10 Paying Gigs for African Writers
Up to $600, Digital & Print Publication, Contests, Get Hired.
This newsletter is published every Wednesday at 5pm.
1. Illino Media Virtual Writing Residency Program
Illino Media’s mission is to preserve and amplify African stories. To achieve this, they are launching a three month virtual writing residency to nurture emerging talents. This residency will be awarded to three exceptional African writers who will be provided mentorship and other benefits, and required to produce at least 6 short stories during the residency.
Deadline: 20th July 2024 | Stipend: Total of $600
Things to note:
This program is targeted at University students and recent graduates.
Residents will benefit from:
Personalized mentorship and guidance from experienced professionals
Publication on the Illino Media website
Support towards future writing goals (e.g., fellowship applications, manuscript submissions, writing competitions)
To apply, please click this link.
2. Brittle Paper is Accepting Submissions
Brittle Paper always on the look out for new writing, so send them your work. They accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, book reviews, essays, literary commentaries, fun listicles, and any writing with a literary bent.
Deadline: rolling basis | Compensation: unstated
A few things to keep in mind:
Fiction: no more than 2,500 words. Book review: no more than 1,500 words. Literary commentary, think pieces and essays: no more than 1,500 words.
Include a short bio and photograph of yourself. Feel free to make the photograph as playful or as formal as you like.
Once you submit to the system, know that we will receive your submission. Because of this, we usually do not acknowledge reception unless emailed separately. However, we are working on a way to immediately acknowledge submissions.
Here are some of the reasons why we might turn down a submission: poor grammar, poor punctuation, poor use of tenses, plagiarism. We would especially reject a submission we deem to be misogynist or homophobic, or one that exhibits supremacist leanings on the basis of race, ethnicity or religion.
Be advised that we will edit your work and sometimes change the title, and if we consider the latter, we will inform you.
You retain the copyright to your work. However, we do require that you credit Brittle Paper as the original publisher of the work.
If the submission is a response to immediate events on the literary scene, please email it to brittlesubmissions@gmail.com for immediate consideration.
To submit, click here.
3. Call for submission – Magma 91, In the Flesh
Aoife Lyall and Victoria Kennefick invite poetry submissions to an anthology under the theme: In the Flesh. “In the Flesh speaks to health and illness, life, death, recovery and regeneration, and in and amongst all of that, food – that first mouthful of a ripe peach, the pulling apart of slow-cooked meat – the rites and rituals that surround how we grow, share and consume our food, be that on our own, with friends and family, with lovers, in private, in public spaces.”
Deadline: 31st July 2024. | Compensation: unstated
How to submit:
You may submit up to 4 previously unpublished poems: ONLINE via Submittable in a single Word or PDF document
They want poems that have not been previously published in print, online, or broadcast.
They accept simultaneous submissions, but please withdraw your submission or contact them if it is accepted for publication somewhere else first.
To explore the theme further, please click here.
4. Gently Rippling Waves - The Prize
Gently Rippling Waves is a platform dedicated to showcasing the abundant talent thriving within the Commonwealth, celebrating the beauty of language and the power of storytelling. They are calling for poetry and flash fiction entries under the theme Disappearing Cultures.
Deadline: 31st July 2024. | Prize: $150 (for Poetry only)
Rules:
The competition is open to individuals from Commonwealth countries.
All submissions must be written in English or transcribed.
Entries should be standalone pieces and cannot be excerpted from longer works.
Entries must be previously unpublished, and must not have been awarded or placed in any other competition.
Entrants must be 18 years old at the time of submission, and not more than 35 years old.
Each participant is limited to one entry per category.
Entries must be poems of up to 45 lines, or stories not exceeding 100 words.
To read more about the theme, click here.
5. National Playwright Competition in partnership with HEINEKEN Beverages (South Africa)
The competition seeks to discover and award emerging playwrights and so only writers who have not had their scripts or other work professionally produced and staged are eligible to enter. Previously unpublished and unproduced South African scripts that celebrate and enhance inclusivity and social cohesion will be eligible for consideration.
Deadline: 3rd August 2024. | Prize: Total of R45,000 + Production
Submission guidelines:
The competition is open to debutante scriptwriters who are over the age of 18 years and residents of South Africa, and have completed high school
The winner of which will have his/her play produced at The National Arts Festival 2025, at various theatre houses across South Africa.
Please submit a brief synopsis and 10 page writing sample of your proposed script in the form of a scene, a couple of scenes or even a short play that could be developed into a full length script. Do not submit a full-length script at this stage.
Proposed script must be the participants own work and can be written in any South African language.
Participants must submit the script under a pseudonym. Participants must ensure that his/her name is not on the cover page or anywhere else on the script. The participants’ full names must however be set out in the competition entry form.
For more guidelines and to submit, click here.
6. Roots of My Fears: Call for Submissions
Editor, Gemma Amor, is pleased to announce an open slot in the upcoming anthology to be published by Titan Books: Roots of My Fears.
Deadline: 4th August 2024. | Compensation: $0.08 per word
More information:
Editor on theme: “We are leaning heavily into family or heritage lore with this anthology, and are looking for stories influenced or inspired by:
Tales authors may have heard/been told as a child, by a relative or loved one
Lore passed down from previous generations
Family anecdotes or secrets
Ancestral customs and cultural traditions
Hometown rumours, legends, myths, (or even lack thereof)
Identity, heritage, upbringing
Basically anything that sings to a writer’s memories, blood, inheritance, birthright, upbringing, sense of belonging, geography or again, lack thereof.
The aim is to invoke both ancient and modern narratives, where background plays a key role, positive or otherwise.
No reprints. This call has a strict 5k word limit. Anything over 5k words will be immediately discounted.
Horror only. No sci-fi, fantasy, romance or crime.
Formatting: Double spaced lines, properly indented (not tabbed please). 12 point arial preferred. Page numbers are helpful.
Please state your name and word count clearly on the top of the first page of your submission.
Word files only. Do not paste your story into the body of your email. No PDFs.
Please send one story per email. Multiple stories/attachments will be immediately discounted.
Please email your submission, clearly labelled SUBMISSION: ROOTS OF MY FEARS, STORY TITLE, AUTHOR NAME to: gemma.amor@outlook.com
Feedback will be provided by September 1st.
7. Kofi Awoonor Poetry Prize 2024
Established in honour of Kofi Awoonor, a Ghanaian poet, author and diplomat, the prize aims to promote African literature, support emerging writers, and preserve Awoonor’s legacy by encouraging literary excellence, reflecting African culture and experiences by recognizing outstanding literary works, particularly poetry. This year’s prize will be judged by Nigerian Poet, Othuke Umukoro.
Deadline: 8th August 2024. | Prize: $100 + publication
Submission Guidelines:
ONE unpublished poem per submission. Please no multiple submissions by the same writer.
Please do not submit any poem that has previously appeared in a chapbook, an anthology, a full-length collection, social media or any literary magazine.
The submitted poem should not exceed 50 lines. Epigraphs and the poem's title are not part of the line count.
Submissions must not include identifying information; please do not include your name or biographical information in your submission document.
Please send your submission as a PDF or Word doc. Include the following ONLY in the body of the email: Name, Phone number, Email and Country of Residence
Please send your submission as a PDF or Word doc attachment to: kofiawoonorpoetryprize@gmail.com
Close friends, family members, and recent students of the judge are not eligible for this prize.
Please, no simultaneous submissions.
The finalists will be announced in September, and the winner will be announced in October 2024.
8. EFIKO Magazine Call for Submissions
EFIKO is an online literary magazine with a focus on Africa as both place and perspective. It is the definitive publication for bookish folks interested in Africa. “We are always seeking poems, short stories, and essays of the highest quality from writers of African origin based anywhere in the world or anyone writing about Africa.”
Deadline: 10th September 2024. | Compensation: from N20,000
Things to note:
Please email your submission as a Word document attachment to submissions@efikomag.com. Save the attached document with your name and the genre of your work.
Indicate the genre of your submission in the subject line of your email. Include a 5-line bio in the body of the email.
Poetry – 2 to 5 poems totalling 10 pages; short stories and essays – 2,000 to 7,000 words.
They allow simultaneous submissions but please notify them promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere. However, submit only one piece per issue.
They ask for first serial rights and for rights to republish in a collection. Rights revert to you after publication. If you reprint your work elsewhere, they ask that you acknowledge them as the first publisher.
They aim to respond within 3 months. If you do not get a response after this time, please send an inquiry to editors@efikomag.com.
9. Submit to Empyrean Literary Magazine
Submissions for Empyrean Literary Magazine Issue 11: Vol 3, No 3 are now open. The Empyrean Literary Magazine was launched by Kaylyn Dunn in December 2021, to give new writers a chance to express their voices and ideas, and be introduced in the world of publishing. They are open to poetry, fiction and nonfiction submissions.
Deadline: 15th August 2024. | Compensation: Unstated
Things to note:
The theme for this issue is Courage. The is the choice and willingness to confront pain, danger, or uncertainty. The bravery in the face of threat that includes the aspects of perseverance and patience.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of topics you can draw from (pieces don’t have to cover any of these topics as long as they relate to courage): psychology, philosophy, social, religion, physical, etymology, pseudonymity, mythology, lore, or legend.
Fiction entries must be in the form of flash fiction, short-shorts, or full-length short stories. Each story must be within 1000 – 6,000 words and must be the revised and edited final drafts.
Poetry entries must be in the form of portfolios; a portfolio must contain 3 – 10 poems. Each individual poem must start on a new page, beginning with a title underlined.
Nonfiction entries must be in the form of journals, articles, or full-length essays. Each story must be within 1000 – 6,000 words and must be the revised and edited final drafts.
Please include a cover letter on the first page of your submission, which lists the title of the story/poems in your submission and short summary, your name, a 50-word third person bio (longer bio will be subject to editing), your mailing address, and your email address.
Entries must be sent in the following formats only: .doc or .docx, and .pdf. Writers may submit up to 3 entries each, written in English.
Please submit each entry separately. Poets may submit up to 2 entries.
Mixed submissions are accepted a pick of 3 of the following: 1 fiction piece, 1 nonfiction piece, 1 poetry portfolio, and/or 1 art/photography portfolio. Please submit each entry separately (meaning up to 3 mixed entries).
please email your submission to empyreanliterarymagazine@gmail.com with the subject containing: Issue [#] [Genre] Submission - [Pen Name], Entry [#]
Example: Issue 4 Poetry Submission - Jane Doe, Entry 2
Technical Writing
10. Hiring: Freelance Technical Writer (Infrastructure Management Software)
Omniscient Digital is an organic growth agency helping B2B software companies turn content and SEO into growth channels. “We’re taking on an increasing number of technical clients and are seeking a stellar writer with expertise in technical writing to create exceptional content for these clients. Most immediately, we’re seeking a writer with experience working in or writing for the infrastructure management software industry.”
Deadline: 19th July 2024. | Type: Remote | Pay: Unstated
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field and 2+ years of experience in technical writing or software documentation
Familiarity with infrastructure management software. You’re familiar with topics like infrastructure as code (IaC), security lifecycle management, compliance standards, cloud computing platforms, orchestration, managing and scaling containerized apps, etc.
SEO experience.
Experience interviewing subject matter experts.
A recent portfolio with technical writing experience is a must. Please submit 3-5 sample articles that have been published within the past three years for consideration, at least 2 of which relate to infrastructure management. Older samples will be accepted only if accompanied by newer works.
Prose of the Week
No Peace In A Lagos Bus | Zulaikhah Oyindamola Agoro
“Is this Oshodi?” I ask.
“Yes,” says a fellow passenger.
Well, that was quick. Now I have to find a bus going to Toll Gate. A friendly agbero provides directions. “Mama, just follow the railway, then you turn. You go see bus wey dey go Alagbado/Meiran.”
This is one of the dangers of not knowing how to get to where you’re going in Lagos. Alagbado? Nobody mentioned Alagbado…
Poetry of the Week
A Ladder of Grief | Choolwe Lubaya
You do not enjoy napping
in the arms of insanity.
Your mind,
like an avalanche of snow,
is littered with chaos.
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N bɛ dugaw kɛ aw ye (I wish you the best—Bambara , Mali)