Paying Gigs for African Writers
Up to $30,000, Fellowships, Book deals, Print & Digital publication
This newsletter is published every Wednesday.
1. Call for Submissions: Random Photo Journal
Random Photo Journal is focused on studying the social ecology of neighbourhoods and living conditions in West Africa. They are seeking fiction entries under the theme: Fruit of Labour.
Deadline: 9th April 2024 | Prize: N150,000 + Print & Online publication
How to submit:
Submit document as a docx file to randomphotojournal@gmail.com with the subject “Random Photo Journal Fiction Submission”
Text must be in single spaced with font size 10.5-11
Word count 2200-2500
Send only unpublished work
2. Communa is Accepting Pitches
Communa exists to platform communities, taking on the stories and movements that resonate with us along the way. They are currently accepting pitches and submissions of fiction, essays, creative nonfiction, and poetry.
Deadline: rolling basis. | Compensation: up to $120
Things to note:
They especially look to publish stories that reveal things about known concepts, or bring attention to often ignored sociocultural concerns.
Pitches and submissions should be emailed to hello@lacommuna.com
3. 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
4. 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.]
5. Open Arts Manuscript Publishing Deal for Northern Nigerian Women
Selected women writers from Northern Nigeria will be paid a token for their manuscripts, benefit from intensive workshops, mentorship programmes, networking opportunities, and literary events, and will have their books published in either English or Hausa to a global audience. This project is supported by the Ford Foundation
Deadline: 31st May 2024. | Prize: Unstated amount + publishing deal
Guidelines:
Submit a completed manuscript of either fiction or nonfiction in English or Hausa of about 60,000 - 120,000 words long, along with a brief biography.
Send your submissions to biba@openartsworld.org with the subject line:
“2024 – Manuscript”
6. LongReads is Accepting Submissions
Longreads accepts submissions and pitches for original work from writers and journalists around the world. They currently do not accept fiction, and are not considering investigative or deeply reported features at this time.
Deadline: rolling basis. | Compensation: From $500
How to submit:
Essays and columns typically run between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Pieces may be longer or broken up into a series depending on the length and subject matter. They work with established, emerging, and unpublished writers and journalists.
They will not accept any submission or pitch written or edited using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.
Please email essay submissions, story pitches, reading list ideas, and other queries to our main editorial inbox at hello@longreads.com.
7. 2024 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship
This residency program is created in honour of the late Nigerian Professor Tejumola Olaniyan and his intellectual legacy in the field of African literature and critical theory. The residency invites writers to Sharjah, UAE for a period of three months to complete their work
Deadline: 1st June 2024 | Prize: Total of 45,000 AED
How to enter:
All application material should be included in a single pdf (except were the writing sample is a book)
CV/résumé of the applicant
A two-page narrative of the project to be undertaken during the residency period, its significance, and a proposed date of completion.
A sample of published or unpublished writings.
Please name the file with the residency title abbreviation and the applicant’s name in this format: TOCWRP_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME.
Use the same name in the email subject heading and send the PDF as an email attachment to applications@theafricainstitute.org.
8. Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize
As part of its mission as a global Black publishing house connecting Africa and the African diaspora, Cassava Republic Press’s is proud to announce the launch of this prize. They are looking to publish and champion Black women writers who bridge the gap between “creativity” and “theory” with work that is both rigorous and beautiful, creative and thoughtful.
Deadline: 30th June 2024 23:59GMT | Prize: Total of $30,000
Things to note:
The manuscript prize is open to Black women writers aged 18 and over living anywhere in the world.
The winner will receive $20,000 and a book deal, while two runners-up will receive $5000 each and a book deal.
They welcome submissions from academics writing for a mainstream audience. Our goal is to amplify and unearth the critical ideas that might otherwise remain unpublished or confined to academic circles or smaller audiences.
They do not accept straightforward memoirs, but manuscripts that incorporate theory with personal essays/experiences within a broader context are welcome.
Interested writers are asked to submit 5 sample chapters and a pitch letter, which should include a synopsis and a full outline of all chapters. Longlisted authors will then be given a week to submit full manuscripts.
Pitch letter guide can be found here.
Technical Writing
9. Loubby AI is hiring a Technical Writer for a Firm
A US-based reputable firm is seeking a technical writer for a remote contract position.
Deadline: unstated. | Renumeration: unstated but based on experience
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Technical Writing, English, or a related field.
Proven experience as a Technical Writer in a technology-driven environment (3-4 years).
Excellent writing and editing skills with meticulous attention to detail.
Proficiency in documentation tools and version control systems.
Strong organisational and time-management skills.
Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.
Prose of the Week
Captain, What Does a Bomb Taste Like? | Kanyinsola Olorunnisola
They say by the time Captain Jerry returned from the oyinbo people’s war, his wife had taken a new husband, and his daughter, an infant before his departure, became a seven-year-old pikin who called another man baba. And because the war had taken everything from him, drained him of his resolve, cooled the fire that was once Jeremiah Adio into still water, he had no willpower left to fight with. They say…
Poetry of the Week
At night we ask for mercy | Ugochukwu Onyema
The world always seems smaller at night
When everything shrinks to its true size
And the mountains and I see eye to eye.
The earth exhales flattening under its false pretense…
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Ngikufisela impumelelo (I wish you success—Zulu, South Africa)