SOME of the most revealing stories aren't necessarily the ones that announce themselves. They may lie in a family silence passed from one generation to the next, a familiar neighbourhood whose history has been forgotten, or a seemingly convincing account that begins to unravel when examined more closely.
In an age of artificial intelligence (AI), online scams and competing versions of the truth, learning to look beyond appearances has taken on an urgency that extends well beyond the pages of a book.
It's this territory that the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) explores when it returns from Nov 13 to 22, bringing together more than 300 writers, speakers and moderators across over 200 programmes under the theme "Hidden in Plain Sight".
Now in its 29th edition, the festival spans fiction, memoir, literary translation, crime writing, journalism and documentary film, bringing Singaporean, regional and international voices into conversation. Its central invitation, however, is deceptively simple: to look again at the stories we think we know, and consider what might have escaped our attention.
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For festival director Yong Shu Hoong, himself a writer, literature offers precisely this opportunity.
"As a writer myself, I know how the power of literature lies in its ability to open our eyes to what's beyond the façade, to find hidden meanings in stories and poetry that beckon us to understand the world with deeper perspectives," he says.
The theme also reflects the challenges of navigating contemporary life, he adds.
"Aside from the literary context, it also reflects the current times of AI and scams, where it gets harder to distinguish between what might be obvious but untrue, and the concealed reality requiring additional effort to decipher. I hope festivalgoers will engage with this year's topical and thought-provoking conversations with an open mind."
The 2026 edition will be Yong's final one at the helm, bringing his tenure to a close with a programme that draws together literary traditions, voices and perspectives from Singapore and beyond.
LOOK CLOSER
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One of this year's major additions, the "Crime and Mystery Spotlight", takes the festival's theme into a genre built on the art of looking closer. In "Old Crimes, Fresh Takes", Silvia Moreno-Garcia joins Singapore writers Jean Tay and Ovidia Yu to explore how histories and archival material can be transformed into crime fiction.
British writer Robin Stevens and Irish writer Louise Hegarty consider the enduring appeal of Agatha Christie, while China's Shuang Xuetao and Singapore's Jeremy Tiang examine how crime and thriller conventions can illuminate questions of memory, precarity and contemporary life.
But the things left unsaid aren't just confined to mysteries and investigations. Families, too, carry stories that may take generations to surface. In "What the Family Doesn't Say", Amitav Ghosh, Jemimah Wei and Balli Kaur Jaswal consider the sacrifices and histories that shape families, including those that remain unspoken.
In "Off the Record", Malaysian writers Janet Tay and Tan Twan Eng, longtime friends and former lawyers, offer candid reflections on writing and the realities of life beyond the public eye.
Elsewhere, the festival turns to the larger forces shaping our collective future. Ghosh examines the stories societies tell about the planet's future; Stephen Witt explores Nvidia's rise as an AI powerhouse; and Ruha Benjamin considers the hidden biases embedded in technology and society.
Together, these conversations invite audiences to look beyond technological spectacle and examine the assumptions, histories and human consequences beneath it.
The region receives a similarly searching treatment through SEA xChange, a programme bringing Southeast Asia into focus through literature, architecture, folklore, migration and everyday life. Among its offerings are explorations of regional beliefs and superstitions, Southeast Asian architecture, journalism in the Malay world and the different ways migrant and local writers experience the city.
There's also a concerted effort to bring Singapore's multilingual literary landscape into sharper view. Chinese, Malay and Tamil programming, shaped by guest curators Chan Cheow Thia, Muhammad Ilyia Kamsani and Neelakandan Sivanantham, connects local writers with voices from the wider language communities of the region.
In "Writing Fiction to Remember and Heal", Singapore's Teoh Hee La joins Wang Zhanhei from China and Hon Lai Chu from Hong Kong to consider how fiction can preserve memory and offer comfort in times of change.
"Royal Syair and Journalism in the Malay World" examines the relationship between classical Malay poetic traditions and contemporary reportage, while Tamil-language writers Uma Kathir and Krishnasamy Subramaniam revisit the histories and communities of Little India. Indian poet Yuvan Chandrasekar, meanwhile, explores poetry's capacity to resonate across time, nation and language.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
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At the heart of this multilingual focus is SWF Homage, which examines how Singapore literature has travelled across languages and borders, from the 18th and early 19th centuries to the present. Alongside translation-focused programmes, an interactive microsite and a public installation travelling to libraries and community spaces will explore how local writing reaches readers beyond its original language.
The festival also brings literature to families and young readers. Children can create illustrated stories at "Bring Your 'Chou Chou' Day!" with Singaporean author-illustrator Quek Hong Shin, while families can join "Treasure Hunting in Dunhuang", co-presented with the Asian Civilisations Museum. SWF Playground features Robin Stevens and Jessica Townsend discussing rebellious heroines in "Girls Who Don't Follow the Rules".
Youth Fringe equips participants aged 13 to 25 with curation, moderation and marketing skills. Its "Storytelling Shiok!: The Value of Humour", developed by youth curator Lim Yuxuan and led by writer Suffian Hakim, explores Singaporean wit in storytelling. SWF Classroom, meanwhile, challenges students aged 10 to 18 to devise their own endings to a mystery.
Elsewhere, architectural historian Yeo Kang Shua leads a tour of the restored Tan Yeok Nee mansion, revealing the stories behind its history. Audiences can experiment with writing prompts at "Poetry Game Night with Ella Frears" or explore the female writers who have shaped Pooja Nansi at The Salon, hosted at COMO Cuisine.
Ahead of the festival, book clubs, Book Doctor sessions and pop-up activities bring literature into the community. "Reading by the River" invites visitors to browse and read by the Singapore River, while SWF Digital extends the festival's conversations to global audiences through recordings, podcasts and online programmes.
ENDURING PROMISE
Organised by Arts House Group and commissioned by Singapore's National Arts Council, SWF also takes literature into everyday spaces. A new collaboration with CapitaLand Investment will bring arts initiatives to retail and workspace properties, including Undercurrents at the Funan Underground Pedestrian Link, featuring Malaysian illustrator Tang Yau Hoong and Singaporean illustrator Quek Hong Shin on how people process thoughts and navigate everyday challenges.
For Arts House Group executive director Sharon Tan, the festival is about more than presenting writers.
"Our efforts extend beyond presenting outstanding writers, with a greater focus on creating encounters that encourage audiences to read more widely, question more deeply and discover stories beyond those they already know," she concludes.
intanm@nst.com.my
For details, visit singaporewritersfestival.com.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd