Cebuano wins international literary prize for mental health story
MANILA, Philippines — University of the Philippines Cebu student Christian Andrei Laplap has been recognized at the 2020 International Literary Prize of United Kingdom-based Hammond House Publishing.
The writer’s piece titled “The Oddity That Is Them” was selected as one of the “Editors Choice” winners in the Short Story category.
Christian’s work will be published alongside all shortlisted stories and poetry in the annual Hammond House anthologies due for release in early 2021.
“The two protagonists were caught in a chance encounter in the middle of the sidewalk. Both of them were carrying heavy luggage, and when they collided, they found that their traumas were still very much with them, proving their encounter to be difficult yet important for their individual healing,” reads the short story’s official synopsis.
The international contest in its fifth year judged a record number of entries from 27 countries around the world.
“As a non-native English speaker, I really did not expect much. I also did not expect to be selected as it was an international contest, with a large volume of entries coming in from different countries. I was stunned, and of course, grateful,” the young writer told Philstar.com in an exclusive online interview.
“Survival” is the theme of the 2020 International Literary Prize. Christian’s story stands out with mental health as the focal point of the narrative.
“COVID-19, the economic recession, loss of income, social isolation, and loss of access to coping resources has affected the mental state of so many people. Yet, the breadth of mental health issues is under-recognized,” he said.
The student has been writing articles as a freelancer since 2013. He only recently explored short stories, poems and essays.
He mainly reads young adult fiction during his free time, scanning through books for hours on end and even losing track of the clock.
“I write down stories while the plot is still freshly constructed in my head, lest I forget them later on. For me, writing is personal, so themes are often derived from something recently perceived, or experienced by myself or someone I know,” Christian shared.
His advice to budding Filipino writers is to focus on themes one is passionate about, remember to research, write to inspire, as well as to not dwell on the incentives.
“The writing journey is a discovery of self, of what you’re capable of, and the tales you’re able to tell. That journey is enough of a reward,” he said.
Christian encouraged others to go for their passion and boldly tell their story.
“We all have our own stories to tell. It does not have to be in written form. It can be through other art forms like a song, or even through vlogs. Stories are told from the perspective of the author, and who knows, you might create an impact through the tales you tell.”
