This newsletter is published every Wednesday at 5pm WAT.
Afro RomCon is a convention celebrating African romance in print and on screen. They are officially launching their first literary prize under the theme ‘Love as Resistance’.
Deadline: 12th June 2026 | Prize: Total of N200,000
Things to note:
Stories must be between 1,000-3,000 words.
Must not exceed 3000 words. Submissions that exceed the word count will not be considered.
Submissions should be sent in PDF or DOC format. Include only the story title and word count on the first page.
The subject of the submission should be the story title only.
Submissions will be judged anonymously. Do NOT include your name, initials, or any form of identification anywhere in the document
Al-generated stories and plagiarized work will not be accepted.
Top 10 stories announced June 23rd. Top 3 announced live at Afro RomCon.
OkayAfrica is open to pitches for June. Since the World Cup is starting, they're open to receiving strong pitches centered on the intersections of music, community and culture as regarding the World Cup. The pitch should be focused on African culture, players, and conversations.
Deadline: Unstated | Pay: up to $300
Things to note:
To ensure your story concept is reviewed efficiently, please ensure your submission includes the following components:
Working Hed & Dek: A strong headline and concise sub-headline that clearly capture the core of your idea.
Scope & Timeline: An estimated word count alongside a proposed submission date for the first draft.
Source Specificity: If your piece requires interviews, please specify exactly who you plan to speak with and explain their relevance to the narrative.
Interested people can send their pitches to my email: oluwatobi@okayafrica.com
The Africa Women Writers Residency is open exclusively to emerging women writers without literary representation. It is a fully-funded, four-week programme in September 2026, which will select twelve writers from Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa, and support them through an intensive mentorship programme, then publish their work in a landmark anthology entitled New African Voices: Stories That Shape Africa’s Future.
Deadline: 22nd June 2026 | Pay: Free fellowship + Funded Travel
Things to note:
To apply submit the following to residency@majestypublishingafrica.com:
A 250-word motivation letter introducing yourself and your interest in the residency
A writing sample on the theme “A New Dawn for Africa”, submitted in one of the following formats:
An essay or short story of 1,000 words
One poem of up to 1,000 words, or two poems amounting to approximately 1,000 words in total
Women writers only
Nationality: Citizens of Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa
Must not be represented by a literary agent at the time of application
Genres: Fiction, fantasy, creative non-fiction, memoir, and poetry.
Career stage: Emerging writers with a strong body of work, published or unpublished
No age restriction
Proficiency in written and spoken English
Must be available for the full four-week programme, including the in-person Nairobi week in September 2026
From the beginning, Saraba has emphasized the importance of publishing writers for the first time, and how by this venture such new writers may find confidence in their crafts. They have published now-acclaimed writers such as Uche Peter Umez, Elnathan John, Eghosa Imasuen, Ukamaka Olisakwe, Okwiri Oduor, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim etc. For June, they are currently seeking the best of new writing from Africa. They are interested in writers whose work shows tremendous promise but has hardly been published in a major literary magazine.
Deadline: 30th June 2026 | Pay: None
Things to note:
Send your unpublished work in any of our three broad categories: Fiction, Poetry and Nonfiction.
Do not send in any material that has been published elsewhere in print or on the web, except specifically requested.
Send no more than one work at a time, and wait for our response before you send another.
All entries are read blind, so do not include your name anywhere in your submission file.
The maximum word count for fiction works is 5,000, except otherwise announced.
Send no more than 3 poems at a time, submitted in one document.
The maximum word count for nonfiction is 5,000, and they accept a broad range of nonfiction: memoirs, interviews, personal essays, reviews, travel writing, creative journalism, etc.
They are also open to visual art, including photography and illustrations. Send in high-resolution files.
Send alongside a bio of not more than 200 words (in third person).
After the submission deadline has expired, expect to hear from us within 3-4 months.
Only submit on saraba.submittable.com.
The UnSerious Collective Fellowship awards FOUR (4) emerging Nigerian poets as Unserious Collective Fellows annually for poetry that is commendable, experimental, brilliant, and daring. The fellowship is part of the major essence of the collective—to recognize talents and celebrate hard work in the bustling Nigerian Poetry community.
Deadline: 30th June 2026 | Stipend: N150,000 each
Things to note:
Nigerian: born in Nigeria, or have at least one Nigerian parent, or be a person living in Nigeria as a naturalized citizen
All emerging poets who have not published full-length collections are eligible regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status, and are encouraged to submit.
The 4 Fellows will also have their poems published in a Microchapbook.
The Fellowship does not prefer any theme, style, or approach. Just quality writing that is bold and exciting.
Submit up to TEN (previously published or unpublished) pages of poems in a .doc or .docx file.
You may submit both published and unpublished work, but NOT only PUBLISHED WORK.
Single-spaced. Font: 12, Garamond or Times New Roman. Each page must be paginated.
The submission title should read, “UCPS 2026”, and must be submitted via our submission portal.
Entries submitted via email will not be read.
No identifying information (including publication history of individual poems) should be on the file.
Cassava Republic Press’ mission is to change the way we all think about writing from Africa and her diaspora, whether set in filthy-yet-sexy megacities such as Lagos or Kinshasa, in little-known communities outside of Bahia, in the recent past or indeed the near future. They are now seeking liteary fiction and speculative fiction manuscripts for publication
Deadline: 30th June 2026, 23:59 BST | Pay: Book Deal
Things to note:
Send us a 500-word summary of the book that will entice your reader along with the first three chapters of your manuscript. Your MS should be in the best shape that it can possibly be.
Send your sample chapters as a Word attachment saved in the following way: date of submission (dd.mm.yy).firstname. surname.book title
Example: 02.09.23.Yinka.Allen.ToPlayWithFire.doc
Make sure that your name appears only on the title page, and nowhere else in the manuscript.
The subject of the email should be: Cassava Submission: [Author’s name], [book title]
Example: Cassava Submission: Yinka Allen, To Play With Fire.
To submit, click here
Send this to a writer who needs it ❤️
Voquent is excited to invite film, television, podcast and video game writers to pitch articles for their platform. They’re looking for your expertise to create stories, features, and insights that focus specifically on voice acting and voiceover, exploring the craft, performance, and impact of voice talent in media.
Deadline: Rolling | Pay: 10pence per word
Things to note:
They publish articles in five main sections. Let them know which category your idea fits best in:
Production – Behind-the-scenes looks at voice acting and industry processes.
Example: Cultural Sensitivity in Educational Dubbing and TranslationIdeas – Thought-provoking discussions on trends, issues, and big conversations in voice acting.
Example: What Impact Are Deepfakes Having on Elections?Guides – Practical how-to articles offering actionable advice for voice actors at all levels.
Voiceover – All things voice-over with emphasis on human performance. Voquent always champions human talent – so please note that pitches promoting AI voices will not be accepted.
Example: Inside the Secret Room Where The Simpsons Voiceover Comes to LifeEntertainment – Interviews, podcasts, and deep dives into actors and performances behind films, TV, and video games.
Example: Interview: Anjali Bhimani talks Symmetra, Rampart and The Art of Voice Acting
They do not accept review pieces. Articles should explore voice acting from a creative, analytical, or informative perspective, always keeping the human voice at the centre.
How to Pitch
Email: pr@voquent.com
Subject line: “PITCH: [your idea]”
Please don’t submit full articles: They’ll confirm the angle together.
Show familiarity: Knowing Voquent’s content and style is essential.
Experience & samples: Please tell a bit about yourself and your writing experience, as well as provide at least two previously published writing samples.
Timeliness & originality: Pitches should be fresh and avoid topics already covered elsewhere.
For more guidelines, see here.
Everscribe Magazine is a digital literary magazine publishing quarterly, themed issues exclusively dedicated to poetry. They are now seeking original poetry for their next issue Clash of the Tides.
They want poetry (40 lines or fewer) that explores the turbulent intersections of nature and human emotion. Poetry centered around change, power, and the profound highs and lows of human frustration. Send your confessional poetry that leans into extreme nature elements — oceans crashing against rocky mountains, rough peaks, gritty nature, dark soil, heavy rain, thunderstorms, and the emotional wreckage of a shipwreck.
Deadline: 30th June 2026 | Pay: None
Things to note:
All poems must be in English. Please proofread for spelling and grammar. If you use intentional variations, let them know during submission.
Language should be PG-13 or below. They do not allow excessive profanity, vulgarity, or explicit sexual content.
Poems: Maximum length is 40 lines; there is no minimum length.
File Format: Submissions should be in Portable Document Format (.pdf).
Font and Layout: Use 12-point Times New Roman or a similar standard font.
Spacing: Single-spaced text.
Title and Author Name: Include a bolded title at the top of the first page, include your name in italics.
Author Bio: If you’d like, you may include a third-person author bio (50 words or less), also in italics.
File Naming: Your file name should be your work’s title followed by your name in parentheses (e.g., “The Journey (Author Name).pdf”).
You can submit only one poem at a time using the form on the website.
They will respond to all submissions within one month after the submission window closes.
Archiving(dot)fashion journal is a yearly print magazine that critically engages with a select theme, as an anchor to understand our relationship with clothing, fashion and the African fashion landscape. The theme for their first journal issue is Spiritual Drip, and they’re inviting Nigerians and Ghanaians to submit manuscripts.
They are exploring the complexity of the relationship with religion (specifically Christianity) and clothing. How does faith shape our wardrobe in and outside religious contexts? Conversely, how does our wardrobe dictate our performance of faith? Beyond trends, what overlapping ideas are present in Nigerian and Ghanaian relationships with Christianity, fashion, and being?
Deadline: 1st July 2026, 11.59 PM WAT | Pay: $80-$100
Things to note:
They’re interested in stories informed not only by observation and critical analysis, but also by lived experience on the continent.
Personal, historical, communal, and contemporary stories that are exploratory and offer a better understanding of the Nigerian and Ghanaian experience are welcome, within these sub-themes:
Church in contemporary fashion design
Church style and larger culture
Church style and personhood
Writing that expands our understanding of how people use the affordances of digital technologies to signal and perform their [lack of] faith: In addition to the Dress Like Your Miracle trend of the Hallelujah Challenge, examples of story directions include using Christian religious style as an aesthetic to grow an online audience, using gospel music for get-ready-with-me videos, exploring AI as a style assistant, and poking fun at religious theatre.
For more details on the above sub-themes, see here
Anyone living in Nigeria or Ghana for at least 8 months in a year, can submit.
The subject line for your submission email be: [Pitch] [Submission Title]. For example: “[Pitch] The Devil Wears Kaunda”.
The following information should be in the body of your submission email:
Completed essay (or written submission) between 1,500 - 2,500 words in a Word Document
The city in Ghana or Nigeria where you live and work.
A paragraph describing why this story matters to you, what you’re aiming for with the story and how this fits into the larger theme of Spiritual Drip. They don’t expect you to be a Christian to write, but we’d love to know why you care about the story.
Send your submission to info@archiving.fashion
The LIPFest Craft and Development Lab is a four-month virtual program of craft and professional development for poets, spoken word artists, and writers from Nigeria, across Africa, and the diaspora. The Lab is designed for early- to mid-career writers with active projects in development: manuscripts, spoken word albums, poetry films, stage works, and other long-form creative work that requires sustained engagement, critique, and support. Ten poets will be selected.
Deadline: 3rd July 2026 | Prize: Free workshop
Things to note:
Participants will receive:
In-depth craft and career development sessions
One-on-one mentorship
Access to an experienced international faculty
A rigorous peer community
Portfolio Development Grant opportunities
Showcase opportunities connected to LIPFest and partner festivals
Writers must be comfortable working and receiving feedback in English.
To apply:
Submit a writing sample of two to three poems, or an equivalent passage of prose or spoken word script. Maximum 1,500 words combined (PDF).
A statement of purpose of 300 words. What are you working on? What do you need from this program? Be specific.
Complete the application form before the deadline. All applicants will be notified of the outcome by 6 July 2026, accepted, waitlisted, or not selected
The Heart2World Book Prize is dedicated to discovering and publishing a poetry collection by a Nigerian writer that explores everyday life and universal human experiences. The winner receives a comprehensive 1-year book publishing and marketing package with expert guidance — a full editorial journey from manuscript to bookshelf.
They are seeking commercial, accessible poetry that Explore everyday life and universal human experiences; Are clear and unpretentious, without being oversimplistic, plain, or one-dimensional, and feel cohesive and intentional.
Deadline: 5th August 2026 | Prize: N250,000 + Book Deal
Things to note:
Open to Nigerian writers residing in Nigeria.
Send an unpublished poetry manuscript. The collection must not have been previously published in full. Individual poems may have been published before.
Manuscript must not be under consideration elsewhere. Your manuscript must not be simultaneously submitted to any other prize, publisher, or contractual agreement.
You must be committed to the full 12-month process. The winner must be available and committed to the editorial, publishing, and marketing journey guided by industry experts.
Original collection of poems. All work must be entirely your own. AI-generated or plagiarised work will result in immediate disqualification.
Direct submissions only. All submissions and representations must be made directly by the author. Agents or third parties will not be accommodated.
Genre: Poetry only. No prose, fiction, or non-poetry submissions.We are ONLY accepting poetry submissions.
Language: Written in English.Other language references allowed with brief interpretations.
Prize covers 500 paperback copies only. After the initial run, the author may arrange reprints with Heart2World at their own cost.\
Submission must be:
Microsoft Word document (.doc / .docx)
Times New Roman, 12pt, single-spaced
Page 1: Manuscript title only
Page 2: Book Summary — 250 words maximum
Page 3: Author Bio — 100 words (min) to 250 words (max), written in the third person. Brief, factual, no promotional language.
Pages 4–5: Table of Contents
Pages 6–55: 30 poems (min) to 35 poems (max). Each poem must have a title.
To submit, click here.
Saraba Magazine is pleased to announce a new editorial initiative: The Revival Project. In the rush of the digital age, what is “new” and “exciting” often takes centre stage. Exceptional African writing that lives in limited-run print journals, behind expensive paywalls, or on now-defunct websites has become “dark matter” – it exists but cannot be seen, especially by those on the continent.
They are seeking submissions of previously published work (Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry) that is currently inaccessible online. They want the “hidden” gems: the essay from a 2009 print-only magazine issue, the short story tucked behind the paywall of a reputable literary journal, or the poem from a journal that has since folded.
Deadline: 31st August 2026 | Pay: None
Things to note:
Categories include:
The Nonfiction Edition: Long-form essays, memoirs, and cultural criticism.
The Fiction Edition: Short stories and novel excerpts.
The Poetry Edition: Single poems or a packet.
To qualify for The Revival Project, your submission must meet the following criteria:
Proof of Previous Publication: The work must have appeared in a recognised journal, magazine, or anthology.
Digital Inaccessibility: The work must not be available via a direct, free-to-read web link. This includes work that was: published exclusively in print, published in a digital issue (PDF/Flipbook) without a standalone web version, or published on a website that is no longer active.
Rights Status: You must currently hold the digital republication rights to the work. (Most standard contracts revert rights to the author after a specific period.)
Your submission must include:
A clean, digital copy of the work (Word or Google Doc preferred).
Original publication details (Name of publication, year, and format).
A short bio.
Confirmation that you hold the rights to republish the work.
To submit, click here.
Get the best opportunities straight to your inbox every Wednesday!
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.
Letter to Ma Chérie Ndeye | Nadia Ahidjo (Cameroon)
Ma chérie Ndeye,
I am at the kitchen table again. The one by the window that doesn’t quite close, the one that lets in dust and dusk in equal measure. The table bears its old scars, rings from glasses and the faint cut of a knife I never sanded down, as if leaving it there might help me remember what it was for. I’ve rolled my hair the way you used to, with pink and blue plastic moons wrapping black strands mixed with grey, clinging to my scalp like a promise I haven’t kept. A cigarette burns between my fingers. I don’t even like smoking anymore, but I like the way it slows my hands, gives me something to do while I remember how to breathe and how to write again. I ash the cigarette and watch it fall apart, a small, grey collapse that feels like it should have meaning.
Outside, the light tilts toward dawn; it is fajr already, and I can hear the mosques around the city echoing that familiar call to prayer, one after the other. “Come to success, prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep.” It feels like they are calling to me, calling me with empathy and grace, for the mess I didn’t clean…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ please fill this form.
Photo by Christian Agbede on Unsplash
The Struggles of My Skin | Esther Mutheu Johnson (Kenya)
Through the mirror lens, a shadow rests,
A tapestry woven with experiences
Too dark, they whisper in hushed judgemental tones.
Yet, beneath this facade, a story unfolds.
I was told to be comfortable in my own skin,
Yet comfort feels distant, a constant battle within.
Society parades its standards,
Where light is celebrated and darkness is dismissed…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ please fill this form.
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Îthîwa na mûthenya mûseo (May it be well with you—Kikuyu, Kenya)
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