Singapore Writers Festival 2026: Amitav Ghosh, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Rachel Smythe among highlights

Writers, readers and lovers of the literary craft, rejoice: The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) returns for its 29th edition from Nov 13 to 22. More than 300 writers, speakers and moderators will take part in over 200 programmes this year, spanning fiction, poetry, memoir, literary translation, crime writing, journalism and even documentary film.

Themed Hidden in Plain Sight, SWF 2026 will examine the stories, perspectives and lived experiences that can be overlooked, obscured or interpreted differently depending on who is doing the looking. 

This year, award-winning author Amitav Ghosh, known for works including The Ibis Trilogy and The Glass Palace, will deliver a keynote examining how writers imagine the planet's future amid intensifying global crises.

He'll also join Singapore novelists Jemimah Wei and Balli Kaur Jaswal for What the Family Doesn't Say, a conversation about family secrets, migration, ambition and intergenerational history.

Fans of Mexican Gothic can also catch Canadian author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, whose keynote speech will explore truth, deception and artificiality, while American sociologist and MacArthur fellow Ruha Benjamin will examine hidden biases in the digital world in her talk.

Indonesian gender equality advocate Kamala Chandrakirana will speak about cultural memory and gender equality, while journalist Stephen Witt, author of The Thinking Machine, will discuss the rise of Nvidia and its chief executive Jensen Huang.   

Other writers appearing include Malaysian Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Tan Twan Eng, Lore Olympus creator Rachel Smythe, Chinese novelist Shuang Xuetao, Nevermoor author Jessica Townsend and Murder Most Unladylike writer Robin Stevens.

New to SWF this year is the Crime & Mystery Spotlight, a dedicated track with programmes spanning thrillers, true crime, horror and detective fiction.

These include Robin Stevens and Irish writer Louise Hegarty exploring the enduring legacy of the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie; Moreno-Garcia alongside Singapore writers Jean Tay and Ovidia Yu discussing crime fiction; and South Korean crime writer Seo Mi-ae, Singapore's Rueben Dass and Jocelyn Suarez discussing how they create compelling killers and predators on the page.

SINGAPORE AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN STORIES TAKE CENTRE STAGE

Several Singapore writers will be appearing across the festival, including Wei, Jaswal, Pooja Nansi, Jeremy Tiang, Myle Yan Tay, Wen-yi Lee, Suffian Hakim and Daryl Qilin Yam.

SWF's SEA xChange track will again focus on Southeast Asian writing and ideas, with participants including Thai architect and writer Chatchavan Suwansawat and Filipino author Caris Avendano Cruz. Programmes will range from regional folklore and architecture to migration and journalism in the Malay world.   

Guest curators Chan Cheow Thia, Muhammad Ilyia Kamsani and Neelakandan Sivanantham have shaped this year's Chinese, Malay and Tamil programmes, respectively. 

Among the programmes is a coastal walk at West Coast Park led by Orang Laut SG founder Firdaus Sani that explores the histories of Singapore's Orang Laut and Orang Pulau communities; Mandarin literary walks through Yunnan Garden; a bilingual walk exploring Singapore's lost cinemas; a Tamil-language conversation with poet Yuvan Chandrasekar; and a dikir barat-infused play examining the tension between cultural heritage and the pressure for financial stability.  

This year's SWF Homage also turns its attention to literary translation, examining how Singapore literature has moved between languages and travelled overseas from the 18th and early 19th centuries to today. It will include translation-focused programmes, an online microsite and a travelling public installation appearing at libraries and community spaces.

PLENTY FOR YOUNGER BOOKWORMS

Younger readers aren't being left out. SWF Playground, aimed at children aged 12 and under, returns with several children's and young adult writers, including Jessica Townsend and Robin Stevens. 

Other activities range from a live drawing battle and a comics workshop to Bring Your 'Chou Chou' Day!, where children aged four to six can turn their beloved soft toys and comfort objects into illustrated stories.  

Meanwhile, the Youth Fringe gives those aged 13 to 25 opportunities to engage with literature and develop skills including curation and moderation. Its line-up includes Lore Olympus creator Rachel Smythe discussing how she reimagined Greek mythology for a digital generation. 

Festival passes cost S$30, youth passes cost S$15, while individually ticketed programmes start from S$5. 

A 20 per cent early-bird discount on passes and selected programmes runs from Sep 29 to Oct 18. Students, full-time National Servicemen and seniors aged 55 and above can receive a 20 per cent concession from Oct 19. SG Culture Pass credits can also be used for festival experiences.