New Opportunities for African Writers
Up to $1650, Funded Fellowships, Publication, Book Deals etc
This newsletter is published every Wednesday.
1. Call for Submissions: Anthology Volume VII by 20.35 Africa
Currently in its seventh year, the 20.35 Africa Anthology Series is the longest-running anthology for living African poets. 20.35 Africa positions itself as a curatorial space to bring young voices from all over the continent together, shaping a rich amalgamation of voices on the African continent and in the diaspora.
Deadline: 22nd March 2024, 11:59 (UTC+01:00). | Compensation: unstated
Submission guidelines:
The anthology is open to African poets who are between the ages of 20 (or who would be 20 by the time of publication) and 35.
They define an African poet as someone born in Africa, whose parents (at least one) are African or someone who currently lives in Africa and has done so for at least 10 years.
Submissions can cut across different themes and each contributor may send three poems ONLY.
Poets who have had a full-length book, chapbook, or pamphlet published in electronic or print format can submit. Unpublished poets are also welcome to submit.
Only poems written in English will be accepted. Works translated into English from any African language may be submitted, but they must be accompanied by their original.
There is no stipulation as to the content of submitted poems, but poems should ideally be within 40 lines.
Identifying information, including names of poets, addresses, phone numbers, and publication histories, should NOT be included in the manuscript or the body of the email. Submit through your personal email address and include the same email address on the last page of your manuscript.
We accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if any of your poems are accepted elsewhere.
All entries must be submitted in a SINGLE WORD DOCUMENT, typed in TIMES NEW ROMAN, font 12, single-spaced, and sent via email only to the 20.35 Africa team at submissions@2035africa.org.
The email subject should read “20.35 AFRICA SUBMISSION.”
Submissions must be written in black ink. No colours. Each poem must have a title.
Poems must be the original work of the contributor.
They will not entertain any inquiries concerning submission status until after June 2024.
Accepted contributors must be available throughout the editing process and for other correspondence that may follow.
All inquiries must be sent to info@2035africa.org. Inquiries sent to the submissions’ email address will not be read.
Except in proven cases of plagiarism or when a piece we have published violates any form of human rights, we do not take down works once they have been published in our anthology or on our website.
By submitting your work to us, you agree to give us first serial rights of said work, which shall revert to you upon publication. If your work is republished elsewhere, kindly acknowledge that it first appeared on 20.35 Africa.
2. Accepting Submissions: Calabash Literary Journal
Calabash Literary Journal by the National Writers Association of South Africa is calling for writers to submit poetry, short stories, novel excerpts, chapters of plays, reviews, articles and creative commentary for its 8th Volume.
Deadline: 31st of March 2024. | Compensation: unpaid
Things to note:
Calabash accepts submissions in all African languages
Members of the Editorial Collective may engage with authors on proposed edits to their work if required, particularly in relation to new and upcoming authors who require support to reach the desired standard of work for publication.
We are unable to respond to submissions individually, unless a piece is accepted for publication. If writers have not heard back from Calabash within 8 weeks, it is to be assumed that the submission has not been accepted on this occasion.
For academic articles/ reviews/ commentaries the onus on fact checking, historical and other data, referencing, etc, is on the author
In general, Calabash aims to publish previously unpublished work. For work that has been previously published, submissions must include permissions to republish. (evidence that republishing the piece is possible according to the previous publisher.)
Submissions to be sent to Calabashjournal@gmail.com
3. Nwamaka Okoye Literature Prize
GearShift Africa has launched a writing prize in honour of their founder Nwamaka Okoye. It aims to spotlight the diverse and vibrant landscape of African storytelling, offering a platform for new, unpublished voices in literature from across the continent. They are accepting poems and short stories under the theme Coming of Age.
Deadline: 31st of March 2024. | Prize: Total of N1,000,000
Guidelines:
This year's competition is open to unpublished authors of Nigerian descent*, aged 16 years and above. Entrants under 18 require consent from a parent or guardian to submit their entry.
*Nigerian descent refers to someone who has at least one Nigerian parent or someone who is a Nigerian citizen.
An entry fee of N2,000 is required for each submission to support the administration of the prize but this fee can be waived.
Entries must be original, unpublished works i.e not previously published in any form (this includes online blogs and social media).
Limit one entry per category per entrant. For poetry, you may submit up to 2 poems as part of your entry.
Poetry submissions should not exceed 40 lines each.
Short story submissions should not exceed 2,500 words.
The submission must be in English.
Entries should be submitted as PDFs, titled after the submission.
Manuscripts should not include personal information to ensure anonymity during the review process. Provide contact details only on the submission form.
Entrants under 18 must include a consent form from a parent or guardian.
To find out more and submit, click this.
4. SpringNG 2024 Writing Fellowship
The SprinNG Writing Fellowship (SWF) is an intensive 6-week online mentorship program for developing Nigerian, Ghanaian, Liberian, and South African writers with great potential and willingness to learn.
Deadline: April 15, 2023. | Prize: Free 6-week writing fellowship.
Things to note:
This fellowship focuses on Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Book Review, Play/Drama, and Blogging. During the 6 weeks, mentees will be in contact with their mentors, sending them their works and getting reviews and commentaries. Mentors and mentees will aim to work on at least 1 piece of writing in their select genre per week.
The SprinNG Creative Writing Fellowship is only open to writers who have not published a book before (eBook/hardcopy).
Applicants must be a Nigerian, Ghanaian, Liberian, or South African citizen, must reside in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, or South Africa, and must be between the ages of 18 to 25.
For more information click here.
5. Apply: African Liberty Writing Fellowship 2024/2025
The African Liberty Writing Fellowship program is a year-long program designed to train young Africans interested in academia, media, public policy, or any other critical-and-analytical-writing-related career, in opinion article writing. Accepted applicants will complete a five-week mandatory online course. The top thirty-five candidates from the five-week training will be admitted as African Liberty writing fellows.
Deadline: 30th of April 2024. | Prize: Training + mentorship + stipend + industry placement
To be considered:
An applicant has to be enrolled in, or must have graduated from, an African institution of higher learning. Or, be an African pursuing higher education outside the continent.
Availability during the 5-week online training which runs from 21 May 2024 to 18 June 2024. The writing fellowship starts on July 8, 2024, and ends on July 8, 2025.
Further questions: Please contact the editor, Ibrahim Anoba (ianoba@africanliberty.org). To read the experiences of previous fellows, click here
6. National Essay Writing Competition for Ethopian Students
Ethiopian Law Schools Association (ELSA) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Office Ethiopia/African Union have announced this competition on the theme “The Role of Academia in Upholding the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Ethiopia.” The competition aims to foster critical thinking and scholarly discourse on the vital role of academia in promoting the rule of law and safeguarding human rights in our society.
Deadline: 20th April 2024. | Prize: Total of 75,000 ETB + certificates
Things to note:
It is open to Ethiopian undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students in law, political science, philosophy, or related social sciences currently studying within Ethiopia.
Essay Length: Maximum 3000 words (excluding references, bibliography, and footnotes).
Formatting: They must be typed in English for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 pages, excluding footnotes, and sent as a PDF file. Page size must be standard (8”x11” or A4). The font size may not be smaller than 12 with 1.5 line spacing and applicants are advised to use a font such as Times New Roman, using Calibri that is recognized by a large number of software programs.
Referencing Style: Use a dedicated referencing style (e.g., APA, Harvard, OSCOLA, etc.) for proper citation and to avoid plagiarism.
Originality: Submissions must be original, creative, and unpublished works. Plagiarized or previously published works will be disqualified.
Language: Essays shall be written in professional English.
Submission Method: Submit your essay as an attachment to generalm.elsa@yahoo.com and info.ethiopia@kas.de. Use the subject line: "National Essay Competition Submission."
Personal Information: In the body of the E-Mail (but not on the essay parts), provide the following information: full name, contact address, phone number, E-Mail address.
Educational Institution/Organization: Applicants must submit either an enrollment letter or their current registration slips along with their essay.
Please include the following statement on the last page of your essay:
Certification: I, __________________, attest that the attached essay is my own original work. [Include your full name and the date you sent the essay.]
7. Quramo Writer’s Prize 2024
For this year’s prize, Quramo is inviting unpublished Nigerian and African writers to submit a fiction prose manuscript. The Prize is awarded to a fiction prose manuscript by an African writer published in English, whether they reside in Africa or elsewhere. Each entry must be an original, unpublished work.
Deadline: 31st of May, 2024. Prize: Publishing Deal + N1,000,000
Instructions:
The Prize is only open to unpublished Nigerian and African writers.
The fiction prose manuscript must be the original, unpublished work of the entrant. Published work is not eligible for the prize.
Short story collections, plays, and poetry are not eligible.
Manuscripts must contain a minimum of 30,000 words.
All entrants must be 16 years of age and above.
All entries must be submitted through the submissions portal on the official Quramo website in the following format:
Times New Roman font type. MS Word format. Font Size 12. Left justified. Double line spacing. Page numbers on each page
All submissions must be sent in with the following information:
A one-page synopsis (click link for some guidance on how to write a winning synopsis). A short personal biography of 100 words max. (in third person POV). Social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn). Full (legal) name. Physical address. Email address. Phone number
They do not accept simultaneous submissions. Prior entries for the QWP are also ineligible.
For more instructions and to submit click below
8. 2024 Goi Peace International Essay Contest for Young People
This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. They are calling for essays under the theme: My Experience of Overcoming Conflict.
Deadline: 15th June, 2024. | Prize: Up to $1650 + certificates
Submission guidelines:
Theme explained: Conflicts occur for a variety of reasons, including differences in opinions and values. Have you ever had an experience of overcoming a conflict that you were involved in? What did you learn from that experience? How do you want to make use of what you learned, for your own life and for society?
Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2024) in one of the following age categories: a) Children (ages up to 14) b) Youth (ages 15 - 25)
Essays must be 700 words or less in English or French, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese. Essays must be typed, with your name, email address and essay title included at the top of the first page. However, essays must be submitted in either MS Word (DOC/DOCX) or PDF format. *Your name, email address and essay title are not included in the word count limit.
Essays must be original and unpublished.
Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.
By submitting your essay, you give permission to the organiser to publish it in any medium. Ownership of the essay remains with the entrant.
For more information and to access the online form, click here.
Technical Writing
9. Technical Energy Journalist - Ilovo Johannesburg
Energize, a part of Now Media, is seeking a technical writer. The ideal candidate will have a background in journalism, with a specific focus on producing high-quality technical news articles within the energy sector. The candidate should possess a deep understanding of technical concepts related to energy production, renewable energy, emerging technologies, and industry trends.
Deadline: 11th May, 2024. | Salary: Unstated. | Type: Contract
Requirements:
Strong understanding of technical concepts related to energy production, distribution, and emerging technologies.
Excellent research skills and the ability to synthesise complex information into clear and engaging articles.
Ability to conduct interviews and communicate effectively with industry experts and professionals.
Strong attention to detail, fact-checking skills, and a commitment to journalistic integrity.
Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team in a fast-paced environment.
Prose of the Week
Where The Blue Hibiscus Dances | Juliet C Ogodo
I see her today. My mother. She’s behind one of the hibiscus trees, those tall ones with their bold blue colors; the makeshift fence that separates my maternal grandfather’s hut from the Shi river.
For a long time, she refuses to come out. I think she’s shy or scared… or maybe both. She’s as I remember her — gangly, with expressive eyes and a glowing aura…
Poetry of the Week
Turning Bones into Sonatas | Eniolá Abdulroqeeb Arówólò
Down the cane field of my heart, forsythias are blooming.
Petals reddening. It’s the universe saying I am only one threshold close to a ripe dawn…
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Ndakwendera Wega (well wishes—Kikuyu, Kenya)