The development of Guyanese literature may be studied in four periods: Pre-Colombian, before 1597; Colonial, from 1597 to the end of the nineteenth century; Modern, which includes pre-independence up to 1966; and the Post-Independence from 1966 to the present. Within these, there are sub-divisions.
It can be said that Modern Guyanese drama began in the 1930s and includes pre and post-independence drama. In both literature and drama there is one writer whose work was mostly responsible for the founding of modern literature. While the poet and short-story writer Leo (Egbert Martin) was the founder of modern Guyanese literature in 1890, to a lesser extent, Norman Eustace (N E) Cameron did the same for modern Guyanese drama in 1931.
The literary journal Kyk-Over-Al was an invaluable companion to the development in these fields, particularly from 1945 up to independence. Indeed, Volume One of this magazine published poems, short stories and commentary, which gave a very good indication of the state of the literature at that time, particularly since the 1940s did the most to shape nationalism, identity and leading individual talents in the pre-independence period.