Paying Gigs for African Writers
Up to $2,650, Call for Pitches, Fellowship, Print Publications etc.
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1. Adulawo: Call for Writers
They are inviting bold voices to contribute to The Adúláwọ̀ Africa Day 2025 feature, themed: Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.
Deadline: 18th May 2025| Pay: Unstated amount
Things to note:
They welcome diverse perspectives, including:
Historical Context and Legacy
Reparations Models and Case Studies
Cultural Renaissance and Identity
Economic Justice and Development
Policy Reforms and International Accountability
Format: Microsoft Word or Google Docs
Selected articles will be published on our blog as part of our special feature for Africa Day.
Please send your articles to theadulawo@gmail.com
2. Submit Poetry to Adi Magazine
Adi is a feminist literary journal of global politics. They have published African writers like Tarfa Benson, Sisonke Msimang, and Sarah Lubala. They are currently poetry about alternative political visions for a world in desperate need of them. “We want examples from outside of the mainstream, stories about practices, ideas, and movements that were/are suppressed by economic, socio-cultural, religious, or imperial (colonial) powers.”—Adi
Deadline: 31st May 2025. | Pay: $150
Things to note:
Read more on the theme for submissions here.
UP TO 5 POEMS, NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES.
Submit only previously unpublished poems only.
They accept simultaneous submissions; please withdraw individual pieces if they are accepted elsewhere.
3. Pitch Essays and Interviews to Adi Magazine
Adi is a feminist literary journal of global politics. They are currently open to nonfiction pieces such as essays, reportage, interviews and translations.
Deadline: Rolling | Pay: Up to $750
Things to note:
Essay and reportage:
Send a short summary (3 paragraphs maximum) that describes the story you want to tell, how you will tell it, why it’s important, and why you’re the person to write it.
Please include 1-2 links of your previous work and send it to admin@adimagazine.com with “NONFICTION PITCH” in the subject line.
Interviews
They want interview pitches for authors with forthcoming/recent books or artists with upcoming/recent shows.
Send a short summary (3 paragraphs maximum) that names the writer or artist you want to interview, why this person should be interviewed at Adi, and why you’re the person to conduct the interview.
Please include 1-2 links of your previous work and send it to admin@adimagazine.com with “INTERVIEW PITCH”
Translations
If you are a translator with work from writers who you think might fit with Adi, please get in touch.
They only accept pieces that have not been published in English. If a piece of poetry or fiction has already been translated, you may submit it through open calls on Submittable, but, if not, feel free to email us with a blurb about the piece at admin@adimagazine.com with “TRANSLATION PITCH” in the subject line.
Payment is dependent on the type of piece submitted.
4. Dream Foundry Emerging Writers Contest
The Dream Foundry Contest for Emerging Writers is an annual no submission fees contest with cash prizes! Every year the contest coordinator selects ten finalists from a pool of submissions from writers around the world. In addition to their cash prizes, winners get featured at Flights of Foundry, an annual convention where professionals from all over the industry come to discuss all things related to the speculative arts.
Deadline: 2nd June 2025 | Prize: Total of $2,650
Things to note:
This contest is for writers who are relatively new to paid or incoming-earning publication of speculative short fiction in English. To be eligible for this contest, all five rules below must be true of you:
You have published a total of less than 4,000 words of paid or income-earning speculative fiction in English.
You have earned a total of less than USD 320 from those words.
You have never been nominated for any award listed here as a major award in speculative fiction.
You are not a previous winner of the Dream Foundry writing contest.
No AI, machine learning, or large language model tools were used in the story except for checking spelling and grammar.
Please note that you are on the honour system for judging your own eligibility. However, they may disqualify any entrants in order to uphold the spirit of this contest’s goals; such determinations of eligibility are decided by the Dream Foundry and are not open to debate or argument.
Submit one complete and finalized story of up to 10,000 words via t
All entries are final. No revisions are accepted.
No multiple submissions (do not send more than one story.)
Your submission must be previously unpublished at the time of submission, but simultaneous submissions (submitting the story to us while also submitting elsewhere) is allowed.
All entries must be original prose works in English. Plagiarism, poetry, song lyrics, or stories that utilize characters or settings from another person’s works will not be considered.
The manuscript should be in standard manuscript format and should be titled and numbered on every page, but the author’s name MUST BE DELETED from the manuscript file to facilitate fair judging.
5. Submit to Disability in Dystopia Anthology
Ella T Holmes is inviting submissions for the second anthology of disabled and chronic illness stories, published under Artifice and Access. This edition is titled: Disability in Dystopian. This theme asks the question: “When the world is falling apart, how do we come together? Where do we fit in the revolution? Many disabled people are used to fighting for survival, and the disability community is often at the forefront of emergency preparedness, mutual aid, contingency planning, and community interconnectedness…How do ‘we’ (disabled people) survive in your disability”—Ella
Deadline: 20th June 2025 | Pay: $100
Things to note:
To submit, you must self-identify as disabled (this includes neurodivergent, anxiety, depression, and chronic illness). They will NOT ask for proof and you do not need to disclose anything you don’t want to disclose.
If you are not comfortable calling yourself disabled, but you have a condition that is defined as a disability, feel free to submit.
Authors who are not disabled themselves may not submit, even if their characters are disabled.
Stories must include at least one character with a disability or centre disability in some way.
Please send something that has not been published before.
Your submission must be your own original work. No part of your submission may be written with the use of AI. Any submission found to have used AI will be rejected.
New and first-time writers are highly encouraged to submit.
You may submit ONE story up to 4,000 words.
Please submit your story as a word document. Font size 12. Double-spaced.
On the first page of your submission document, please include your: First name, pronouns, and email address.
Genres/tones/elements she is NOT looking for:
Horror, body horror, grimdark, extreme violence, sexual assault, explicit and vivid physical abuse. No explicit sexual content.
Please send your story to dis-anthology@outlook.com
In the email subject line, please put “SUBMISSION” first and then the title of your story if you have one. Example:
SUBMISSION Princess and The Pea
SUBMISSION Untitled
As a person of African origin, feel free to identify as a Black writer (if you are comfortable doing so) in your email.
To read the editor’s full call, please click this.
6. Apply to 2025 Roots of Progress Fellowship
Now in its third year, the Roots of Progress Blog-Building Intensive Fellowship is an opportunity for writers to sharpen their ideas by discussing them with each other, learn new writing skills and processes, grow by receiving feedback from professional editors and peers alike, and increase their impact by growing their audiences. They invite writers to reimagine what ‘progress
Deadline: 20th June 2025 | Pay: Free fellowship
Things to note:
This is a 10-week online program (plus 1 week of onboarding) for writers eager to write more and better, to a larger audience, about progress studies topics.
This year, for our third blog-building cohort, they are also offering themed tracks for two progress cause areas: agriculture and health, longevity, & biotech. Whether or not you choose to apply for the themed tracks and focus your writing on these topics, you’ll be able to attend the advisor sessions and deepen your understanding of agriculture and health, longevity and biotech as drivers of progress.
You’ll be asked to submit links to your previous publications ( personal blogs are welcome)
To apply find out more and apply, click here.
7. Call for Submissions: The Kakistocracy Issue
MEMEZINE believes that memes not only inspire art, literature, and poetry, but that they also hold artistic merit in and of themselves. Whether or not we are aware, interacting with a meme is a way of engaging in a larger cultural moment. They are currently inviting submissions for their Kakistocracy Issue. A kakistocracy is defined as a government ruled by the worst, least qualified and unscrupulous people. his issue will be curated by guest editors Rachel Lauren Myers and Thom Eichelberger-Young (T E-Y), co-sponsored by Blue Bag Press. They especially welcome writers of colour.
Deadline: 21st June 2025 | Pay: $200
Things to note:
Send only unpublished work
They want to see pieces that blur the lines between art, literature, and content. We want work that feels like it only could have been written now. Send anything that directly or indirectly engages with memes, viral content, apps, trends, social media, pop/internet culture, and technology.
Send Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Art/Multimedia
Accepted File types: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, Audio-Sharing, Video-Sharing
Number of Pieces: Up to 3 pieces per submission.
Single File: Required. All pieces must be submitted in a single file (except for multimedia and visual art submissions).
They accept simultaneous submissions; but please withdraw individual pieces if they are accepted elsewhere
8. African Literary Prize 2025: Narratives Against Poverty
The African Literary Prize is seeking submissions to be complied into an anthology. The best three submissions will be awarded prizes. The theme for the prize is: Narratives Against Poverty. It seeks to showcase stories which go against narratives of war, violence, disease, hunger etc. “Africa must always write its own story, her story of both the rich past, beautiful and dark present.”—ALP
Deadline: 30th June 2025 | Prize: Unstated amount + copy of book
Things to note:
Only two submissions per genre (poetry, short story and essays/hybrid narratives)
Judges/curators expectations are highly critical work that delves onto thematic areas of poverty, hunger, injustice, effects of climate change, corruption, pandemics, effects of war and violence in Africa.
Submission length and size:
Poetry, a maximum of 40 lines per submission
Short stories, a maximum of 4 pages
Essays, a maximum of 4 pages.
Each submission should sent as attachment of word document to africanwritingprogram@gmail.com
Each submission must be 12 point font size Times Roman font
Include the title of your literary work, genre submitted and your name on the subject line and on each and every page of your submission.
Also include your 15 line biography/ short profile and a portrait photograph.
9. Submit to The Arewa Anthology Project
The Arewa Anthology Project was created by Faridah Munir to push knowledge and perspectives from Northern Nigeria. Following the success of the first edition, the editor is inviting writers from Northern Nigeria to contribute to a powerful new collection exploring "riko"—guardianship and foster families in the North.
Deadline: 30th October 2025 | Pay: Unstated amount + Print publication
Things to note:
Send essays, poems, and short stories that explore:
Personal narratives from foster children ('yan riko, 'yan amanah), parents, or extended families.
The joys and challenges of riko in Northern Nigeria.
Cultural, religious, and communal perspectives on yan riko.
To delve deeper into this unique tradition in Arewa guardianship, stay tuned for
periodic surveys. Your anonymous insights will complement literary narratives
with data-driven analysis.
Format: Written in English or Hausa (max 2,000 words)
Audio recording in clear MP3/WAV files (max 10 minutes)
Email fmmunir@proton.me with subject "Arewa Riko Submission”
Prose of the Week
Scar Boy | Salvin Sawyerr Idehen
Taiwo’s eyes traced down to the veins sprawled across the back of his hand as it peeked out of his sleeve. Further down, there was a delicate flower stem between his fingertips.
His tongue involuntarily flicked to the fresh sore beneath his supple lips.
A parting gift from the shattered windscreen.
A silver pendant – barely visible – rested just beneath the collar of his shirt. Kehinde should’ve been wearing this…
If you’d like your published prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ send an email to editor.afww@gmail.com.
Poetry of the Week
The Decline of the English Language | Anna Zgambo
Decades after your English disintegrates to ashes
I mould my sobs into melting matchsticks
Ancestors borrowed adverbs for you from banks
Purchased pronouns to pin on Polling Day…
If you’d like your published poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ send an email to editor.afww@gmail.com.
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U be ne ntsengo dzakanaka (May you have good fortune—TjiKalanga, Zimbabwe)