Total Bliss: the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2009
Total Bliss: the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2009
Blog Number 15: 1 June 2009
I have been sitting in my writing room for two whole weeks unable to write. I am in that state described in New Zealand English as stunned mullet, a type of complete amazement or stupefaction. (For those who do not believe that New Zealand has developed its own unique language, have a look at the Oxford Dictionary of New Zealand English published in 1997).
The luxury, the privilege, of meeting like-minded writers and academics for a short period of intense interrogation of eight superb works of fiction, left me intellectually energised and burnt out at one and the same time: hence the descent into stunned mullethood.
My brain is still recovering but it was worth it, every second.
These eight books won regional prizes from all corners of the world in the annual Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, 2009. Over the years, this prize has gained prestige and is now highly sought after by writers and publishers.
My task, along with the other five judges, was to choose one book from the four winning books entered for the Best Book and one out of four books that won regional prizes for Best First Book.
Before I met up with the other five judges, I read the eight regional prize-winning books in two weeks. I made copious notes. The standard of writing was superb. This made it easier in a way.
Reading novels is my favourite pastime but to read for the purpose of judgment is a different way of reading. It is impossible to read fiction without bias and personal preference coming into play and in my view, it perpetuates a falsehood to even attempt to do so. There ain’t no such thing as an objective voice in story telling. There is, however, a requirement to look at the techniques employed by a particular writer; the dialogue, the way that character is developed, the sense of place etc.
In case you missed it, the two winners are: Best First Book, A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif and Best Book, The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas.
One of the terrific things about the Commonwealth Prize is that the judges and writers get to know each other before the final prize is announced and mix together for drinks and meals and public readings. By the end of the week, I had made some new friends.
I have read the blogs of some of the people who were involved with the prize and they are fun to read. I particularly enjoyed Andrew Firmin’s blog. (He is the Programme Manager (Culture) at the Commonwealth Foundation.) Before I met him I pictured him as a rather stuffy personage with a posh accent and buffed fingernails. Nothing could be further from the truth. He is scruffy and clever and likes to have a laugh. I am proud that he described me in his blog as a ‘robust defender of the swear word’.
It’s a hard job Andrew but bloody hell, someone has to do it.