Ferdia Lennon and Yael van der Wouden shortlisted for £20k Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize

Ferdia Lennon, Yael van der Wouden and Yasmin Zaher have been shortlisted for the £20,000 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for young writers.

The prize recognises writers aged 39 or under, with this year’s shortlist featuring four novels, a short-story collection and a poetry collection.

Lennon has been shortlisted for his debut, Glorious Exploits (Fig Tree), while van der Wouden is on the list for her "meticulously plotted" novel, The Safekeep (Viking), and Zaher is in the running for her "gloriously unhinged" novel, The Coin (Footnote Press).

Meanwhile, Seán Hewitt has been shortlisted for his "moving" poetry collection, Rapture’s Road (Jonathon Cape), while Rebecca Watson is vying for the prize with I Will Crash (Faber) – a "startling" book, according to the judges. Meanwhile, Eley Williams has been shortlisted for her collection of "imaginative" stories, Moderate to Poor, Occasionally Good (4th Estate).

The shortlist titles were selected by a judging panel, chaired by Namita Gokhale, comprising professor Daniel Williams, novelist Jan Carson, literary critic Max Liu and writer Mary Jean Chan.

Namita Gokhale, judging chair, said: "The 2025 shortlist is varied and diverse: from Ancient Sicily to tremulous nightwoods, it encompasses the historical, the contemporary and the timeless through novels, short stories and poetry, showcasing startlingly fresh writing, style and energy."

The British Library will host a shortlist celebratory event on 14th May, and the winner will be announced during a ceremony in Swansea on 15th May. Previous winners include Caleb Azumah Nelson, Patricia Lockwood and Max Porter.