ABOUT
Daryl Qilin Yam (b. 1991) is a writer, editor and arts organiser from Singapore. He is the author of the novella Shantih Shantih Shantih (2021), shortlisted for the 2022 Singapore Literature Prize, and the novel Lovelier, Lonelier (2021), the Singapore nominee for the 2023 International Dublin Literary Award.
He co-founded the literary charity Sing Lit Station. His short fiction and poetry have appeared in publications such as the Berlin Quarterly, The Straits Times, Transnational Literature and The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singapore Short Stories anthology series. His first novel, Kappa Quartet (2016), was selected by The Business Times as one of the best novels of the year, and described by QLRS as “[breaking] new ground in Singaporean writing… a shimmering and poignant novel, an immensely sympathetic and humane exploration of our existential condition.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2021 – Shantih Shanith Shantih (Singapore: Math Paper Press)
2021 – Lovelier, Lonelier (Singapore: Epigram Books)
2016 – Kappa Quartet: a novel (Singapore: Epigram Books, 2016, UK: Epigram Books UK, 2017)
ACHIEVEMENTS
2023 – International Dublin Literary Award 2023 longlist / Singapore nominee
2022 – MA in English (Specialisation in Creative Writing), Nanyang Technological University
2022 – Singapore Literature Prize 2022 shortlist (English in Fiction), Reader’s Favourite (English) award
2021 – Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2021 shortlist
2016 – BA(Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing, University of Warwick
WORKSHOPS
FICTION 101: UNDERSTANDING STORY AND PLOT
For: secondary, junior college; max. 10 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 / 3 hours per session; single / multiple sessions
Description: Let novelist Daryl Qilin Yam take your students through a crash course on reading and writing fiction by getting them to understand the important functions of story and plot within any literary work. Through a combination of in-class reading materials and generative creative writing exercises, our workshop leader will enable your student to appreciate the fine mechanisms of story structure, how story structure is crucial to our understanding of any piece of literary fiction, as well as inspire them to ideate new stories of their own. Available as a single session or up to 5 sessions, with special foci on starting a story, worldbuilding, plotting, experimenting with style and peer-to-peer review of student work.
Learning Outcomes: Learning the difference between story, plot and narrative; learning how to identify story structures, and why it is crucial in our ability to read and write fiction; learning how to generate new ideas and inculcate creativity.
FICTION 101: ASSEMBLING A NARRATIVE
For: secondary, junior college; max. 10 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 / 3 hours per session; single / multiple sessions
Description: Let novelist Daryl Qilin Yam take your students through a crash course on reading and writing fiction by getting them to understand the basics of narrative. Through a combination of in-class reading materials and generative creative writing exercises, our workshop leader will take your student through the dual nature of description, the evocation of setting and imagery, and the use of dialogue in fiction. Available as a single session or up to 5 sessions, with special foci on the three previously-mentioned topics, as well as peer-to-peer review of student work.
Learning Outcomes: Learning the difference between story, plot and narrative; learning the ways in which different elements of a narrative work together to create compelling fiction; learning how to identify literary devices and their desired literary effects.
POETRY 101: UNDERSTANDING IMAGERY
For: secondary, junior college; max. 10 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 / 3 hours per session; single session
Description: Ever struggled with what imagery is, or what it even entails? Educator and poetry editor Daryl Qilin Yam has all the tools your students need in order to identify, analyse and differentiate the effects of similes, metaphors and symbols within a poetic work. Through a combination of in-class reading materials and generative creative writing exercises, students will also be able to think about the utilisation of literal and figurative language, and how to identify, annotate and analyse the ways in which poetry expounds on a subject or theme under the experienced hands of our workshop leader.
Learning Outcomes: Learning about imagery within a poetic work; learning how to read poetry written in a number of differing styles; learning how to generate and write figurative language.
POETRY 101: ASSEMBLING POETIC FORM
For: secondary, junior college; max. 10 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 / 3 hours per session; single session
Description: Ever struggled with the demands and rigours of poetic form? Educator and poetry editor Daryl Qilin Yam has all the tools your students need in order to identify, analyse and appreciate the functions of meter, rhyme and form within a poetic work. Through a combination of in-class reading materials and generative creative writing exercises, students will also be able to think about the musicality of language and why it matters under the experienced hands of our workshop leader.
Learning Outcomes: Learning about meter and rhyme within a poetic work; learning how to identify poetic form and its particular effects; learning how to generate musical / pleasing language.
ABOUT OUR PROGRAMME / OUR WRITERS / OUR WORKSHOPS / OUR CAMP / F.A.Q.
Book A Writer is Sing Lit Station's workshop-for-schools programme, featuring a roster of Singapore's most important writers at work today. *Do you want to Book A Writer? For enquiries on Daryl Qilin Yam's availability and workshop rates in Sing Lit Station's Book A Writer programme, do fill in the form below.