate families of the organisers, are ineligible to apply for Manuscript Bootcamp. Past Manuscript Bootcamp finalists will also not be allowed to re-submit past manuscripts, however reworked / revised.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page. Participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
1 Apr to 30 May, 2359 hours: Submissions open
3-4 Jul: Announcement of Bootcamp finalists
28 Jul: Welcome Lunch; Workshop (“Criticism”)
3-4 Aug: Workshops (“Memoir”, “Investigation”, “Place”)
30 Aug: Submission of assignments to programme organisers
31 Aug: Check-in Coffee
28-29 Sep: Follow-up Workshops
2023 (POETRY)
In the fifth edition of Manuscript Bootcamp (Poetry), six finalists will have their work critiqued by a selection of Singapore’s most preeminent and influential poets. As always, Bootcamp will take place over an intense weekend, designed to take our finalists through the stages of (poetic) revision, thinking through core aspects of poetic technique while also learning to identify the through-lines of their poetry collections.
In an aim to make our programme more inclusive, we will be making certain provisions to the way we run Manuscript Bootcamp. First, we will continue to allow longlisted applicants to sit in, observe and participate in the weekend’s activities. Second, while we will not turn away published writers or previous Bootcamp finalists from submitting to Manuscript Bootcamp, we will ensure that two-thirds of our finalists will always comprise writers who are either unpublished or who have yet to publish a full-length manuscript; in the case of Manuscript Bootcamp 2023 (Poetry), this will amount to four of such writers out of our expected total of six.
The 2023 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp was open for submissions of poetry manuscripts from 15 Mar to 14 May, 2359 hours, for a Bootcamp on 1-3 September. After an initial longlist of 12 writers was announced, the following 6 writers will be our finalists for Manuscript Bootcamp 2023 (Poetry): Cheng Him, Christian Yeo, Conan Tan, Dianne Araral, Natalie Wang and Sher Ting.
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
Our longlisted participants for Manuscript Bootcamp 2023 (Poetry) are: Cheng Him, Christian Yeo, Conan Tan, Dianne Araral, Hao Yang Yap, Jonathan Chan, Laili Abdeen, Laura Jane Lee, Natalie Wang, Nicholas Quek, Sher Ting Chim and Winifred Wong.
Their manuscripts will be judged by a panel of three esteemed poets: Grace Chia, author of over 10 books, including the poetry collections Mother of All Questions, Cordelia and womango; Samuel Lee, winner of the 2018 Singapore Literature Prize for A Field Guide to Supermarkets in Singapore; and Nhã Thuyên, a 2023 DAAD artist-in-Berlin fellow and author of bất\ \tuẫn: những hiện diện [tự-] vắng trong thơ Việt, its English edition, un\ \martyred: [self-]vanishing presences in Vietnamese poetry, and moon fevers.
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
On matters of content:
All participants must submit a manuscript of at least 20 poems or 20 pages (for long poems / sequences) in order to be considered. Only 1 submission per person is allowed, and submissions must be authored by a single person. While there is no maximum length, our invited judges and panellists will not be obliged to read beyond 25 poems / pages.
All genres of poetry that can be represented as text will be accepted, including but not limited to epic poetry, prose poetry, concrete poetry / text-based art, textual transcription of performance poetry, and found and other process-based work.
Manuscripts should also be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis — this can either encapsulate your artistic intent or the content and flow of your poems.
Poems should be in English, although nonstandard usage and inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work will not be read.
On matters of format:
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not .pdf), Times New Roman pt 12, single-spaced, with each poem laid out on a separate page. Do clearly state if the manuscripts are to be laid out with a specific font and line spacing.
As manuscripts will be read blind by an external panel, writers’ names should be excluded from the manuscript. Judges with any conflict of interest will be asked to recuse themselves from assessing those manuscripts in question.
On matters of eligibility:
Manuscripts submitted before 15 Mar 2023 and after 14 May 2023, 2359 hours will not be considered for the Bootcamp.
Participants must be physically present for the Bootcamp from the evening of 1 Sep to 3 Sep 2023.
Participants will have to declare if 1) they are a writer who have at least one full-length poetry collection published / due to be published, and 2) if they are a previous Manuscript Bootcamp finalist. Participants will thus be expected to provide a supporting CV that includes their name, NRIC, address, contact details, job / occupation history, and all past publication details / literary endeavours; any inconsistences / falsehoods / deliberate omissions caught by the programme organisers will face automatic disqualification.
Board members and employees of Sing Lit Station, as well as their immediate families and the immediate families of the organisers, are ineligible to apply for Manuscript Bootcamp. Past Manuscript Bootcamp finalists will also not be allowed to re-submit past manuscripts, however reworked / revised.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page. Participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
15 Mar–14 May, 2359 hours: Submissions open
31 May: Announcement of longlisted participants
By 10 Jul: Announcement of Bootcamp finalists
1–3 Sep: Commencement of Bootcamp
2022 (PROSE)
In the fourth edition of Manuscript Bootcamp (Prose), four to six finalists will have their works critiqued by some of Singapore’s best writers, editors, publishers and critics. Happening over an intense weekend, the Bootcamp will allow you the space to rethink purpose, plot, emotional resonance, audience and more aspects as to what makes a book, a book. Take the leap, be prepared to give and receive thoughtful feedback in an environment with people who are as deeply invested in writing as you are.
Over the years, our judging panel has received stellar manuscripts that do not make the final selection; as such, longlisted applicants who are not chosen as finalists will be invited to observe the Bootcamp sessions with industry experts.
The 2022 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp will be open for submissions of prose manuscripts from 1–30 May, for a Bootcamp on 26–28 August. After an initial longlist of 8 writers were announced, the following 4 writers will be our finalists for the 2022 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp: Mohamed Shaker, Ng Yi-Sheng, Yap Shi Quan and Steven Justin Sy.
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
Our longlisted participants for Manuscript Bootcamp 2022 (Prose) are: Benedict Lim, Clara Mok, Joelyn Yep, Larnchana Alehandra, Mohamed Shaker, Ng Yi-Sheng, Shi Quan Yap and Steven Justin Sy. Our final list of participants will be decided by a panel of writers comprising: Clarissa Goenawan, Daryl Qilin Yam and Yeo Wei Wei.
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
The following genres are open for consideration: short story collections; novellas; novels; long-form creative non-fiction works.
The suggested submission length is 20,000 words. Manuscripts that fail to meet the length might be disqualified, and much longer ones may not be read or workshopped beyond 20,000 words. Incomplete works meeting the suggested length will still be accepted.
Manuscripts should be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis (containing either a plot summary, "elevator pitch" or a description of artistic intentions).
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not PDF), Times New Roman pt 12, double spaced, with each new chapter or short story laid out on a separate page.
As manuscripts will be read blind by an external panel, writers’ names should be excluded from the manuscript. Judges with any conflict of interest will be asked to recuse themselves from assessing those manuscripts in question.
Manuscripts must be in English, although nonstandard usage and minor meaningful inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work is not accepted.
Manuscripts must be original, and authored by a single person.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Please inform us as soon as your manuscript has been accepted elsewhere for a prize, fellowship, other award, or publication.
With the easing of COVID-19 regulations, we hope to hold a fully physical Bootcamp in Sing Lit Station’s office from the evening of 26 August through the weekend of 27 and 28 August.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page. Participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
1–30 May, 2359 hours: Submissions open
10 Jun: Announcement of longlisted participants
22 Jul: Announcement of Bootcamp finalists
26-28 Aug: Commencement of Bootcamp
Mid-Mar: Presentation of works
2021 (POETRY)
At Bootcamp, our finalists’ work are taken apart and put back together by established Singapore-based writers, editors, academics and critics. Writers with manuscripts of poetry are invited to submit.
After an initial longlist of 12 writers was announced, we’re pleased to announce that the following 6 writers will be our finalists for the 2021 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp: Adeline Loh, Anurak Saelaow, Kendrick Loo, Lean, Natalie Foo and Tricia Tan.
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
After an initial longlist of writers was announced, a final list of 6-8 writers was selected to participate in Manuscript Bootcamp 2021 (Poetry) by an external panel of esteemed writers, comprising: Aaron Maniam, Pooja Nansi, Yeow Kai Chai.
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
All participants must submit a manuscript of at least 20 poems or 20 pages (for long poems / sequences) in order to be considered. A small fee of AUD$5 (automatically converts to ~SGD $5.15) will be levied for all submissions. Only 1 submission per person is allowed, and submissions must be authored by a single person.
All genres of poetry that can be represented as text will be accepted, including but not limited to epic poem, prose poetry, concrete poetry / text-based art, textual transcription of performance poetry, and found and other process-based work.
Manuscripts should also be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis—this can either encapsulate your artistic intent or the content and flow of your poems.
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not PDF), Times New Roman pt 12, single spaced, with each poem laid out on a separate page. Do clearly state if the manuscripts are to be laid out with a specific font and line spacing.
As manuscripts will be read blind by external readers, all identifying information should be excluded from the manuscript.
Poems should be in English, although nonstandard usage and inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work will not be read.
Participants must be physically present for the Bootcamp from the evening of 27 Aug to 29 Aug 2021. An additional fee of $100 ($50 for students) will be paid by each participant to cover logistical costs. Successful participants who need financial support may apply to the HALP Fund to cover this fee.
Do attach a CV separate from your manuscript that includes your name, NRIC, address, contact details, job / occupation history, and all past publication details / literary endeavours. Only Singaporean citizens or PRs are eligible to apply.
Manuscripts submitted before 16 April 2020 and after 30 May 2020, 2359 hours will strictly not be considered for the Bootcamp.
Board members and employees of Sing Lit Station, as well as their immediate families and the immediate families of the organisers, are ineligible to apply for Manuscript Bootcamp. Finalists of the previous editions of Manuscript Bootcamp (in 2015, 2017 and 2019) will also be ineligible.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page. Participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published.
This year’s Manuscript Bootcamp will feature post-Bootcamp process sessions to guide you in processing the feedback you received during the camp. These will occur between September 2021 - February 2022. The dates for these will be confirmed in consultation with the participants.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
16 Apr–30 May, 2359 hours: Submissions open
Week of 1 Jun: Announcement of longlisted participants
Week of 16 Jul: Announcement of Bootcamp finalists
27–29 Aug: Commencement of Bootcamp
Sep–Feb 2022: Post-Bootcamp process sessions
The Manuscript Bootcamp 2021 (Poetry) organising team consists of alumni Ang Shuang, Joses Ho, Qamar Firdaus Saini and See Wern Hao with support and assistance from Sing Lit Station.
2020 (PROSE)
Now that you have a manuscript bubbling in your hands, what are the next steps you can take to bring it closer to what you want it to be? How can you grow your practice as a writer? In Manuscript Bootcamp 2020 (Prose), we will tackle these questions (and more) together with an entire host of established writers, editors, academics, agents and critics.
Happening over an intense weekend, the Bootcamp will allow you the space to rethink purpose, plot, emotional resonance, audience and more aspects as to what makes a book, a book. Take the leap, be prepared to give and receive thoughtful feedback in an environment with people who are as deeply invested in writing as you are.
The 2020 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp will be open for submissions of prose manuscripts from 1 Feb 2020 to 22 Mar 2020, for a Bootcamp on 24–26 Jul 2020. Four writers were chosen to undergo the sixth edition of Bootcamp: Siang Choo; Weetee Neu; nor; Timothy Yeo.
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
The following 8 writers have been longlist for Manuscript Bootcamp 2020 (Prose): Siang Choo; Alice Huang Wijaya; Tam Lin; Weetee Neu; Norah Lea; Marcus Ong; HJ Pang; Timothy Yeo.
The above longlist will be whittled down to a final list of 3-4 Manuscript Bootcamp participants by an external panel of esteemed writers and industry fellows comprising: Bernice Chauly, Xu Xi and Yeo Wei Wei.
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
The following genres are open for consideration: short story collections; novellas; novels; long-form creative non-fiction works.
The suggested submission length is 20,000 words. Manuscripts that fail to meet the length might be disqualified, and much longer ones may not be read or workshopped beyond 20,000 words. Incomplete works meeting the suggested length will still be accepted.
Manuscripts should be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis (containing either a plot summary, "elevator pitch" or a description of artistic intentions).
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not PDF), Times New Roman pt 12, double spaced, with each new chapter or short story laid out on a separate page.
As manuscripts will be read blind by an external panel, writers’ names should be excluded from the manuscript. Judges with any conflict of interest will be asked to recuse themselves from assessing those manuscripts in question.
Manuscripts must be in English, although nonstandard usage and minor meaningful inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work is not accepted.
Manuscripts must be original, and authored by a single person.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Please inform us as soon as your manuscript has been accepted elsewhere for a prize, fellowship, other award, or publication.
In view of COVID-19, Bootcamp 2020 will be held entirely online, starting from the evening of 24 Jul and through the weekend of 25 and 26 Jul. A small fee will be paid by each participant to cover logistical costs.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page with a submission fee of 10 AUD. Do note that participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published. A follow-up session in 2020 / 2021 will also be organised; the date for this will be confirmed in consultation with the participants.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
1 Feb – 22 Mar, 2359 hours: Submissions open
22 Apr: Announcement of longlisted participants (infographic)
20 Jun: Announcement of Bootcamp participants
24–26 Jul: Commencement of Bootcamp
Early Aug: Presentation of works
The Manuscript Bootcamp 2020 (Prose) organiser is Teo Xiao Ting, with support and assistance from Qamar Firdaus Saini and Sing Lit Station Senior Associate Tse Hao Guang.
2019 (POETRY)
The 2019 edition of the Bootcamp expanded its reach with the Manuscript Assessment Scheme (MASS). Through MASS, longlisted applicants of the Bootcamp gained access to detailed feedback from The Literary Consultancy (TLC) based in the UK, effectively benefiting from the best of both worlds—feedback from TLC, as well as a closer, more intimate look at the work in Manuscript Bootcamp.
At Bootcamp, our finalists’ work were taken apart and put back together by established Singapore-based writers, editors, academics and critics. They talked narrative, sequencing, theme, titling; anything that answers the question, "How can and why should these poems be a book?" All of our finalists were informed to be prepared to give and take feedback of the highest quality in a challenging and collegial environment.
The 2019 edition of Bootcamp was open for submissions of poetry manuscripts from 1 Feb 2019 to 30 Mar 2019; the Bootcamp was held on 2–4 Aug 2019. Six writers were chosen to undergo the fifth edition of Bootcamp: Carissa Cheow; Nicholas Chng; Joses Ho; Valen Lim; Qamar Firdaus Saini; See Wern Hao.
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
The 2019 Bootcamp featured an initial longlist of 12 writers, taken from the best poetry manuscripts from MASS (Cycle 1) written by writers with no prior full-length poetry publication. Aside from the six finalists, the other six writers on the longlist were: Al Lim, Cheyenne Phillips, Faye Ng, Julius Li, Joshua Choo, Max Pasakorn Konwohrachet.
The final list of 4-6 Bootcamp participants were then decided by an external panel of esteemed industry fellows: the poets Aaron Maniam and Conchitina Cruz, and academic Koh Tai Ann:
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
All participants must submit a manuscript of at least 20 poems or 20 pages (for long poems / sequences) in order to be considered. A small fee of $10 will be levied for all submissions, which will automatically place your manuscript under consideration for both Bootcamp and MASS. Only 1 submission per person is allowed, and submissions must be authored by a single person.
All genres of poetry that can be represented as text will be accepted, including but not limited to epic poem, prose poetry, concrete poetry / text-based art, textual transcription of performance poetry, and found and other process-based work.
Manuscripts should also be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis—this can either encapsulate your artistic intent or the content and flow of your poems.
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not PDF), Times New Roman pt 12, single spaced, with each poem laid out on a separate page. Do clearly state if the manuscripts are to be laid out with a specific font and line spacing.
As manuscripts will be read blind by external readers, all identifying information should be excluded from the manuscript.
Poems should be in English, although nonstandard usage and inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work will not be read.
Participants must be physically present for the Bootcamp from the evening of 2 Aug to 4 Aug 2019. A further $10 fee will be paid by each participant to cover logistical costs. A tiered fee depending on manuscript length will also be paid by participants who wish to accept the MASS opportunity.
Do attach a CV separate from your manuscript that includes your name, NRIC, address, contact details, job / occupation history, and all past publication details / literary endeavours. Only Singaporean citizens or PRs are eligible to apply.
Manuscripts submitted before 1 Feb 2019 and after 30 Mar 2019, 2359 hours will strictly not be considered for the Bootcamp.
Board members and employees of Sing Lit Station, as well as their immediate families and the immediate families of the organisers, are ineligible to apply for Manuscript Bootcamp. Participants of the 2015 and 2017 editions of Manuscript Bootcamp will also be ineligible.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page. Participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published. A follow-up session in 2020 will also be organised; the date for this will be confirmed in consultation with the participants.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
1 Feb – 30 Mar, 11.59pm: Submissions open (concurrent with Manuscript Assessment Scheme)
22 Apr: Announcement of longlisted participants
1 Jun: Announcement of Bootcamp finalists
2–4 Aug: Commencement of Bootcamp
23 Aug, 8pm: Presentation of works (RSVP)
The Manuscript Bootcamp 2019 (Poetry) organisers are Tse Hao Guang and Teo Xiao Ting, with support and assistance from Sing Lit Station.
2018 (PROSE)
Is the next great Singapore novel, short story collection or work of creative non-fiction sitting in your drawer, or burning in your brain? If you’re wondering how to revise and bring a manuscript to publication, look no further than Manuscript Bootcamp 2018 (Prose)! Your work will be taken apart by established writers, editors, academics, agents, and critics. You will review purpose, story, character, style, audience; anything that answers the question, “Why must my words be read?” Be prepared to give and take feedback of the highest quality in a challenging and collegial environment.
The 2018 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp is open for submissions of prose manuscripts from 1 Feb 2018 to 30 Apr 2018, for a Bootcamp on 3-5 August 2018. Four writers have been chosen to undergo the fourth edition of Manuscript Bootcamp: Hidhir Razak, Aleithia Low, Jocelyn Suarez and Annabel Tan:
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
Our 2018 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp had longlisted nine writers for the promise and potential of their manuscripts-in-progress; apart from the above-mentioned four, the other five writers were: Ho Kin Yunn, Desiree Khng, Ash Lim, Daniel Soo and Grace Tang.
The final list of Bootcamp participants were decided by an external panel of esteemed writers: Yu-mei Balasingamchow, Jon Gresham and Wena Poon.
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
The following genres are open for consideration: short story collections; novellas; novels; long-form creative non-fiction works.
The suggested submission length is 20,000 words. Manuscripts that fail to meet the length might be disqualified, and much longer ones may not be read or workshopped beyond 20,000 words. Incomplete works meeting the suggested length will still be accepted.
Manuscripts should be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis (containing either a plot summary, "elevator pitch" or a description of artistic intentions).
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not PDF), Times New Roman pt 12, double spaced, with each new chapter or short story laid out on a separate page.
As manuscripts will be read blind by an external panel, writers’ names should be excluded from the manuscript. Judges with any conflict of interest will be asked to recuse themselves from assessing those manuscripts in question.
Manuscripts must be in English, although nonstandard usage and minor meaningful inclusions of other languages are welcome. Translated work is not accepted.
Manuscripts must be original, and authored by a single person.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Please inform us as soon as your manuscript has been accepted elsewhere for a prize, fellowship, other award, or publication.
Participants must be physically present for the Bootcamp on the evening of 3 August and the whole weekend of 4 and 5 August 2018. A small fee will be paid by each participant to cover logistical costs.
All works are to be submitted via our Submittable page. Do note that participants will be required to acknowledge Sing Lit Station and Manuscript Bootcamp in their work if their manuscript is eventually published. A follow-up session in 2019 will also be organised; the date for this will be confirmed in consultation with the participants.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
1 Feb – 30 Apr, 2359 hours: Submissions open
14 May: Announcement of longlisted participants
1 Jul: Announcement of Bootcamp participants
3 – 5 Aug: Commencement of Bootcamp
18 Aug: Presentation of works (event link)
The Manuscript Bootcamp 2018 (Prose) organiser is Tse Hao Guang, with support and assistance from Sing Lit Station's Jon Gresham.
2017 (POETRY)
This is not your usual poetry workshop. Your work will be taken apart and put back together by established writers, editors, academics and critics. You will talk narrative, sequencing, theme, titling; anything that answers the question, "How can and why should these poems be a book?" Be prepared to give and take feedback of the highest quality in a challenging and collegial environment.
The 2017 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp were open for submissions of poetry manuscripts from 1 April 2017 to 14 May 2017, for a Bootcamp scheduled on 28-30 July 2017. Six writers were chosen to undergo the third edition of Manuscript Bootcamp: Abdul Hamid, Ang Shuang, Jerome Lim, Min Lim, Ruth Tang and Teo Xiao Ting:
a) EXTERNAL PANEL
Our 2017 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp had its final list of Bootcamp participants decided by an external panel of esteemed poets: Shirley Geok-lin Lim, Alvin Pang and Nicholas Wong:
They made their pick from a longlist of a dozen poets, whose manuscripts Sing Lit Station felt contained the most potential and were most deserving of further development. Although half of the longlisted poets were not selected for the Manuscript Bootcamp, Sing Lit Station would like to emphasise that inclusion on the longlist is still to be considered a major artistic accomplishment.
b) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
All participants must submit a manuscript of at least 30 poems in order to be considered.
Manuscripts should also be titled and blurbed with a one-paragraph synopsis – this can either encapsulate your artistic intent or the content and flow of your poems.
Manuscripts should be in a single paginated .doc / .docx file (not PDF), Times New Roman pt 12, single spaced, with each poem laid out on a separate page. Do clearly state if the manuscripts are to be laid out with a specific font and line spacing.
As manuscripts will be read blind by an external panel, writers' names are also requested to be excluded from the manuscript.
Poems should be in English, although nonstandard usage and meaningful inclusions of other languages are welcome.
Participants must be physically present for the Bootcamp from the evening of 28 July to 30 July 2017. Manuscripts submitted after 14 May 2017 will also not be considered for the Bootcamp.
Email your submissions to singlitstation@gmail.com, with the subject header "MANUSCRIPT BOOTCAMP 2017 (POETRY): SUBMISSION". Do attach a CV separate to your manuscript that includes your name, NRIC, address, contact details, job / occupation history, and all past publication details / literary endeavours.
c) IMPORTANT DATES
1 Apr – 14 May, 2359 hours: Submissions open (infographic)
21 May: Announcement of longlisted participants (infographic)
18 Jun: Announcement of Bootcamp participants
28-30 Jul: Commencement of Bootcamp
20 Aug: Presentation of works (event link)
The Manuscript Bootcamp 2017 (Poetry) organiser is Tse Hao Guang, with support and assistance from Sing Lit Station.
2016 (PROSE)
The 2016 edition of Manuscript Bootcamp aimed to take rough drafts of prose and forge them into print-ready manuscripts through intensive input from industry professionals: successful practitioners, academics, critics, publishers, and editors alike. Four writers were chosen to undergo the second Manuscript Bootcamp in December 2016: Clarissa N. Goenawan, Ng Yi-Sheng, Teoh Ren Jie and Toh Hsien Min:
Over the course of two days, the manuscripts of these four writers received feedback and critique from the following groups of people:
literary and creative writing academics from three tertiary institutions specialising in local literature (NIE, NTU, NUS, LASALLE);
the founders and editors of Singapore's foremost literary presses (Ethos Books and Math Paper Press);
five experienced practitioners of the craft;
literary agent Helen Mangham, from Jacaranda Press.
a) SUBMISSION CRITERIA
The following genres were open for consideration: short story collections; creative non-fiction essay collections; novellas / novels; long-form creative non-fiction works.
The minimum submission length for novels and long-form non-fiction was 30,000 words.
The minimum submission length for short story and essay collections was 10 pieces each.
All works had to be original.
Work from present and former Singaporean citizens and permanent residents could only be accepted.
All applicants had to attach a CV with at least 2 previous publication credits (print/online). Writers with no previous publication history may submit, but writers with a track record were prioritised, and for the shorter forms, work that has been previously published. Credits pending publication were acceptable with verification.
Simultaneous submissions were allowed.
b) BOOTCAMP DATES & DETAILS
Due to the length of the prose works considered, the entire Bootcamp process will consist of:
a 2-day bootcamp in Dec 2016;
a half-year developmental workshop process;
a 2-day follow-up bootcamp in Jun 2017.
The Manuscript Bootcamp 2016 (Prose) organisers and selection panel are Krishna Udayasankar, novelist with Penguin, Hachette, and the best-selling author of the Aryavarta Chronicles and 3; and Jon Gresham, author of We Rose Up Slowly from Math Paper Press. They are supported by Daryl Qilin Yam of Sing Lit Station.
2015 (POETRY)
The inaugural Manuscript Bootcamp aimed to take rough drafts of poetry and forge them into print-ready manuscripts through intensive input from industry professionals: successful practitioners, academics, critics, publishers, and editors alike. Six writers were chosen to undergo the first Manuscript Bootcamp in March 2015: Jennifer Anne Champion, Amanda Chong, Samuel Lee, Daryl Lim Wei Jie, Tse Hao Guang and David Wong Hsien Ming:
Over the course of three days, they underwent intensive bombardment by a battery of professionals from a variety of fields, with funding support from the National Arts Council:
academics from three tertiary institutions specialising in local literature (NIE, NTU, NUS);
two founders of Singapore's foremost literary publishers (Ethos Books and Math Paper Press);
three pioneering editors of local online journals (Softblow, QLRS, The Literary Centre) and print anthologies;
six experienced practitioners of the craft.
The sessions were planned and facilitated by local writers Ann Ang, Pooja Nansi, Teh Su Ching and Joshua Ip, and administratively supported by a helpful team of interns.
With their manuscripts forged in the crucible of hellfire, the writers retired after the three days with renewed insight and direction. After an additional six months of revision, the first two launched their collections at the 2015 Singapore Writers Festival: David Wong's For The End Comes Reaching, and Tse Hao Guang's Deeds of Light, which got shortlisted for the 2016 Singapore Literature Prize in English Poetry. The remaining four were launched at the 2016 Singapore Writers Festival: Jennifer Anne Champion's Caterwaul; Amanda Chong's Professions; Samuel Lee's A Field Guide to Supermarkets in Singapore; and Daryl Lim Wei Jie's A Book of Changes.