Calling the Performance Poets...

The organizers of WordSlam (Culture Advocates Caucus & Goethe Institut, Nigeria) are delighted to inform poets and spoken word artistes that the 4th edition of a feast of poetic flight, aimed at encouraging young people to express themselves through poetry, has been scheduled for the last week of November 2009. This is a call for participation at the event, which we hope will be more exciting than the previous editions.

WORDSLAM is a platform for the presentation of live poetry performances, featuring poetry in its diverse forms covering everyday experiences, history, culture, religion, politics and many others. To be a part of this, send in at least two poems you would like to perform, plus a short biography of 200 words about yourself and your career to jahblak@yahoo.com on or before 31st, October, 2009.

Now this is to all Nigerian Journalists...

Here's an opportunity for Nigerian journalists to get rewarded for their efforts...thanks to the Wole Soyinka Society for Investigative Journalism. And let's hope it's not like the "big oil award" with "the big prize" that never went to any writer--that was a huge joke. It's also a topic for another day... 


Eligibility: The Award is open to any Nigerian professional journalist or team of journalists (full time professionals or freelancers)

Categories: Consideration will be for works in the Print, Broadcast, Photography, and Online journalism categories.

Criteria: The main criterion for eligibility is that the work (single work or single-subject serial) involves reporting on public or corporate corruption, human rights violation, or on the failure of regulatory agencies. Such works must have been first published or broadcast in a Nigerian medium within the past one year.

Deadline for Submission of Entries: OCTOBER 31ST, 2009

For more info, click here.

Mark your Calendar...

"Representing NAIJA" is the tag for the 31st edition of POETRY POTTER. There is no doubt that this edition of the event will surpass the previous in all ramifications. It's going to be a gathering of young meaning Nigerians under one room in a serene atmosphere of the Rounda Hall, National Library, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos. To discuss the present and future of Nigeria creatively, with rendition of rhythmic words and lines which will be accompanied with nice rhythm.

As Yoruba will say, ariwo ko o, it's not unnecessary noise that will drive home the change (the real change) that the country is currently clamouring for, it's by meeting and discussing the issues with creative approach. And this is the reason why KOWRY KREATIONS MEDIA is in partnership with THE FUTURE AWARDS for this very edition of the literary arts monthly platform.

Date: Saturday, 31 October 2009 Time: 2-6pm

Venue: Rotunda Hall, National Library opposite Casino Cinema, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos

PLAY 2009: GTBank Sponsors Poetry Fiesta

The pan-Nigerian Poetry Festival which explores the theme, “Poetry, Laughter, Arts and You” and is acronymed “P.L.A.Y” has finally secured the goodwill of GTBank as sole-sponsor.

In this connection, the Project Producer and Artistic Director, Ben Tomoloju, has been contracted to stage the event on Thursday and Friday, October 29 and 30, this year, at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos and treat the Nigerian Literary community and arts patrons to a quintessential culture exposition in poetry and theatre.

Plans for this festival kicked off nearly a year ago based on the contention that poetry as a form of art deserves to recapture its essence as a performance medium. In the study of Oral Literature, for instance, the “oral-moment” of the traditional poet - griot or bard- is a major feature of study and his or her characteristic dependency on a retinue of singers, dancers and drummers shows the exciting interface between poetry and theatre. Illustrating with homely examples, the producer, Ben Tomoloju, draws attention to the acts of the late Mamman Shata and horse-riding Hajiya Lolo Bida who were traditional poets in their own right but celebrated their poetry with musical accompaniment.

Among contemporary Nigerian poets, some leading lights such as Odia Ofeimun and Niyi Osundare have demonstrated a significant knack for performance poetry. They usually read, recite or chant to the accompaniment of songs and music as a re-affirmation of the interconnectedness of these artistic genres. In the new generation, poet-journalist, Akeem Lasisi, is quite outstanding. His poetry is not only inspired by traditional Yoruba poetry, he has also evolved a metalangue for its stage realization. These and many other juicy enactments which also incorporate the peculiar acts of Folu Agoi, Dagga Tolar, Iquo Eke, Sage “Has.son” and peculiar rap artistes are the offering at P.L.A.Y 2009.

According to Tomoloju, all participating artistes have been duly contacted and a number of them from the Nefretiti Group, Crown Troupe and Solar Band are now working at the Artsville Theatre Camp, Jakande Estate Bungalows, Ejigbo, Lagos. The main presentation of the festival is Eddie Aderinokun’s “Meridian Hour” while a special segment will be dedicated to Mabel Segun, the matriarch of Children’s Literature.

No Blues by Kola Tubosun

In September, we featured Kola Tubosun as the Bookaholic Blogger of the month. Here's an interesting short faction  from the 'Travula'. If you seem to get lost in the character's thoughts, remember it's a mixture of facts and fiction but here's the Bookaholic Blog verdict: short, simple and sweet. Enjoy! And of course, keep your comments coming...

Of the many questions in the traveller's mind on that cold night, there was a recurring one that had followed him all the way over the miles and the waters in-between, and it’s many variants:

"Tell me Traveller, have you got an American girlfriend yet?"

"How are the Yankee girls?"

"I hear the girls over there are quite giving. Shouldn't you have hit a hot one by now?"

"When will you make an 'Obama baby?' It'd better be soon."

"Be careful, Traveller, but be adventurous. Be very adventurous."

"Traveller, aren't you a lucky one, going to America with your tall frame, dark skin and brilliant mind?"

"It's your time, man. Enjoy it." etc.

And they circled his curious, precocious head like a cloud of bubbling mists and mirth. Of the many possible encouraging excuses already stood out the killing Midwestern winter cold, and a certain loneliness that often stares brazenly sometimes from whirlwind tides of testosterone fits. Ride boy, ride. Swim boy, swim. Shoot boy, shoot the hoops again and again with prized balls of fun gamesmanship. Be harmless, be daring.  Take on the windy evenings with all your righteous rage, long before a final cap at the hot shower that should either temper or scramble the distant mind onto the pleasant edge. Do not go gentle into that good, good night! Be all you can when no one is watching.

His mischievous self only imagines a different body frame, similar to his, as projected forward in an exaggerated swagger, bouncing all around town in faded jeans and a smile, asking whomever catches his fancy: "Hey, do you want a piece of this?"

No, he thinks, now back to his senses, he only stares at a distant bench overlooking the setting sun, and finding them at the moment not any different nor possessing any inspiring light from where he stood, takes in sweetly the sight of the young couple who sat gently pensive, observing the not too silent lake in front of them.

(c) Kola Tubosun, 2009

Writing Opportunities

Ellechor Publishing thrives on helping aspiring authors and part-time dabblers reach their potential. This is why we host an annual "Reach the Stars" Publishing Contest, to assist authors as they reach for their goals. There are two anthologies that will be published with the top writers who enter: the first will be a collection of children's short stories and the second will be a collection of poetry.

Contest Rules

• Entries must be received at ReachTheStars@EllechorPublishing.com by November 4, 2009 to be entered into the contest. . 
• Each application must be an original, unpublished work by the author, no exceptions. After October 10, 2009 submissions must also include a submission fee of $5 for poems and $10 for short-stories. Please use the same name when applying and submitting, the information must match for your submission to be eligible.
• In order for the contest to be valid, there must be at least 50 short story submissions and 100 poetry submissions 

Click here for more information

Narrative is calling on writers, visual artists, photographers, performers, and filmmakers, between eighteen and thirty years old, to tell us a story. We are interested in narrative in the many forms it takes: the word and the image, the traditional and the innovative, the true and the imaginary.

Awards: First Prize is $1,500, Second Prize is $750, and Third Prize is $300, and ten finalists will receive $100 each. The prize winners and finalists will be announced in Narrative. All N30B entries are eligible for the $5,000 Narrative Prize for 2010 and for acceptance as a Story of the Week.

Entries must be previously unpublished, though we do accept works that have appeared in college publications. Entries cannot have been the winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest. We accept online entries only. We do accept simultaneous submissions, but if your entry is accepted elsewhere, please let us know as soon as possible (and accept our congratulations!).

For more info, click here


SENTINEL Literary Competition
The Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition takes place every 3 months in January, April, July and October. These competitions are held to promote creativity and literary excellence. Winners of the competition win cash prizes and the top poems in from each competition may be collected into a chapbook subject to quality of entries.
Details here.

Another Resource for Budding Freelancers

Here is another resource that would help any budding freelancer, unfortunately it is a PAID subscription but you can still view a recent sample copy on their website. Below is the official blurb and link.

For all writers, established and new, Freelance Market News is an excellent source for the most up to date information about the publishing world. It is packed with news, views and the latest advice about new publications – plus the trends and developments in established markets, in the UK and around the world. We tell you about publications that are looking for new writers and even warn about those you should avoid.

Plus, you receive news of literary competitions, festivals and residential courses, a letters page with a £10 prize for the Star Letter, feature articles and writing resources.

Your subscription also entitles you to membership of The Association of Freelance Writers. This membership gives you many benefits and savings which include:

One FREE appraisal per year of 3000 words of prose or 120 lines of poetry - worth over £30.

A Membership Card which identifies your status as a freelance writer.

Up to 50% off selected books for writers.

Save 20% when you enter The Writers Bureau Poetry & Short Story Competition with £4000 of prizes.

FREE entry to our monthly Writing Competition, with a £50 prize.

Contact other writers or advertise for FREE in The Writers‘ Web.

To view a sample copy, click here.

Advice: Writing for Mags

We got an email from someone recently asking how s/he could get their writing out there. From the little experience of the industry that we had. Yeah, not that we've hit it like that o! We came up with this. We are still in the school of life, please let us know the tricks that have worked for you...

• Buy several copies of the magazines you are interested and study; yes, study everything, content, format, layout--you need to understand the magazine you want to write for. Don't you think?
  
• Get the editors' email contacts, we think it's a better approach than calling; it's a 'little writing' that can either steal the editor's heart or turn it against you. So why not put your best foot forward? Now that means no excuses for misspellings, wrong use of words, awful concord, and others in their clan...
  
• Find where you fit either to create new content for them or a place where there is a template, propose story ideas for those templates
  
• Pitch your ideas/stories;make them short, simple and clear as the editor doesn't have much time to bother with ramblings
• Try to show why you are the best person for the job by attaching a mini-CV with links to the best of your published work, if you have none attach a sample piece.
• Wait a few days for response, if there is none email again.
• It's either the person doesn't like your pitch or too busy to reply or simply email-lazy!