This newsletter is published every Wednesday at 5pm WAT.
Poda-Poda stories is inviting writers in all stages of their writing careers to submit their works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that align with the theme of Omission. They are interested in works that engage concepts of concealment, conceit, white lies, and more. Omission may also operate at the level of subject, memory, language, or form.
Deadline: 10th April 2026 | Pay: Unstated
Things to note:
Poetry
Up to 3 poems
No more than 5 pages total submitted as a single document
Please submit as a .doc or .pdf file, single-spaced, with one poem beginning on a new page.
They may select one or all of the poems
Fiction (short story)
1,000–2,500 word limit
Non-fiction (essays/life-writing)
900–2,500 word limit
No book or film reviews
Work must be entirely your own. AI-generated or plagiarized content will not be considered.
We do not accept works previously published in print, or online where via a magazine, a personal blog or other related website.
Formatting: Numbered pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, word document only except to accommodate certain forms of poetry.
Simultaneous Submissions: We allow simultaneous submissions and ask that writers inform us via email at editor@poda-poda.com if their work is accepted for publication elsewhere.
Anonymity: Do not include your name in your submitted work.
Suggested file naming format: Genre_FirstLastInitials_TitleOfWork. Example: Poetry_MA_StillIRise
Culture Narratives, a new quarterly publication from The Moveee, is now accepting submissions for its debut issue. They are interested in personal narratives that explore the intersection of the individual and the collective. “We believe that lived experiences are intellectual contributions that need to be preserved, shared, and celebrated as part of our global cultural archive.”—CN
Deadline: 10th April 2026 | Honorarium: $10 + Lifetime Membership
Things to note:
They invite submissions from diverse global viewpoints, but especially those that have had to deal with the complexities of heritage, migration, and diaspora. Some of the specific areas that they are interested in include:
Identity & Belonging: Living in two worlds or the moment when you finally saw yourself.
Ambition & Purpose: A personal journey of how your career, creative pursuit, or entrepreneurial journey evolved.
Economic Realities: Personal tales of your relationship with money, class, and what you have learned from financial successes and failures.
Modern Relationships: Personal tales of love, family, and friends within the context of culture or profession.
Transformation: Personal tales of faith, mental health, and resiliency.
Cultural Encounters: Personal tales of a particular movie, book, album, or piece of art that reframed your world or helped you through a particular season of your life.
Events & Tradition: Personal tales of a particular event or tradition and how it intersects with modern life.
Word Count: 1,200 – 3,500 words.
Type of Writing: First-person personal narrative. Please note that we do not publish abstract opinion pieces or reviews without a personal narrative. Abstract opinion pieces or reviews without a personal narrative will not be accepted.
They only publish original, previously unpublished work
Nenta Literary Journal is dedicated to publishing Ghanaian writers everywhere. They publish monthly and are currently open to submissions of poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
Deadline: Rolling | Pay: Gh¢150
Things to note:
Poetry: Send up to two poems of any length or form to poetrycurator.nentajournal@gmail.com.
Fiction: They accept fiction submissions of fewer than 5,000 words. Please send one title per submission to fictioncurator.nentajournal@gmail.com
Creative Nonfiction: They welcome bold, incisive essays that bring a fresh Ghanaian sensibility to the page, ranging from playful commentary to acute criticism. They want opinion pieces, reviews of literature/art/media, criticism, cultural commentary, travel essays, profiles, etc. Keep your piece under 5,000 words and submit one at a time to nonfictioncurator.nentajournal@gmail.com
Submit your work as a
.docor.docxfile.Name the file after the title of your poem, fiction, or nonfiction piece.
No multiple submissions but simultaneous submissions are welcome. Just let them know if your work is accepted elsewhere.
WREATH Literary Collective is a print magazine and literary community founded in December 2024. The magazine is submissions based and hosts a variety of poetry, prose, and visual art.
“What is art’s relationship to science? How are the physical mechanisms of our world depicted in writing or painting? Send in work that is at the intersection of chemistry and philosophy, that is reminiscent of Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp and Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, that examines the body and the soul,”—W
Deadline: 15th April 2026 | Pay: Unstated
Things to note:
No reprints, please.
Files accepted: PDF, JPEG, Word, Google Doc
Maximum 3 poems or 8 pages per writing submission
Maximum 3 pieces for visual art submissions
While we are still looking for exceptional poetry, fiction, and visual art, I want to emphasize our desire for cultural criticism, essay, and other similar forms of prose. Feel free to reach out with pitches or questions wreathlc@gmail.com
The Joe Ushie Poetry Prize celebrates the transformative power of poetry as a vehicle for expression, connection and change, in honour of the legacy of Professor Joe Ushie – a longtime champion of artistic integrity and social justice. The Prize honors emerging and established poets for artistic excellence and social commitment in their art.
Deadline: 20th April 2026, 11:59 p.m. GMT | Prize: $500
Things to note:
Each entrant is allowed to submit only one poem.
The submission must not exceed fifty lines.
Entries are to be made in English; however, few words from other languages are allowed as part of poetic license
Each entry must be accompanied by proof of Nigerian citizenship and a bio of about 200 words.
Proof of citizenship must be a photo ID with full name, place and date of birth, etc. Acceptable forms include international passport data page, national ID card, voter’s card or driver’s license
Poems must be typed in 12 pts Times New Roman font and single-spaced.
Docx format is recommended for submission.
Entries are to be made via the Google form.
There should be no identifying information (e.g. poet’s name) on the document containing the poem itself
Entries will not be returned; authors are advised to keep a copy for their own records.
ALL longlisted poems will be published in the Joe Ushie Poetry Prize Anthology (Vol. 2, 2027); by entering for the Prize, entrants consent to the publication of their longlisted poem in the Prize anthology
Entrants are required to like and follow the Joe Ushie Literature Foundation social media handles throughout the Prize cycle to remain eligible. [Facebook – Joe Ushie Literature Foundation; X – @JULitFoundation; TikTok – @ju.lit.foundation/JULF]
Send this to a writer who needs it ❤️
The Senior Reporter (South Africa) role at TechCabal carries both creative and institutional responsibility. It requires someone who can define the direction of coverage, protect editorial integrity, and guide reporting through complexity with clarity.
“We’re looking for someone who can break stories, build deep source networks, and produce reporting and analysis that helps our audience understand what’s really happening in South Africa’s tech landscape, and why it matters for the rest of the continent.”—TC
Deadline: Unstated | Pay: Unstated
Things to note:
To apply you are required to share:
CV
LinkedIn profile
Opinions concerning issues around technology in Africa.
Kindly fill this form to apply.
Chateau d’Orquevaux offers a respite from “real” world energy. This magnificent estate in the French countryside of Champagne-Ardenne offers artists a place with limited distraction and an abundance of natural inspiration.The residency is creatively self-motivated with all of the meals provided. The artists can fully immerse themselves in the environment and the French country lifestyle.
Deadline: Unstated | Grant: €2,400
Things to note:
There will be about 25-30 artists-in-residence per residency.
Artists are provided a private studio and a private bedroom with a shared bath in the chateau.
Linens and towels are provided as well as light housekeeping.
All accepted Artists & Writers will be awarded The Denis Diderot Grant to be applied towards cost of the Artist-in-Residence program.
There is also an additional and limited amount of Emerging Artist Grants available
(up to €900)However, to receive either grant you must "Pay it Forward" by subscribing to our Artists supporting Artists PATREON for a minimum of 13 months. (€10 or €12). This is not an application fee, but will be required IF you application is being strongly considered.
You will be required to upload up to 5 samples of your writing (max. 100MB per file) - You can also submit work samples via Application@ChateauOrquevaux.com
They encourage applications from persons who will contribute to the diversity of the residency.
To apply, click here and scroll to form.
Writers Space Africa (WSA) magazine is accepting submissions for the June 2026 edition of WSA Magazine (114th Edition). Theme: The Unemployed
Deadline: 20th April 2026 | Honorarium: Unstated amount
Things to note:
Creative Non-Fiction – 1,200 words maximum
Children’s Literature – 700 words maximum (illustrations may be attached and poems not longer than 24 lines)
Flash Fiction – 300 words maximum
Poetry – 1 poem, a maximum of 24 lines
Short Stories – 1,500 words maximum
Please edit your work and submit it to one category only.
Include the title and category in your submission.
Our editors will reply to selected writers and those whose works have not been selected.
Our editors will reach out to all authors by May 2026.
All selected and published entries will be uploaded to our website after the magazine is released.
The author retains the copyright.
Click here to submit.
Across Africa, women support economies through land cultivation, informal and formal work, and the often-unseen labour of social reproduction. However, they remain mostly excluded from macroeconomic decision-making and global financial governance.
The Biennial Weavers Forum addresses this contradiction by establishing a Pan-African feminist political economy space that prioritises African epistemologies, movement knowledge, and creative practice in shaping economic futures. They are inviting: thought pieces, research papers, video essays, podcasts, poetry, spoken word, performance, and theatre etc
Deadline: 24th April 2026 | Pay: Unstated
Things to note:
The 2026 edition will be held in Windhoek, Namibia. 5-8th August 2026.
Themes for exploration include:
Feminist macro-level economic frameworks and methodologies
Debt Justice: Debt and Austerity
Feminist perspectives on tax reforms
Trade, industrial policy, and regional integration
Feminist budgeting, public services, and social protection
Labour, informal economies and the future of work
Care economies and social reproduction
Land, extractives, and natural resource governance
Climate finance, just transitions, and ecological justice
Feminist data, indicators, and metrics of well-being
Movement funding and feminist resource mobilisation
Food sovereignty/Seed justice
Creative and cultural works welcome:
Murals, visual art, and installations
Short films, animations, and video essays
Sound pieces, music, podcasts, and soundscapes
Poetry, spoken word, performance, and theatre
Comics, graphic essays, and other experimental formats
Who is Eligible to Submit?
African feminist and women’s rights organisations and movements
Grassroots organisers, community leaders, and movement strategists
Heterodox and feminist (political) economists, as well as legal and policy specialists
Artists, cultural practitioners, and narrators
Journalists, narrative designers, and media professionals
Public-sector reformers who are aligned with feminist political economy.
For Creative and cultural submissions:
Audio Visual piece or Concept note: 250–300 words describing:
Medium and format
The key idea or story
How it connects to the convening theme
Technical needs (space, equipment, permissions, etc.)
Portfolio/sample: 1–3 links or low-resolution files (where available) of previous or proposed work.
Where works are language-based (spoken word, theatre, film), please indicate the language(s) and whether subtitles, translations, or transcripts are available or can be developed.
Paper Proposals
Abstract length: 300–400 words
Include:
Title
Author(s) name(s), affiliation(s) and country/countries
Stream and key theme(s)
Core question(s), methodology/approach, and anticipated contribution
Up to 5 keywords
Bio: Up to 150 words per author, including activist/organising affiliations.
Full papers (6,000–8,000 words) will be requested from selected authors ahead of the convening to enable rich discussion and potential inclusion in post-convening outputs, i.e, journal.
Interested parties are invited to submit their Expression of Interest via email to femnetprog@gmail.com, clearly indicating the subject line: “Call for Papers – The Weavers Forum.”
Tlotlo Tsamaase is author of Womb City, The Silence of the Wilting Skin, and winner of Bessie Head Short Story Award and Nommo Award for Best Short Story (2021) is inviting applications for the Ikemele Mentorship. This year, she is open to mentoring two South African writers and looking to add two (or more) Batswana writers or writers from other Southern African countries in speculative fiction writing
Deadline: 30th April (or before) | Pay: Free mentorship
Things to note:
If you’re interested, please email:
Your bio
Writing sample: The writing sample can be a short story or a novel (in progress) excerpt.
and goals to ikemelementorship@gmail.com.
This mentorship is for unpublished and published writer
Applications for the 2026/2027 African Liberty Writing Fellowship are now officially open! This fellowship is designed for emerging African writers passionate about influencing public policy debates and shaping conversations that matter.
Through structured mentorship and editorial support, fellows refine their voice, strengthen their analysis, and position their work for publication in leading African and international media outlets.
Deadline: 30th April 2026, 11:59 PM GMT | Pay: Unstated Stipend
Things to note:
An applicant has to be enrolled in, or must have graduated from, an African institution of higher learning. Or, be an African pursuing higher education outside the continent.
This fellowship offers
A five-week intensive online training program (25 May 2026 to 22 June 2026) that will equip you with essential writing and analytical skills.
The 12-month fellowship (13 July 2025, and ends on 13 July 2027) provides exclusive access to publishing opportunities in major African and international media outlets. Fellows and editors have appeared in Voice of America, The Guardian Nigeria, Forbes, BBC, The Star Kenya, Newsday Zimbabwe, Al Jazeera, and several more.
Fellows also have opportunities to feature as expert guests on top television stations across Africa, contributing meaningfully to policy discussions shaping the continent.
Compensation is contingent upon a monthly assessment. Please be aware that they do not consider financial compensation until a fellow is inducted.
To read FAQs click here.
To apply, click here
This prize invites poets from Sub-Saharan Africa and its diaspora to submit an original poem on the theme OUTSIDER. This prize is judged by Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto, author of The Naming (University of Nebraska Press, 2025); Dr Jive Lubbungu of Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia; and Gary W. Bryant.
Deadline: 30th April 2026 | Prize: Total of $130
Things to note:
Submissions should be written in the first person, no longer than forty lines, and submitted as a Word document.
Entrants Must be From Sub-Saharan Africa or its Diaspora. To check if you are eligible, click here.
You Must Include a 50-Word Author’s Bio as Proof of Publication History.
You may also submit to The Best African Traditional Poem Category with the theme: I am an Outsider
Please Email an original poem written in your Language + its translation of not more than 40 lines included in the Word document)
Poem must be written in the traditional, cultural style of any African language, example Igbo, Yoruba, Chichewa, Xhosa, Zulu.
Poem may employ rhythmic patterns, repetition, and/or incorporate other musical elements into the body of the work.
Poem should contain symbolism and rich imagery from your language or culture or traditional beliefs used to convey meaning, example a local proverb
To submit use forms on these pages:
By entering the competition, you are automatically agreeing to subscribe free of charge to the website, in order to receive updates about the competition shortlist/winner/s & our quarterly journal.
Please Do Not Include Bank Details Or Confidential Information In Your Submitted Document As Some Previous Entrants Have Done
The winners will be paid in their local currency.
Source: Brittle Paper
Lọ́unlọ́un is a pan-African journal that focuses on literature rooted in historical events that have shaped and defined places and times in Africa. They are currently open to fiction and non-fiction submissions.
Deadline: 8th May 2026 | Pay: $50 CAD
Things to note:
Fiction: submissions can be speculative or factual tellings of African history, centred on the following themes: Economics, Society & Politics; Gender & Feminism; Hope & Healing; Identity & Belonging; and War, Conflicts & Disaster.
2,000 – 4,000 words
To submit your work, send an email to submissions@lounloun.com with the subject ‘Fiction Submission.’
In the body of the email, include your third-person bio and attach the story. Please ensure the story has references and is in Word document format.
Personal Essays— witnessing: Witnessing is a space for personal stories that connect individual memory to broader African histories. We are seeking personal essays, memoirs, or narrative interviews that explore individual, familial, or communal interactions with significant historical events that have shaped Africa. Essays should answer questions such as: How did this broad historical moment impact you, your family, or your environment? How did you uniquely experience an historical event from what is publicly known?
1,500 – 3,000 words or a short pitch.
Not academic, but deeply reflective
Selected essays may be referenced in future academic or cultural work
To submit your work or pitch, send an email to submissions@lounloun.com with the subject ‘Witnessing Submission.’
In the body of the email, include your third-person bio and attach the story. Please ensure the story has references and is in Word document format.
Rough Diamond Poetry is a site for poetry on any subject. They are currently accepting submissions of mental health poems for their next anthology.
Deadline: 30th May 2026 | Pay: unstated
Things to note:
Send 1-5 poems in the body of an email to roughdiamondpoems@gmail.com.
Each poem should not exceed 40 lines.
Include a short third person bio.
In the subject box of the email please write MENTAL HEALTH.
No previously published poems.
Simultaneous submissions are fine but please do let them know if your poems get accepted elsewhere.
Follow them on Twitter @PoetryRough
Usawa in Swahili means equality. The Usawa Literary Review is a bi-annual English language literary magazine dedicated to feminist literature and writings by and about underrepresented communities. They are currently calling for submissions under their July issue themed ‘Refuse’
“Out of place. Still here. Not going anywhere. Refuse names both what is cast out and the act of resistance. Waste, garbage, remainder, what is left behind and meant to disappear. But also: to resist, to withhold consent, to say no with the full weight of one’s body. That the two meanings share a spelling is not an accident. Language remembers what power would prefer to split apart.”—U
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Pay: $12
Things to note:
To read the full call, click here
You may submit up to one entry for each genre during a given submission period. They include:
Poetry
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Book review
Translation
To submit, click here. Category: Usawa Literary Review, Summer 2026.
Please write to them at editor@usawa.in if you have any questions.
The Novel Prize, a biennial award for book-length works of literary fiction written in English by both published and unpublished writers from around the world. Writers based in Africa and Europe are invited to submit to Fitzcarraldo Editions. African writers based elsewhere, should check this page for their submission pathway.
Deadline: 1st June 2026, midnight GMT | Prize: $10,000
Things to note:
Entrants residing in Africa and Europe should submit a full manuscript of their novel (minimum 30,000 words) to novelprize@fitzcarraldoeditions.com. The manuscript should be double-spaced, 12pt.
Each submission should include a cover letter including a biographical note, contact details and brief outline of the novel.
The entry must be the entrant’s own original creation and must not infringe upon the right or copyright of any person or entity.
Co-authored entries will not be accepted.
Writers who have existing contracts, or who have previously held contracts, with publishers for books of fiction or non-fiction are eligible to enter.
Writers who have published writing (fiction or non-fiction) in magazines and journals are eligible to enter.
Writers who have published books of poetry are eligible to enter.
Writers may submit only one manuscript per iteration of the prize.
The novel must be written in English (no translations).
Submissions may be made by the author of the novel or (if they have one) their agent.
There are no age restrictions, and we welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds.
Submissions from writers residing outside of the Americas will not be considered or passed on to the relevant publishers.
All submissions should include page numbers.
The novel must be original and should not have been previously published anywhere in full. Published work is taken to mean published in any printed, publicly accessible form, e.g. anthology, magazine, newspaper. It is also taken to mean published online, with the exception of personal blogs and personal websites.
A shortlist will be announced in January 2027. The winner will be announced in February 2027, and published in early 2028. Unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted.
New Directions, Fitzcarraldo Editions, and Giramondo reserve the right to organize a meeting or phone call with all shortlisted writers to discuss their novel before the award of the prize.
Click here to submit an opportunity.
If you did not receive a reply to a previous editorial inquiry by 31st January 2026, please send a query to editor.afww@gmail.com.
In Your Not-Distant Future | Mokaya Atambo (Kenya)
You married a school teacher.
You both lived by the river in Ruaka, a nice small farm overlooking the hilly countryside of Ndenderu to the west and the evergreen forest of Thigiri to the east. You had neighbors, but not many. Most of the people living there were distributed along the Raini road. Others lived along the ridges beyond Ndenderu, some on the edge of the forest, and yet others on the sprawling tea estates of Tigoni.
Every weekday, you dropped your wife off at the Double Brooks, where she taught languages. You did so because she insisted that driving is hard work for her. You had no chance to protest, for marriage by then had taught you how much everything you did together was reliant on compromise.
Time and chance had it that on the last day that dropped her at school…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ please fill this form.
Roots | Lansana Sesay (Sierra Leone)
Adulthood is a quiet storm—
the kind our parents shielded us from.
They bore the weight so we could rise,
now we wear it, chasing skies.
I am the first cap and gown,
a legacy born from hand-me-downs.
Master’s earned, no shortcuts taken,
yet the ground beneath me still feels shaken…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ please fill this form.
Thanks for diving into our newsletter! Don't miss out—subscribe now (if you haven’t) for a weekly curated list including writing competitions, publishing opportunities, grants, fellowships, and content crafted to fuel the growth of African writers. Join the literary journey!
Libaku malamu (Good luck—Lingala, Northern Congo)
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.