Kwani? Manuscript Project: New Literary Prize for African Writing

For at least 60 years the African novel has deconstructed, and even transversed, ideas and imaginaries of self, culture, society and nation across the continent. A self-reflexive continuum, shifting chameleon-like; a receptacle of letters, morphing through the cry of the griot, everyman's diatribe, madman's claim of truth or the politician's manic address. An oracle.

It is the precursor to many contemporary urban African genres and forms. From the ubiquitous FM station, the graffiti of rage, the new painter's electronic brush, the characters of transnational cable T.V. and the growing fan-tribes of European soccer. The African novel determined Us, created an autonomy of expression and became the said curse of dictators.

To celebrate the African novel and its adaptability and resilience, Kwani Trust announces a one-off new literary prize for African writing. The Kwani? Manuscript Project calls for the submission of unpublished fiction manuscripts from African writers across the continent and in the Diaspora.

Beyond the foundations laid by Soyinka, Ngugi and Mahfouz, in remembrance of Yambo Ouologuen's pre-colonial quest and Mariam Ba's bending of form, to the urban journeys of Meja Mwangi, the precocious post-everything of Kojo Laing and the musical rhythms of Ahmadou Khrouma. This prize seeks to recognize the possibilities of form in an ongoing genre that has re-emerged in the work of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Alain Mabanckou, The Kwani? Manuscript Project is a conversation, an ill guised attempt at growing its own list. For there is no greater celebration of emergent forms than in publishing our own, thanks to those who have existed before us and helped us believe. We look forward to your submissions

THE TOP 3 MANUSCRIPTS WILL BE AWARDED CASH PRIZES:

• 1st Prize: 300,000 KShs
• 2nd Prize: 150,000 KShs
• 3rd Prize: 75,000 KShs

In addition Kwani? will publish manuscripts from across the shortlist and longlist, including the three winning manuscripts, as well as partnering with regional and global agents and publishing houses to create high profile international publication opportunities.


Deadline: 20 August 2012

Winners will be announced in December 2012 at the Kwani? Litfest.

GUIDELINES

• Word count: 60,000-120,000 words
• Submissions should be adult literary or genre fiction (in the sense of not being 'children's fiction')
• The work should be in English or 'Englishes'
• The manuscript must be new in the sense that it is unpublished in book form (we will accept previously published submissions if circulation has been under 500 copies and limited to one national territory)
• Eligible participants should have at least one parent born in an African country who holds citizenship of the same

FORMATTING GUIDELINES:

• Name of author (Times New Roman, 12. Bold left justified)
• Contact address, telephone number and email (Times New Roman, 12. Bold left justified)
• Title of manuscript (Times New Roman 14. Bold, centered)
• The manuscript should be in Times New Roman, black, size 12, justified, 1.5 line spacing
• Page numbers and name of author on every page please
• Word count at the end of the manuscript, bold and left justified
• Please also include a cover letter providing an overview and synopsis of the manuscript, and a brief author biography.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: manuscript@kwani.org

For submissions: send submissions by email, attached as a WORD document to manuscript@kwani.org

Website: http://www.kwani.org/

Calls for Submission: Sentinel Annual Literature Anthology (SALA)

Sentinel Annual Literature Anthology (SALA) is a yearly publication of new poetry, short fiction and plays by SPM Publications - the publishing division of Sentinel Poetry Movement.

We are now accepting submissions of previously unpublished poems, short stories and short plays for publication in the Sentinel Annual Literature Anthology 2012.

Subject: Work submitted may be on any subject, and approached in any style, but the editors will be looking for materials that creatively engage some of the burning issues in the world today from health and economy, through terrorism, war, domestic violence to children's welfare, ethnic and religious issues. Nothing is out of bounds.

Lengths: Send no more than 6 poems up to 65 lines long, short stories must not be more than 3000 words long, and short plays up to 6,000 words long including title page and dramatis personnae.

Submission: Send your work as Word or RTF attachment (NO PDFs PLEASE), together with your current biograhical information up to 100 words to sala@sentinelpoetry.org.uk

Closing date for submissions: 30th June, 2012

Proposed date of publication: 1st November, 2012
Payment: There is no financial payment for authors. Every author published will receive 1 contributor's copy. Authors published who have their own websites are welcome to sell the book from their sites and remit only 75% of the cover price to us. We will fulfil all orders. We can provide websites for authors who don't currently have their own websites. Conditions apply.

SALA 2011
The first book in the SALA series published in November 2011 was edited by Unoma Azuah, author of Sky-High Flames, and Edible Bones (Poems), Amanda Sington-Williams, author of The Eloquence of Desire (Short Stories), and Nnorom Azuonye, author of Letter to God & Other Poems and The Bridge Selection (Plays). The book also features additional poems chosen by Roger Elkin, author of Fixing Things and Blood Brothers, from the Sentinel Annual Poetry Competition (2010) of which he was judge.

Works featured in SALA have been contributed by authors from Hong Kong, Nigeria, the USA, Australia and the United Kingdom among other countries. Here we have an exciting mix of voices dealing with issues from everyday to the unusual.

Authors featured include: Nicholas Y.B. Wong, Byron Beynon, Hajo Isa, Rusyan Sopian, Nsuhoridem Okon, Abigail George, Katie McDermott, Zino Asalor, Nike Adesuyi, Unoma Azuah, Angel Propps, Amanda Sington-Williams, Mel Ross-Macdonald, Jill Richter, Tendai Tshakisani Makavani, Michael Spring, Catherine Smith, Callum Patrick Hughes, Angela Amalonye Nwosu, Nnorom Azuonye, Hannah Lowe, Gary Smillie, Derek Sellen, W.F. Lantry, Christian Ward, Wally Smith, Jane Moreton, Carolyn King, Jonathan Davidson, and Paul Groves.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: sala@sentinelpoetry.org.uk

For submissions: sala@sentinelpoetry.org.uk

Website: http://www.sentinelpoetry.org.uk

Calls for Submission: ANA Review

The Editorial Board of ANA REVIEW, the in-house journal of the Association of Nigerian Authors, invites contributions from writers across the country and in other continents, for publication in the association’s journal. ANA REVIEW will feature original works in any of the following areas: critical essays, (not more than 15 pages), short stories, poems, interviews, conference reports, book reviews, author/critic profiles, reports from beneficiaries of fellowships and grants, and miscellanea including evaluation of poetry and dramatic performances.


Contributors are advised to send entries by electronic means only, preferably in MS Word 2003/2007, including brief biodata, to Dr. Amanze Akpuda (Editor-in-Chief) at amanzeakpuda@yahoo.com

Late submissions will NOT be entertained.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries: amanzeakpuda@yahoo.com
For submissions: amanzeakpuda@yahoo.com
Website: http://lagosana.blogspot.com/

Calls for Submission: MySpur Essay Competition

Do you consider yourself a great writer? Here is a golden opportunity for you to express yourself. Spur magazine is glad to announce the commencement of an Essay Competition. This will be the first of the series of My Spur Essay Competitions. This series is geared towards discussing issues that affect the Nigerian learning community and leadership.

Title: Stemming the tide of massive Examination Failure in Nigeria: How?

Guildlines:

• The essay competition is open to all.
• All entry should be between 1,200 – 1,500 words.
• The deadline for the submission of the entries is March 21, 2012.
• All entries should be sent electronically to info@spurmag.com
• All entries should be in Microsoft word format (PDF format are not allowed)
• All entries should contain the following information: Full Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Current Status (Student or Worker), How you heard about the essay competition?

NB: The information should be below your entry in one document.

The final winner will be announced in first week of April.

• The prize for the winner is a Nokia Phone
• Prize for the first runner up is N3,000 worth of airtime
• Prize for the second runner up is N1,500 worth of airtime.

The winning Essay will also been published in the April Edition of Spur magazine.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: info@spurmag.com

For submissions: info@spurmag.com

Website: http://spurmag.com

Calls for Submission: NT LitMag

The NT LitMag is the literary desk of Nigerianstalk.org, check it out online and on twitter.

NT LitMag will publish short fiction, non-fiction, essays, criticism, short drama, skits, poetry, photography and other creative pieces.

The aim of the literary desk is to present to the world subtle, overlooked and underappreciated beauty of diversity and perspectives. Send us things that surprise, and those that delight. In most cases, the simple underappreciated things of everyday life present some of the most profound insights. Beauty resides in the soft, or ragged, edges of the most commonplace reality.

What do you have? Do share.

Send all submissions to litmag@nigerianstalk.org with a short bio and/or photograph.

Calls for Submission: Korea-Nigeria Poetry Fiesta 2012

The first ever Korea –Nigeria Poetry Fiesta was held to commemorate the 2011 World Poetry Day with theme CULTURE OF FRIENDSHIP, with  a cross-cultural anthology titled FROM HERE TO THERE scheduled for release later this year.

In view of these, Arojah Concepts, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre of the Embassy of Republic of Korea invites interested poets to send in entries for the 2nd Korea-Nigeria Poetry Fiesta which is scheduled to hold on Wednesday 21st March 2012 in commemoration of this year’s World Poetry Day.

Interested poets are expected to send in 5 poems each based on the theme: Intangible Cultural Heritage ties between Korea-Nigeria to arojahconcepts@yahoo.com on before 10th March 2012.

Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.

Selected poems will be featured/performed at the World Poetry Day event, the Korean Cultural Centre website and in a proposed cross-cultural anthology.

Enquiries: 0818 200 5597

 Jerry Adesewo
www.jerryadesewo.blogspot.com
0803 453 0786

Calls for Submission: 4th FEMRITE Regional Women Writers Residence

Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE) calls for submissions for her 4th Regional Women Writers Residence to be held in November 2012. This is an inspiring initiative that brings together upcoming African women writers. The main objectives of the residency are:

- To bring established writers to mentor upcoming African women writers
- To give upcoming Ugandan women writers the opportunity to interact with women writers from the continent
- To give African women writers conducive space and time pursue their writing projects
- To create opportunities for inter-cultural discourse among women writers
- To strengthen collaboration among women writers initiatives in Africa
- To generate short stories for publication in an anthology

At the end of the residence, we expect the writers to have:
1. had mentoring sessions with an established writer
2. improved at least one of their writing projects
3. enriched each other's manuscripts through discussion
4. submitted their improved short story for the residency anthology

HOW TO APPLY
Interested women are required to submit;
1. Part of a novel / short Story collection in WORD document (40 pages, typed in Times New Roman, font 12, 1.5 spacing).
2. A short story for publication in the residency anthology
3. A brief bio (not more than 10 lines)
This call is open to African women living on the continent. Writers already attached to writers groups in their countries are encouraged to apply.
Deadline for submissions is 30th April 2012

Please Note:
1. All applicants will receive notification by email once their manuscripts are received.
2. The Residency targets 15 writers
3. The Residency will last two weeks in November 2012
4. Successful applicants will be notified by 30th August 2012.
5. Successful published applicants will be kindly requested to donate copies of their works to the FEMRITE Resource Centre
6. Applicants should not have published more than one book.
7. FEMRITE will solicit support to meet costs of travel, accommodation, & meals.
For inquiries and submissions, please email info@femriteug.org
via femriteug.org
  

Calls for Submission: The NLNG Prize for Literature (Prose) 2012

Last year's edition saw Mai Nasara smiling to the bank $100, 000 richer after his children's book The Missing Clock clinched the first prize. Who would it be this time around?

Entries are hereby invited for The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The yearly literary prize is endowed by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) to honour the author of the best book by a Nigerian within the last four years.
The prize will rotate amongst four literary genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. This year, the competition is for Prose Fiction.

The competition is open only to published works by Nigerian writers irrespective of place of residence. It carries a prize of $100,000. Two other writers may also be accorded honourable mention.

Submission Procedure
Six copies of the entry together with evidence of Nigerian citizenship (photocopy of Nigerian passport or National Identity Card) may be submitted either by authors or publishers, in accordance with the genre in competition.

Books should be submitted to Nigeria LNG Limited’s External Relations Division, promoters of the prize, by the stipulated deadline. Failure to meet the stated conditions will lead to disqualification of the entry.
This being an annual prize, the date of publication on the works submitted must be within the previous three years. Complete contact information, including full postal address and/or email and evidence of Nigerian citizenship, should accompany each submission.

An author in any competition will enter only one published work. Manuscripts will not be considered. No book previously submitted for this competition may be resubmitted at a later date, even if major revisions have been made or a new edition published.

The prize will be awarded for no other reason than excellence.

Judges for 2012 competition
Prof. Abiola Irele – Chairperson
Prof. JOJ Nwachukwu-Agbada – Member
Prof. Sophia Ogwude – Member
Prof. Angela Miri – Member
Prof. Oyeniyi Okuneye – Member
Calendar for Prize Administration
Close of entries (deadline) – March 31, 2012. Late entries will not be entertained.

All entries should be sent to:
The Nigeria Prize for Literature
External Relations Division
Nigeria LNG Limited
Intels Aba Road Estate
KM 16 Aba Expressway
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Nigeria

For entries outside Nigeria:
The Nigeria Prize for Literature
External Relations Division
Heron House,
10 Dean Farrar Street
London
SW1H oDX
More information here.
    

Call for Submission: Farafina Wants New Nigerian Writing

New Nigerian Writing is hosted by the ABC Literary Cafe at The Life House, and Kachifo Limited, publishers of Farafina Books. This event will provide an opportunity for emerging Nigerian writers to showcase their work and be exposed to critique and feedback from established writers.

Emerging writers are requested to submit any piece of prose of no more than 5,000 words. Thirty pieces will be selected from the submissions, and the writers will be invited to read five minutes of their work during the event. Our panel of distinguished writers will be on hand to critique their work on both days of the event. The thirty selected pieces will be subject to further editing and review by both the panel and Kachifo Limited, and the top fifteen will be included in an e-book of short stories to be released later in 2012. The stories not selected for publication in the short story collection will be published on the Farafina blog. The closing date for submission is February 5, 2011.

The New Nigerian Writing readings will be held at The Life House, 33 Sinari Daranijo Street, off Younis Bashorun Street, off Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The dates are February 10 and February 24; the time is 6pm.

Submissions should be sent by email to shortstories@kachifo.com. All submissions should include the name, phone number and email address of writers. Selected writers should be available to read their work at the events, or have a representative available to read on their behalf.

Calls for Submission: Commonwealth Foundation

The Commonwealth Foundation is inviting filmmakers from across the Commonwealth to submit an idea for a short film about relationships. Individual filmmakers or collectives should submit a proposal which explores the theme of love in its broadest sense, whether inter-racial, inter-generational or within and between the sexes. The theme should be relevant to the filmmaker and their community.

We’re looking for original, bold and authentic films in any genre which entertain as well as stimulate and encourage debate both locally and globally.

Deadline for receipt of applications is 31 January 2012 (5pm GMT)

Click here for more details.

Calling African Women Poets!

So you think you are an African woman? So you write? See this...

Across the continent as well as in the African Diaspora, African women are well known for their word craft. Over the centuries, African women have accomplished difficult feats using a capacity for words that is only surpassed by their ability for physical labor. This project on Contemporary African Women’s Poetry is looking for submission of poems written by African women from all works of life. We are looking for:

• poetry about contemporary African life and experience on the continent;
• poetry about life in the African Diaspora.

Poems may focus on any of the following: the work life, motherhood, wifehood, children, the state and nation, war, Africa’s wealth or lack thereof, poverty, HIV-AIDS, prison, freedom, celebration, grief, happiness, border crossings, marriage, birth, the environment, loss, love, trans-nationalism, migration, race, class, and any other topics or issues that interest African women globally.

Unpublished poems are preferred. The original poems can also be in any African language if the poet will provide a translation into English. If the original is accepted, it will be published alongside the translation. If a translator is used, the author should indicate how credit should be acknowledged. Maximum number of submissions per person is three (3) poems.

Deadline:  December 31, 2010.

Please send submissions by email to: Anthonia Kalu (kalu.5@osu.edu); Folabo

Ajayi-Soyinka (omofola@ku.edu); Juliana Nfah-Abbenyi (jmphd@ncsu.edu)

More information here