Nile Guide Seeks Travel Writers

Nile Guide wants writers who are passionate about their hometown to write travel guides for them and become their Local Experts. You need to be web-savvy and able to write in the distinctive Nile Guide voice.  Local Experts receive a monthly sum of $250 for the first two months while they're getting their destination up to

speed. After two months, performance will be assessed and Local Experts will move to a traffic-based payment structure. Their hope is that Local Experts will be able to earn far more money than at current work-for-hire rates. Click here for more details.

The Wyn Harness Prize for Young Journalists

he Independent on Sunday is pleased to invite applications for the annual Wyn Harness Prize for Young Journalists, following the third anniversary of the death of Wyngate Harness, assistant editor of our sister paper, The Independent, and one of the most important and best-loved figures in the newspaper's history

For more than 20 years, Wyn was a huge influence on The Independent. He cared deeply about the quality of writing and reporting in its pages, and how these were presented to the world. He was a guide and mentor to dozens of young journalists who began their national newspaper careers in its newsroom, many of whom went on to reach the top of the profession. His death from an inoperable brain tumour, at the age of 47, was a huge shock to his colleagues and friends on the paper, and he continues to be much missed by those who worked with him. Everyone who knew Wyn appreciated his dry, irreverent wit and his affection for the quirkier and more bizarre aspects of British life. And it is this that inspired the format of the Wyn Harness Prize for Young Journalists. 

The competition is open to anyone aged 25 or under who is embarking on a career in newspaper journalism, either in training or in their first paid employment. To take part, candidates must write a news report of between 500 and 700 words about an aspect of Britain or British society that rarely makes the headlines. The judges will be looking for a subject that is unusual and eye-opening. Entries must be accurate, well researched, and stylishly written. 

The winner will receive a cash bursary of £1,000. They will have their story published in The Independent, and they will be offered a two-week work placement in the paper's London newsroom. 

RULES...

Eligibility The prize is open to young journalists of any nationality who will be under the age of 26 on 31 December 2010.

Submission of entries Entries should be emailed to features@independent.co.uk by midnight on 6 December 2010.

Selection and notification The judging panel will include Sue Royal (Wyn Harness's widow, also a journalist), Simon Kelner (editor-in-chief of The Independent), Helen Boaden (director of BBC News, and friend of Wyn Harness), and national newspaper journalists Martyn Palmer and Jason Burt. The winner will be notified by email before 31 December.

Dark Discoveries Open to Submissions

Dark Discoveries is looking for short stories from 500 to 6,500 words.  Stories must be in the horror/dark fantasy/dark sci-fi and dark mystery veins. They are looking for powerful, well-written original ideas and new twists on old horror conventions. Payment is $0.05 per word and is paid 90 days after publication. For more

information click here

Umaisha, Omalicha Offer November Literary Treat

Two emerging writers, Sumaila Umaisha and Ifeyinwa Omalicha, will feature at the 28th edition of the Abuja Writers’ Forum’s Guest Writer Session, which holds on November 27 by 4pm at the Pen and Pages Bookstore, White House Plaza, Plot 79, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2.

Sumaila Umaisha, literary editor of the Kaduna-based New Nigerian, is a short story writer and poet. His stories and poems have appeared in several journals, anthologies and online publications. He has also won several awards for literary journalism including the Literary Journalist of the Year Award by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), which he won in 2004 and 2007. Earlier this year, he was a participant in the Farafina Writing Workshop, facilitated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Umaisha’s debut collection of short stories, Hoodlums , appeared recently and is attracting attention for its focus on the violence perpetrated in the country in the name of religion, politics and culture.

This collection, notes Yahaya Ibrahim in a review, “paints (in seventeen short stories) a graphic picture  of physical and psychological violence …(and)  focuses on ethno-religious conflicts to militancy and other violent crises, Umaisha unveils scenes of savagery that have become the trademark of the Nigerian nation …. One of  the major strengths of Umaisha is his ability to craft harsh realities into simple metaphors. On the surface is the story, but between the lines is the heart of the story itself – story that involves or implicates everyone. In the story even the reader stands accused without knowing it.”

Ms Omalicha is a post-graduate student of Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is also a Poet and Performance artist. She performed at the maiden event of the Nigerian Prize for Literature endowed by NLNG.

She has three published collections of poetry: Amidst the Blowing Tempest, They Run Still and Now that Dreams are Born. She was Resident Poet at the ABTI Academy, Yola, where she worked as a teacher and Literary consultant.
 
The  popular monthly literary event hosted by the Abuja Writers’ Forum and regarded as the most consistent in the country, will also feature music, performance poetry, a mini visual arts exhibition and a raffle with book prizes at stake.

Umaisha and Omalicha  appear in the wake of the October  edition which featured the Abuja-based poet, Kabura Zakama. The Guest Writer Session which started in June 2008  has become the inspiration for similar literary interventions in some of the nation’s major cities, a testimony of its success.

CelebrityRead Africa

The Fela! Musical lawsuit and Cassava Republic Press

Sections of the Carlos Moore autobiography “Fela: This Bitch of a Life,” which the author claims were used without his permission in the successful Broadway musical, “Fela!” are available only in the Nigeria edition published by Cassava Republic Press. 

The two sections entitled “Afa Ojo,” more commonly known as the “Black Pages,” are a mystical aside of Fela’s mother calling her son to continue the struggle. Moore is suing the producers of the musical on the grounds that the Black Pages were lifted almost verbatim from the original book even though Moore is not acknowledged as one of the writers of the production, nor is he part of the royalty pool. The Cassava Republic Press version of the biography is the only edition which features the Black Pages. Other versions sold in the United States and the United Kingdom do not.

The court case
Earlier this month, Moore asked the courts to close the show, claiming playwright Jim Lewis and director Bill T. Jones stole his work. In the $5 million copyright suit, the author says in 2007 he was offered $4,000 for the rights to his biography, but rejected the sum as "grossly insufficient."

Moore says he was asked to consult on the show in 2009, and believed that he would be compensated for this work. But, according to court papers, after he demanded "an advance and participation in the pool," no other offers were made. Moore claims that his book was to create the musical without his "knowledge, authorisation or consent." The lawsuit also said Moore also was never compensated for a videotaped interview he did to support the show.

The story of the Black Pages
Carlos Moore wrote the official biography of Fela Kuti in 1982 after extensive interviews with the “Abami Ede” at home in Lagos.  At the time, Fela had confessed to Moore that he felt suicidal.  Years of police beatings and attacks by the authorities had taken their toll.  On his return to Paris to write up the tapes, Moore decided to include two mystical sections where he imagined Fela’s mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, speaking to her son and urging him to continue living.  We will never know whether these deeply spiritual pages encouraged Fela to keep on – all we know is that he was ecstatically happy with the finished work.

The Cassava Republic Press version of the re-published biography (available in Nigeria) is therefore a collector’s item for those fortunate to be able to get hold of this version.  The book includes a brilliant introduction and a moving and frank epilogue by Carlos which contextualise the 1982 story in light of a reassessment of Fela’s legacy.

To buy the book, go to www.cassavarepublic.biz.

Young Writers issue of Sable LitMag.

We invite young writers of colour from all over the world to submit work from all genres and styles, for our Young Writers issue of Sable, including Fiction, poetry, memoir and essays written by writers between the ages of 16-25.

The editor for this issue is Warsan Shire, a 22 year old writer and poet based in London. Her poetry has been translated into Italian and Somali. She has performed internationally in North America, South Africa and all over Europe. Her first collection Teaching mother how to give birth is soon to be published with Flipped Eye. Her work will appear in the forthcoming Black British edition of Wasafiri magazine.

Final extended Deadline for submissions - 3 December 2010.

SABLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

· All work submitted must include a short bio (maximum of 150 words) and a High resolution photograph.
· Work submitted must be attached in the email and not found in the body of the email.
· ALL work must be labelled clearly with your full name and the title of work.
· Work must not exceed the word limit.
· All work must be in this format or will not be accepted
· Times new roman font
· size 12 font
· double spaced
· Your full name must be on each page of your work (Header or footer)



Fiction

Short stories, extracts from a novel or flash fiction.

Other styles within fiction also welcome.

Length- 2500 words



In Translation

All veteran and budding translators or writers who produce work in

their native language and in English, (fiction or poetry) should send

translations and other information including a brief write up on

author and translator. For translators, what qualities attracted you

to the work? We will give ten pages to each writer featured to publish

some of their best pieces along with a photo, biography and any other

images that illustrate their work. A sample of your work will also

appear on the SABLE website in the future. In Translation submissions

should follow the same guidelines for poetry and prose in both their

chosen languages of submission and in English.



Memoirs

Memoirs of home, family, or country. Childhood memories, coming of

age, change of life. Complete pieces or excerpts. Stimulating,

exciting, informative, experimental. Any or all of these are welcome

within your piece.

Length: 2500 words.



Travel Narratives

(Travel Narrative submission closed)



Essays

We are looking for contributions on historical, contemporary aspects and future projections

of literature or culture. The work should reflect original thoughts.

Length: 2500 words



Expressions

(Expressions submissions closed)

Length: 1000 words (flexible)



Classic Review

What's in a classic? We're seeking submissions of literary reviews for

this review essay section of classic reviews. If you've read a body of

work by a writer of colour that has moved you, we are interested in

receiving a piece on it - even if they are not 'famous'.

Sable Classic Reviews are opinionated, critical, and to the point. Poetry, fiction and Non-fiction are all

acceptable. For completed pieces, we need you to supply titles of books featured, their ISBN's and publisher details.

Length : 1000-1500 words

(Poetry / travel/ Expressions submissions closed)

Note: Please email if you would like to present something new and exciting in creative writing. If you are a photographer or artist who also writes, we welcome your work in the form of comic strips, anime, photo journalism etc.

All Submissions and queries should be sent by email to sableten@gmail.com by Friday 3 December.