July Opportunities for African Writers
Up to N500,000, Book Publication, Contests, Jobs
This newsletter is published every Wednesday.
1. Ignition Press Call for Poetry
Established in 2017, Ignition Press is an award-winning poetry pamphlet press with an international outlook which publishes original, arresting poetry from emerging poets. They welcome submissions from emerging poets aged 18 and over anywhere in the world.
Deadline: 7th July 2024 | Prize: Unstated amount + Travel support
How to submit:
They consider an emerging poet to be a writer who has had some poems published online or in magazines, but who has not yet published a chapbook, pamphlet, or book-length collection.
They expect that you will have – or be working towards – a pamphlet-length manuscript of around 18-20 poems.
Please submit:
6 poems that give us a sense of your proposed pamphlet. One or more of these poems can have been previously published. For the purposes of your submission, individual poems should be no more than fifty lines long.
75 words that summarise your manuscript as it stands and tells us about you as a poet. Feel free to include any notable poetry projects, successes in competitions, and publications in magazines or anthologies. Please add this to the same document as the poems and ensure that your name and e-mail address are included.
Please send your poems and summary as one document to ignitionpress@brookes.ac.uk
2. Call for Poetry and Nonfiction: Mulberry Literary
Mulberry Literary is an online literary and art magazine dedicated to showcasing boundless creative work in its every form. Submissions are now open for Issue X (Spring/Summer 2025)
Deadline: 15th July 2024 | Prize: None
Things to note:
All submissions must be sent to mulberryliterary@gmail.com in ONE email and the forms must be completed beforehand.
Poetry is limited to five pieces max per submission cycle. There is not word or page limit for poetry. Email your work as an attached Word Document (.doc or .docx file) after filling out this form.
Long-form Nonfic is limited to a maximum of 6,500 words. Please send only ONE long-form prose piece per submission cycle. Short-form Nonfic (flash, micro, hybrid, etc.) is limited to 1,000 words. You may submit up to five flash pieces per submission cycle. Email your work as an attached Word Document (.doc or .docx file) after filling out this form.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please inform them immediately if your piece has been accepted elsewhere.
During their summer reading period, those who submit are automatically entered into Mulberry’s Fresh Voices Award, which awards a cash prize to three applicants in each Issue.
If your work is accepted, Mulberry Literary receives first American publication rights which, immediately upon publication, revert back to you. Feel free to publish your piece elsewhere afterward so long as you state Mulberry Literary as its first appearance.
Written work accepted by Mulberry is subject to possible edits. An edited version of your work will be sent to you before the release of an issue.
3. Writers Space Africa (WSA) Call for Submissions
Writers Space Africa (WSA) magazine is accepting submissions for its 93rd edition (September 2024 Edition) under the theme: Silent Battles
Deadline: 15 July 2024 | Pay: Unstated
Guidelines:
They accept submissions in the following categories:
Creative Non-Fiction – 1,200 Words maximum
Children’s Literature – 700 words maximum (illustrations may be attached and poems not longer than 24 lines)
Flash Fiction – 300 words maximum
Poetry – 1 poem, a maximum of 24 lines
Short Stories – 1,500 words maximum
Please edit your work and submit it to one category only.
Include the title and category in your submission.
Editors will revert to both selected writers and those whose works are not selected by August 2024.
The author retains the copyright.
4. Call for Submissions: K & L Fiction Prize
The SEVHAGE Prizes category for Short Fiction 2024, is open to African writers globally. This year, they are open to stories that focus on mental health and reduce stigma while encouraging positive stories to promote well-being. This is open to the interpretation of the writer.
Deadline: 21st July 2024 | Prize: N500,000
Things to note:
Entrants can submit only one original unpublished story and ONLY through the following LINK.
Ensure that your story is within the word count (800 – 2000 words).
All entries should be sent in a single Microsoft Word document. (format: Times New Roman font, single line spacing, font 12).
Do not include your name in the attached document. Any entry that violates this guideline will be automatically disqualified.
You can only make one entry, which cannot be resubmitted or changed. So, make all changes before you submit. Be sure before you submit.
For emphasis, no mention or reference to the author or the author’s personal details should be made in the attached story or it will be disqualified.
Shortlisted writers might be required to produce evidence of country of origin.
Shortlisted writers will be contacted by September. If any entrant does not hear from us by then, it might be safe for them to assume that their work did not make it to the short list or long-list.
We will be publishing the shortlisted entries for this short story competition before the announcement of the award. Therefore, only those who are okay with having their works published should enter for the award.
Winners will be announced latest November 2024.
5. The E. E. Sule/SEVHAGE Prize for African Literary Criticism 2024
In celebrating and making more visible the culture of criticism, SEVHAGE will award the E. E. SULE/SEVHAGE Prize for African Literary Criticism for an outstanding well-researched work of literary criticism or critical appraisal in form of the essay. This prize is in honour of Nigeria’s prominent scholar and literary critic, Prof. Sule Emmanuel Egya (aka E. E. Sule), an outstanding writer, whose lifelong works in criticism are visionary and inspiring.
Deadline: 21st July 2024 | Prize: N285,000
Things to note:
Submissions will only be accepted by submitting through the following link: SUBMIT.
Entrants can submit only one original critical essay.
The essay should be a well-researched piece on African Literature and/or African literary theory focusing on a specific contemporary text or area of literature.
Word count is 4500-6000 words.
All entries should be sent in a single Microsoft Word document. (format: Times New Roman font, single line spacing, font 12).
Do not include your name in the attached document. Any entry that violates this guideline will be automatically disqualified.
You can only make one entry, which cannot be resubmitted or changed. So, make all changes before you submit. Be sure before you submit.
For emphasis, no mention or reference to the author or the author’s personal details should be made in the attached story or it will be disqualified.
Shortlisted writers might be required to produce evidence of country of origin.
The judges’ decisions are final and not open to debate.
Shortlisted writers will be contacted by September.
We will be publishing the shortlisted entries for this competition before the announcement of the award. Therefore, only those who are okay with having their works published should enter for the award.
6. Submit to Ubwali
Ubwali is a literary magazine from Zambia on a mission to publish stories that nourish. They are currently accepting short stories, essays, visual art (including photography) and poems.
Deadline: 31st July 2024 | Pay: unstated
Things to note:
This call is only open to Zambian writers.
Word count is 3000-6000 words for prose (fiction and essays) or 1-3 poems in a single document.
Submissions should come as Word document (not PDF) typed in a legible, plain font such as Arial, Book Antiqua, Georgia, Garamond, or Times New Roman. Please keep font size to 12pt and 1.5 spaced.
Please ensure that your work is free from obvious grammatical errors prior to submission. They do not allow revision while your work is under consideration.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Translations, however, are not.
7. Lọúnlọún Call for Historical Fiction
A literary journal focused on historical fiction set during historical events that have shaped and defined places and times in Africa and the experiences of those who lived through the events—or didn’t—no matter how minute. “We interested in a car crash in 2004 published in the local newspapers as much as we are in the Rwandan and Biafran genocides of 1994 and 1967, respectively.”
Deadline: 31st July 2024 | Compensation: Publication
Things to note:
Fiction: 2000 – 5000 word range.
Only original pieces will be considered. Previously published pieces are not accepted.
Submissions should be in Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced, and submitted in Word document format.
Submissions should be in English or translated to English. Writers are, however, allowed creative freedom with the expression of their languages.
Submissions must be based on an event that has happened on the continent or affected the continent, regardless of where characters in the telling are located.
Submissions must contain a brief historical setting description (max. two sentences) formally describing the historical events in telling.
Submissions must have at least two reference links to the historical events in telling.
They accept simultaneous submissions, but let them know promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.
Ensure your submissions are meticulously reviewed for correct formatting, grammar, and punctuation. Significant mistakes in these areas can hinder the likelihood of your work being considered for publication.
To submit your work, send an email to submissions@lounloun.com with the subject ‘Fiction Submission.’ In the body of the email include your third-person bio and attach the story. Please ensure the story has references and is in Word document format.
8. Agbowó Magazine Call for Submissions
Agbowo invites you to its unthemed issue. “The editors and I are looking for new voices, and we are enthusiastic about established writers. We want pieces of writing that rock the continent. We want to understand your politics and share your personal and collective trauma. We want a snapshot of your geography. We are very interested in writings that are cursory, tasty, musical, careful, and written with love. We love narratives, really-good-but-not-overly-done metaphors, direct verses, brilliant rhymes, truth, and well-edited writing.”
Deadline: 30th August 2024 | Compensation: from N20,000
Things to note:
Poems should be a maximum of 3 poems attached as Microsoft Word (Please format it as you want it to be published). Each poem should be titled and every new poem should begin on a new page.
For fiction, while you are welcome to send flash fiction, they usually publish stories with the 1500 – 5000 word range. Stories should be attached as Microsoft Word documents.
For Non-fiction, they are on a particular lookout for essays with roots wholly or partly lodged within the context of Africa, either through subjects under focus or case studies.
Include a cover letter and a biography ranging between 100 and 200 words
Essays must be written in the English language. Broken English is also acceptable.
Word count is 750-3500 words
For One-Act Plays, running times must be between 10 and 30 minutes and have a maximum of 7 cast. Include a cover letter with a summary of the play, the name and location of the playwright, the running time, performance history (if it has been performed before), and awards (if it has won any awards). They accept previously plays.
For all submissions, font should be Times New Roman font with a 1.5 spacing.
Also, attach a portrait picture, a short bio of fewer than 100 words, and your social media handles.
They accept only unpublished work.
To submit, please click your desired category: Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, One-Act Plays.
Technical Writing
9. Confidential is hiring Technical Writers (Kinshasa, Dar es Salaam)
“We are seeking Writers, Reviewers and Evaluators with English & Swahili and domain expertise across a range of subject matter domains to assist in the development of AI technologies. We are looking for individuals who can not only craft compelling and accurate written content but also excel at providing high-quality reasoning traces.”
Deadline: unstated | Pay: unstated | Type: Onsite
Requirements:
Excellent writing skills, as evidenced by writing samples, work history, and academic coursework
Professional writing experience preferred (copywriter, journalist, technical writer, editor, etc.)
Bachelor's degree and / or relevant experience, with certification or graduate degrees preferred in selected subject matter domains:
High level of creativity, logic and reasoning skills
Able to work independently and with a low level of supervision
Attention to detail and strong communication skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to provide clear and concise explanations of complex concept
Apply to role in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Apply to role in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Prose of the Week
Where is Akunna? | Ebube Okwuasaba
After hours of lying face upward, lost in thoughts and staring into blank space, merely admiring the peculiar spiral designs laced over the ceiling, I mustered a little strength to sit up finally. The sterile white sheets echoed the numbness in my limbs. Sleep, which should have embraced me after the exhausting flight and the even more draining situation, refused to visit. It was 3:17 a.m…
Poetry of the Week
Bouquets of Cadaverous Roses | Arikewusola Abdul Awal
Behind my window panes, a boy and a girl
Mould a sand house with a single room
And play couple’s hide and seek—lover-
Birds building a nest above the clouds. I
Watch them name their unborn babies and
Map the future on a straight line…
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Ndakwendeza ebirungi kusha (I wish you only the good—Rukiga, Uganda)
Oh my God Prose of the week ateeee!!
And thank you for sharing, I'll be trying out a few.❤️