Ziwen Wang’s short story wins Helen Richards Creative Writing Prize
An exploration of how memory, loss and love shape the courage we carry within
Ziwen won the £100 prize with Before Waking, a psychological short story that moves between dream and reality. Each night Yi’an enters a world where the person who once gave her courage disappears again and again, leaving her to confront the version of herself that existed before she learned to resist fear. As these dreams unfold, the boundaries between memory, imagination, and reality begin to blur. What emerges is not only a meditation on love and loss, but also a quiet exploration of how courage can take root within someone—and remain there, even when the person who first inspired it is no longer present.
Ziwen says:
“Writing Before Waking was deeply shaped by my time at Murray Edwards College. The college’s rich atmosphere of women’s creativity and artistic expression has been an inspiring environment for literary imagination. Many small moments of reflection during my time here gradually found their way into this story. Receiving this prize is a great encouragement, and it motivates me to continue experimenting with more innovative forms of storytelling.”
The prize was established in February 2020, in memory of Helen Richards (1998, English). The £100 is awarded to the Murray Edwards College student who submits the best short story under 4,000 words to a panel of judges made up of Fellows and alumnae.
Helen Richards died in 2017 on her 38th birthday, after five years living with the blood cancer myeloma. She achieved a great deal in her life, including a double First from Murray Edwards. Her family and friends have given generously to set up this prize in her memory.