September 18, 2025
SINGAPORE – Get up close with best-selling fantasy author R.F. Kuang, renowned science-fiction and fantasy writer Ken Liu and acclaimed food writer Fuchsia Dunlop at the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF), which runs from Nov 7 to 16.
The 28th edition of SWF will feature more than 200 programmes and over 300 local and international presenters, organiser Arts House Group said in a press statement on Sept 16.
Super early-bird festival passes – priced at $21 for adults and $10.50 for youth – are available for purchase until Sept 22. Singaporeans aged 18 and above can use their SG Culture Pass credits to buy the festival passes.
Festivalgoers can expect to hear the biggest authors of the year talk about their newest books.
Kuang’s dark academia fantasy novel Katabasis (2025) and Dunlop’s Invitation To A Banquet (2024), a grand history of Chinese food in 30 dishes, have received rave reviews internationally and in The Straits Times.
Liu’s near-future artificial intelligence thriller All That We See Or Seem is slated for a highly anticipated October release.
Themed Shape Of Things To Come, SWF will feature a Sci-Fi Spotlight with Liu headlining it. Chinese writer Hao Jingfang, whose science-fiction thriller Jumpnauts (2024) was translated by Liu, will also make an appearance.
Other headliners include American poet Victoria Chang, whose collection With My Back To The World (2024) received the 2024 Forward Prize in Poetry for Best Poetry Collection, and British poet Raymond Antrobus, whose latest book The Quiet Ear: An Investigation Of Missing Sound (2025) explores how his deafness shaped his creative life.
British journalist Sathnam Sanghera, best known for his non-fiction books examining the legacy of British imperialism, will also make an appearance.
Young families with children can expect family-friendly programming under SWF Playground. Catch writers Gwee Li Sui and Rosemarie Somaiah perform a Singlish version of George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm ($10) or participate in a live drawing battle with children’s book writers and illustrators Christopher Boyd, Chloe Chang and Ong Chao Hong ($10).
Authors R.F. Kuang (left) and Ken Liu will headline the Singapore Writers Festival, which runs from Nov 7 to 16. PHOTOS: MIKE STYER PHOTOGRAPHY, LISA TANG/THE STRAITS TIMES
The 2025 festival features an SG60 Homage track. The festival closing debate – a mainstay of SWF – proposes the motion: “This House Believes That Robots Are Our Friends”. Singapore-based writers Stephanie Dogfoot, Jo Tan, Max Pasakorn, Crispin Rodrigues, Colin Goh, Arianna Pozzuoli and Shivram Gopinath will debate, with Joses Ho as moderator.
The festival pass will allow festivalgoers to attend a majority of events, but some programmes featuring headliners will require additional tickets. Details for specific programmes have not been announced. The full programme will be launched on Sept 23 at 4pm, when 20 per cent savings for early bird sales start.
Book It/Singapore Writers Festival 2025
Where: Various locations
When: Nov 7 to 16, various timings
Admission: Till Sept 22, a festival pass costs $21 and a youth pass $10.50
Info: www.singaporewritersfestival.com