KWANI? Manuscript Project

Batswana writers, do you have an unpublished novel? This is a fantastic opportunity. Kenyan literary magazine, Kwani?, is running a contest for novels for African writers. There are cash prizes for the winners and the chance of publication. This is a one off chance, don't let it pass you by!

(From Kwani? website) "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.

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

For guidelines for submission go HERE.

Changes at the Commonwealth Prize

Commonwealth Writers - A World of New Fiction at www.commonwealthwriters.org Commonwealth Writers will include a new website, on-the-ground creative writing activities within regional communities, increased prize money, and the publication of an anthology of the winning short stories. Commonwealth Writers aims to unearth, promote and connect new writing talent across the fifty four countries of the Commonwealth. It will do this in two ways: Prizes We’ve preserved the strongest elements of the Commonwealth Foundation’s existing prizes, while at the same time putting them on the contemporary map of international new fiction:

Commonwealth Book Prize
Awarded for best first book, this prize is open to writers who have had their first novel (full length work of fiction) published between 1 January and 31 December 2011. Regional winners receive £2,500 and the overall winner receives £10,000. N.B. there will no longer be a Best Book award.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000- 5,000 words). Regional winners receive £1,000 and the overall winner receives £5,000. For each prize we award four regional winners and one overall winner. The regions are Africa; Asia; Canada and Europe; Caribbean; and the Pacific. Both prizes are open to Commonwealth citizens aged 18 or over. Rules and eligibility information for both prizes, as well as the online entry forms, will be available at www.commonwealthwriters.org from 18 October 2011. The closing date for entries for the Commonwealth Book Prize is 9 December 2011 with last receipt of books by post no later than 16 December; and the closing date for entries for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize is 30 November 2011.

OpportunitiesCommonwealth Writers is on the lookout for fresh, new, talented writers from all parts of the Commonwealth. It aims to unearth those writers with talent, an original voice, and stories to tell. We’ll be working in partnership with international writers’ organisations, the wider cultural industries, and civil society to help new writers develop their craft. The prizes and outreach activities act as catalysts to target and identify talented writers from different regions who will go on to inspire and inform their local communities. Meanwhile, www.commonwealthwriters.org will be an online hub to inspire, inform and motivate distinctive new voices.
Please visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you at writers@commonwealth.int

Free Global Poetry Contest

Are you a poet? Here's a contest for you. You must sign-up to be a members but the contest is free to enter and there are cash prizes.
Click HERE for details.

Do you write books for children? Here is a contest for you!

Rules: Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature 2009

Tafelberg

1. The competition is presented in six categories: Afrikaans,

English, Nguni languages, Sotho languages, Tshivenda

and Xitsonga.

2. There are two prizes in each category:

Gold prize: R12 000

Silver prize: R 6 000

3. Requirements: A story in which humour plays a role. It

should be suitable for young readers (somewhere

between 12 and 18 years). Length: 25 000 to 45 000

words.

4. Tafelberg undertakes to publish the winning entries and

reserves the first option to publish any of the other

entries.

5. While under consideration entries may not be submitted

for publication elsewhere until the publishers have

confirmed in writing that the manuscript has been turned

down for publication.

6. The judges reserve the right to withhold one or more of

the prizes should the quality of the entries not be up to

standard.

7. The competition is open only to citizens of South Africa,

Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.

8. Entries should be typed or printed out on A4 paper,

with double spacing and broad margins, on one side of

the paper only, and clearly numbered. Do not bind. The

organisers cannot accept e-mail entries.

9. As entries are judged anonymously, writers are

requested to ensure that their names appear only on the

title page of the entry and nowhere else.

10. Each entry must be accompanied by a signed entry

form or a copy thereof.

11. Entries may not be submitted under a pseudonym.

12. Entrants are requested to keep copies of their entries.

The organisers cannot accept final responsibility should

an entry go astray.

13. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence

will be entered into.

14. Closing date: 30 June 2009.

15. Enquiries: Danita van Romburgh, PO Box 879, Cape

Town 8000

telephone: (021) 406-3412

fax: (021) 406-3812

e-mail: dvanromb@nb.co.za

For more information and entry form go here.

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Posted by Lauri Kubuitsile

WABO Vice Chair

Enter Bessie Head Literature Awards!!!

The Bessie Head Heritage Trust is accepting entries again for its third annual writing competition. Below see the rules from the organisers. Send those entries and good luck guys!!

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Bessie Head Heritage Trust and Pentagon Publishers announce prizes in literature, one prize to be awarded each for poetry, short story, and novel.

Residents and citizens of Botswana are invited to submit manuscripts on any topic in one of the above categories. categories are defined according to standard literary characteristics, and are limited to the following lengths:

Novel: no limit

Short story: 10,000 words/10 pages

Poem: a set of one to three poems

All submissions must adhere to the following criteria:

1. All work must be original, unpublished and not submitted to any publisher.

2. All manuscripts must be typed. No handwritten manuscripts will be accepted. You must submit four copies of your work.

3. No more than one submission (novel, short story, or set of poems) per person. You may only submit in one category.

4. No school assignments will be accepted as submissions.

5. All submissions must include one cover page with the following information: author's name (no pen-names will be accepted), at least two ways the author can be contacted, a clear statement of the category of the manuscript ("novel", "short story", or "poem"). All submissions must also include one photocopy of omang, passport and residence certificate, or other form of identification (this copy need not be certified). The first page of the manuscript (not the cover page) must also state clearly the category of the manuscript.

6. All submissions must be written in English, and be thoroughly revised and proofread for grammar and spelling.

7. Except for the cover page, manuscripts must not have the author's name on them. Judges will judge all submissions blindly; that is, they must not be able to identify the author.

Any submissions that do not follow the above criteria will be disqualified.

Authors are advised that they may be asked to authenticate their work, and therefore SHOULD NOT DESTROY any drafts, including the first one, since winners may be asked to produce them as proof of originality.

Contestants may only win once in each category (once you win, you are barred from entering in the same category again for three years), and contestants must enter their own work (a publisher or friend may not enter your work).

Prizes

Novel P2,500.00

Short Story P1,500.00

Poem P1,000.00

Send your cover page, copy of identification, and four copies of your manuscript to

Bessie Head Literature Awards

P.O. Box 70401

Gaborone

Deadline: All submissions to be postmarked on or before 31 March 2009

Winners announced early July 2009 on website www.bessiehead.org

Prize-giving ceremony details to be announced.