Interview: Dylan Thomas Prize long-listed Saba Sams

Gosia Buzzanca 

There is something about Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize that sparks my creativity. The books selected for its longlist are special in the best way: brave, sharp, broadening my view of the world. Unafraid.

For me it’s the best literary prize out there. I have found many favourites since I began following it, books and authors I often return to.

From the inaugural winner Rachel Trezise, through to Lucy Caldwell, Joshua Jones, Eimear McBride, Max Porter, Akwaeke Emezi and last year’s incredible winner Yasmin Zaher, not to mention my favourite writer of all time Patricia Lockwood — the richness of the talent is undeniable and persistent.

It was while going through the 2023 shortlist I came across Saba Sams’ debut short story collection, Send Nudes and fell in love with her way of writing and seeing the world.

The fangirl inside me was happy to have met Saba at Hay Festival last year, and even more excited to hear about her plans to move to Wales.

I was overjoyed to see her on the 2026 longlist, this time with her debut novel Gunk. It was a joy to be able to speak to her and ask her a few questions, which she answered from her new Welsh home.

Hi Saba, first of all, huge congratulations on your longlist for the Dylan Thomas Prize! This is the second time your work has been chosen by the judges in this prize, following your short story collection Send Nudes. How does it feel to be nominated again, this time for your debut novel?

When I first started writing, I would go to the Dylan Thomas Prize lists for inspiration. It’s by far my favourite prize.

To have been on it twice now makes me truly proud. Also it’s a nice boost for me as a novelist; Send Nudes was quite spoiled by prizes, but for Gunk this is a first.

Three years have passed between the two of your books. How did your writing change in this time, if at all? How did your… perspective on writing change?

It’s really hard to explain. I do feel more capable on the page now, and for my next book I’d like to do something ambitious.

That probably comes from being published and having an audience. But then on the flip side, I feel a certain pressure or expectation, which can be oppressive.

Still all I really want to do is write and be with my characters; it’s just about getting back to that place.

You’re obviously an excellent observer of people, all of your characters are so well rounded. Is there anything in particular you consider when creating new characters?

It’s funny, I’m sort of in that stage again now.

I go on lots of walks without my phone, and I just have conversations in my head. Giving my characters names really helps.

Sometimes I worry they’re too like someone I know, and it’s going to be painfully obvious, but then the characters flesh out a bit and I realise they’re not that person at all.

Then the plot comes in, and it’s mayhem for a while.

You have recently moved from London to Monmouthshire. What were you looking for in Wales and have you found it yet?

Yeah, we moved from Bethnal Green. We have three kids, we needed space and nature, and we knew we liked it around here.

Something popped up on Rightmove, a little house to rent on a big beautiful estate for less than we were paying in London, and we just went for it.

I couldn’t even drive until yesterday, when I passed my test.

I think it’s too soon to draw any real conclusions, on writing or general life, but the past three months have been about as calm as it gets for us, and that’s what we’d hoped for.

Can you tell us what are you working on at the moment?

I have an idea which I’m letting unfurl slowly. I’d like to write something with a long-ish timespan, maybe twenty-five years, following two friends.

My current and constant inspirations are Elena Ferrante, and Siri Hustvedt’s What I Loved.

I think I’ll always be a short story writer at heart, meaning my scenes can happen quite quickly. I’m thinking that if I just write into a longer time frame then I’ll get a nice, meaty book.

It’s probably more complicated than that. I guess I’ll find out.

The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist will be unveiled on Thursday 19 March, followed by a shortlist celebration event in London (13 May), with the winner revealed on International Dylan Thomas Day (14 May) at an evening ceremony in Swansea.