10 Funded Opportunities for African Writers

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1. Common Ground Fellowship 2026 (Sierra Leone)

The Common Ground Fellowship opens up Muyu Journal’s editorial process to six emerging practitioners, offering mentorship, collaborative research, editorial critique, and publication. It is a three-month editorial fellowship for emerging writers and photographers based in Freetown.

This year’s fellowship explores the theme: threads that connect us across West Africa – the shared spaces, histories, tensions, and connections that bring people together, or reveal the rifts that exist between us. “We’re not looking for finished projects; we’re looking for people with curiosity, commitment, and ideas worth developing. Recipients of the fellowship will work alongside editors, mentors, guest practitioners, and peers to turn an early idea into a published piece for Issue 02: Common Ground.”—CG

Deadline: 14th August 2026 | Pay: Mentorship + Publication + possible production grant

Things to note:

• Before starting your application, please have the following ready:

  • A short statement introducing yourself

  • A brief description of the story or project you’d like to develop

  • Writers: Upload 2 writing samples (PDF preferred)
    Photographers: Upload 5–10 photographs in a PDF with titles
    Both: Upload whichever best represents your current practice.

• The fellowship provides:

  • Editorial mentorship throughout the programme

  • Access to guest practitioners and Muyu’s editorial network

  • Publication opportunities

  • Camera loans where needed

• Ideally the cohort will be made up of three writers and three photographers based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

• Whether you’re documenting your neighbourhood, writing poems or personal essays, digging through archives, making photographs, or just beginning to shape a longer-term project, they want to hear from you.

• Apply here

2. Live & Spooky: Call for Script Submissions

Flame Tree Publishing is stepping off the page and onto the stage. This is their first foray into live theatre. They want short, sharp, spooky new work that can hold a room in ten minutes flat.” Ghosts, curses, folk horror, cosmic dread, the thing under the bed. If it unsettles us, we want to see it. This is a scratch night, which means we’re looking for early-stage, low-tech, high-impact writing. Think fewer props, tighter casts, bigger scares.”—FT

Deadline: 23rd August 2026 | Pay: £50

Things to note:

• Ten minutes scripts, max, per piece

• 4 characters maximum

• Minimal tech - no elaborate set or lighting cues

• Genre: horror, gothic, folk horror, supernatural. Anything that fits a Halloween night of storytelling

• Performance date: 27th October. Venue: The Etcetera Theatre, 265 Camden High St, London NW1 7BU

• Please provide your legal name (and pen name if applicable) to help with quick contracts/acceptances

• Fill this form to submit your work.

3. Rafinki Writers Fellowship (Kenya)

Rafinki is inviting passionate short story writers in Nairobi to apply for their Inaugural Rafinki Writers Fellowship, a creative development programme designed to strengthen your craft, expand your literary network, and support you in producing compelling fiction.

Over the course of 13 weeks in the fellowship, through a hybrid format (online and in person sessions) participants will engage in writing workshops, peer critique sessions, masterclasses with experienced authors and editors, and one-on-one mentorship. Fellows will explore key elements of fiction, including character development, dialogue, plot structure, setting, point of view, and revision techniques, while receiving constructive feedback on their work.

Deadline: 31st August 2026| Pay: Mentorship + Anthology Publication

Things to note:

• You must be able to attend in person sessions in Nairobi on some Saturdays

• Applicants should:

  • provide a short bio (200 words or less)

  • a motivation statement

  • writing sample (1000-1500 words)

• Fill this form to apply

4. MELANING is Seeking Founding Contributors

MELANING, a verified directory of Black-owned businesses across the global
African diaspora, is seeking founding contributors ahead of its January
2027 launch. The platform is owned by Arnold Randall and Kojo Apuni of ScalogicAI.

Contributors write 8 pieces of 800 to 1,200 words between
September and November, covering one city of their choosing: city guides,
founder profiles, and category pieces on food, style, and wellness.

Deadline: 4th September 2026 | Compensation: $3,500 (website design, build,
and one year of hosting) | Type: Remote, contract

Things to note:

• Writers should have published work beyond a personal blog and real
  familiarity with the city they want to cover.

• Location: Open, with priority to writers in Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Kingston, Salvador, Atlanta, London, Los Angeles, and Toronto

• There is no cash budget yet and the listing does not pretend otherwise.
  Instead, contributors receive a full website design, build, and one year of
  hosting from sister company ScalogicAI, valued at $3,500, which they own
  outright. Byline and bio on every piece, republication rights after 60
  days, and first priority when paid rates open in 2027.

• To apply, email arnold@melaning.com by 4th September with:

  • your chosen city

  • three links to published work

  • and a short note on a business in that city worth covering.

  • Subject line: FOUNDING CONTRIBUTOR, [CITY].

5. Apply to the Radcliffe Institute Fellowship

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program offers scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, and artists a rare chance to pursue ambitious projects for a full academic year in a vibrant interdisciplinary setting amid the resources of Harvard University.

They welcome applications proposing innovative work that confronts pressing social, scientific, and policy issues and seeks to engage audiences beyond academia. While inviting proposals relevant to the Institute’s multiyear focus area, which for 2024–2029 is academic freedom and connecting across difference

Deadline: 10th September 2026, 5 PM ET | Stipend: $78,000 + $5000 for project expenses

Things to note:

• Applicants in nonfiction and journalism must:

  • Journalism: Applicants in this discipline are required to have worked professionally as a journalist for at least five years.

  • Nonfiction: Applicants in this discipline must have one of the following:

    • One or more published books

    • a contract for the publication of a book-length manuscript

    • or at least three shorter works (longer than newspaper articles) published.

• Applicants in the creative arts must meet discipline-specific eligibility requirements, as outlined below:

  • Fiction: Applicants in this discipline must have one of the following

    • One or more published books

    • a contract for the publication of a book-length manuscript

    • or at least three shorter works (longer than newspaper articles) published.

  • Poetry: Applicants in this discipline must have had at least 20 poems or a book of poetry published in the last five years and must be in the process of completing a manuscript.

  • Playwriting: Applicants in this discipline must have a significant body of independent work in the form. This will include, most typically, plays produced or under option.

• Application material:

  • Completed application form

  • curriculum vitae

  • 1,400-word project proposal (with bibliography when appropriate)

  • a writing or work sample

  • and the contact information of three references who will be prompted over email to upload letters of recommendation in support of your application.

• All materials must be submitted via our online application portal.

• For other criteria, see here

• To apply, create an account here and fill the application form.

6. Frivolous Comma is Open for Non-Fiction Submissions

Frivolous Comma is a space for creators to find curiosities that help them in their journey as writers, illustrators, animators...storytellers. And it's with a particular eye towards stories by underrepresented folx (both culturally and geographically), that they're curating creators and their work of speculation, be they illustrations, short fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

Deadline: Rolling| Pay: $125

Things to note:

• Send:

  • Explorations of speculative fiction that address some aspect of transition and intersectionality.

  • Reflections on writing speculative fiction and your personal identity’s influence on your work

  • Opinion recent developments in speculative fiction, SF history, associated SF theory and criticism, and SF fandom and culture.

  • Propose an original argument, being aware of existing literature in your area (popular or scholarly)

  • Reviews/book round-ups through a personal/memoir lens (note: we prefer reviews that focus on positive aspects of books; that is, “who this is for” rather than “who this isn’t for”)

• Cite sources via endnotes and links to sources.

• Look through their other non-fiction posts to get a feel for style and tone.

• 1000-2500 words

• Click here to submit.

7. The Inaugural Abebi AfroNonfiction Fellowship 2026

The Abebi AfroNonfiction Foundation is delighted to invite applications for the inaugural Abebi AfroNonfiction Fellowship, a six-week pan-African fellowship for women writers working in creative nonfiction.

The fellowship is designed for writers who are interested in exploring African womanhood through creative nonfiction with depth, originality, and literary ambition. Rather than rewarding completed work alone, the programme creates the conditions for new work to emerge through workshops, conversations, editorial mentorship, and engagement with African feminist thought.

Deadline: 12th September 2026 | Pay: Fellowship + Possibility of funded travel

Things to note:

• The fellowship is 6 weeks long and will culminate in:

  • A three-day residency in Lagos, Nigeria

  • A public reading and literary symposium

  • Publication in the inaugural Abebi AfroNonfiction Fellowship Anthology

• Applicants must:

  • Identify as a woman.

  • Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application.

  • Be currently resident in an African country.

  • Be available to participate fully in the six-week virtual fellowship.

  • Be willing and able to travel to Lagos, Nigeria, for the three-day residency (subject to visa requirements and programme funding).

  • Have a demonstrated interest in creative nonfiction, whether published or unpublished.

  • Be able to communicate and write in English, as the fellowship will be conducted in English.

  • Submit original, unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but applicants should notify the Foundation immediately if the submitted writing sample is accepted elsewhere.

  • Submit only one application.

  • Previous publication is not required.

Application will include:

• Essay Proposal (500 words): Tell us about the essay you hope to write during the fellowship. Rather than a synopsis, we are interested in the questions your essay hopes to explore. What compels this story? Why does it matter now? What intellectual, emotional, or cultural territory do you hope to investigate?

  We are particularly interested in essays that offer fresh, nuanced perspectives on African womanhood through the lens of creative nonfiction. Possible areas of exploration include (but are not limited to):

  • Memory and inheritance

  • Family and intergenerational relationships

  • Migration and belonging

  • Faith and spirituality

  • Motherhood and caregiving

  • Illness, disability, and the body

  • Work, labour, and ambition

  • Love, intimacy, and desire

  • Language and identity

  • See more here.

• Writing Sample (Maximum 1000 words): Submit one piece of creative nonfiction that best represents your writing, it may be:

  • a personal essay

  • a memoir excerpt

  • a lyric essay

  • a braided essay

  • a reported personal narrative

  • or another work of literary creative nonfiction.

• The writing sample does not need to be related to your proposed fellowship project.

• Short Biography: Please include a biography of no more than 150 words.

• Statement of Commitment: In no more than 250 words, tell us why you would like to participate in the fellowship and what you hope to contribute to the cohort.

• The Fellowship will comprise ten writers. Three places will be reserved for Nigerian writers. The remaining places will be awarded through an open continental selection process, with the Selection C

• To apply, please click here.

8. Alien Buddha Press is open for Manuscript Submissions!

Alien Buddha Press was founded in 2017 with the goal of establishing a platform for an eclectic mix of artists. Since then Alien Buddha has gone on to publish the work of dozens of writers from around the world, several anthologies, a zine, and numerous volumes of the graphic novel series “American Antihero.” They are now seeking manuscripts of full-length poetry collections, chapbooks, microchaps, novels, novellas, nonfiction collections, plays, art/photography books, and more.

Deadline: Unstated | Pay: Book Deal

Things to note:

• Genres they love:

  • Horror, Gothic, Bizarro

  • Mystery, Thriller

  • Protest/revolutionary poetry

  • Love poems/rom-coms

  • Humor/satire

• Send your submission as a Word document to abuddhapress@yahoo.com

• Include a 3rd-person bio, link to social media, and short synopsis.

• Avoid expand/collapse tabs, built-in tables, sidebar notes, or anything else that locks your text into a specific spot on the page.

• Royalties/contract sent pending acceptance.

• All questions answered via email.

9. Residency: Institut français x Cité internationale des arts

The Institut français x Cité internationale des arts residency program is open to artists and cultural professionals who have been residing outside of France for at least 5 years and who wish to develop a research and creative project in Paris during a three-, six-, or nine-month residency.

Deadline: 8th October 2026 | Pay: Free residency

Things to note:

• You are eligible to apply if:

  • You are supported by one or more associated partners

  • Have resided outside French territory on a permanent basis for at least 5 years

  • Be engaged in a recognized professional endeavor

  • Be free from any professional obligations for the entire duration of the residency

  • Demonstrate autonomy and have a professional-level command of French and/or English

• The Institut français de Paris covers the monthly costs associated with the individual studio apartments at the Cité internationale des arts. These are located in the Marais district (18 rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, Paris 4th arrondissement). They are furnished, equipped with Wi-Fi, and feature a workspace with a sleeping area, a bathroom, and a kitchenette.

• The artist’s partner(s) are responsible for submitting applications in response to the call for proposals and agree to cover the following:

  • A residency stipend (of at least €1,100 per month);

  • The artist’s international travel;

  • The artist’s insurance (health, repatriation, liability);

  • Visa fees, if necessary.

• Residency periods must follow the schedule below (1, 2, or 3 consecutive quarters, depending on the requested duration of the residency):

  • Arrival on April 9, 2027 – Departure on July 5, 2027

  • Arrival on July 9, 2027 – Departure on October 4, 2027

  • Arrival on October 8, 2027 – Departure on January 3, 2028

  • Arrival on January 7, 2028– Departure on April 3, 2028

• To apply, click this link

10. Submit to Southern Humanities Review

Southern Humanities Review is the literary quarterly housed in the Department of English at Auburn University. Founded in 1967, SHR publishes fiction, poetry, and essays. They offer 100 free submissions in each genre each submission period, on a first come, first served basis.

Deadline: 1st November 2026 | Pay: up to $50

Things to note:

• Poetry will be capped at 250 general submissions; fiction will be capped at 300 general submissions.

• No AI or LLM tools may be used in the creation of your work.

• Poetry: Please submit up to three poems at a time.

• Fiction: Please send only one story per submission. Manuscripts should be no longer than 8,000 words, double-spaced.

• Nonfiction: submit all forms of literary essays, and sub-genres of creative nonfiction including memoirs, personal essays, lyric essays, flash, research-based essays, literary journalism, travelogues, and other literary nonfiction. Send only one essay per submission period.

  • The essays that get published in the journal are generally no more than 12,000 words.

• Short Stories (Online publication): SHR features short stories in the online Features section. Please send only one story per submission.

  • Manuscripts should be no longer than 2,000 words and no shorter than 500 words, double-spaced.

• Translations are welcome, if they include PDF scans of the original as well as written permission from the copyright holder (if applicable).

• Wait until you have received a response regarding your submission before submitting more work to SHR.

• Click here to submit.

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Click here to submit an opportunity.

If you did not receive a reply to a previous editorial inquiry, we apologize. Please send a query.

Prose of the Week

Broken Gods and Preying Devils | Salama Wainaina (Kenya)

Mornings are a chorus of sounds.

The spoon clinking against the cup. The gate creaking open, then grunting to a halt. The lazy moos of Mr Mwaura’s cows sneaking past the thick hedge, onto the well-trodden path, leading to the bus stage. The shrieks whenever Ma Hamisi’s turkeys puff up and start gobbling.

But there is a rhythm to the chaos. Once, the turkeys did not gobble, and Ann missed the bus.

Today, Mr Mwaura’s cows did not moo, but Ann did not notice because she was thinking of winning. She was thinking of getting to the stage first. Her yellow skirt ironed to a crisp. The pouring of too much pilipili in her viazi karai. The quick, shallow breathing through the mouth. The pride in taking the heat, unlike everybody else. The lining up first to board the bus. The singing along the loudest to Bembeleza by Marlow, as the blue school bus meanders through the town.

I like to play games, but Ann does not like it when I take people from her world and toss them into mine. She digs her nails into her palms whenever I get too creative, as if my games are a headache. Yesterday I was doing an example of stuffing Mr Jonah’s mouth with those his stupid notes. Then she dug her nails into her palms, so I stopped. She fears new ideas, this one…

Read more

If you’d like your already PUBLISHED prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ please fill this form.

Poetry of the Week

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Play | Saidu Tejan-Thomas (Sierra Leone)

I have never called myself survivor
Survivor implies I fought
A glorious fight
A trail of dead men at my feet
Sword hoisted up against the sun
And all their hands are no more

Survivor implies it happened in the wilderness
Somewhere far far away from home

It was a normal afternoon with nothing to do
After the hot sun and boredom forced me inside
I searched for my cousin
Flung open the door to his room
And found him under my uncle…

(Watch Saidu perform ‘Play’ here)

Read more here

If you’d like your already PUBLISHED poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ please fill this form.

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Ndikukufunira Zabwino Zonse (I wish you well—Chichewa, Malawi)