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The Borderless Africa Feminist Writing Fellowship invites emerging and established feminist writers, journalists, storytellers, researchers, poets, creatives, and movement builders from across Africa to participate in a transformative learning and writing journey exploring the intersections of narrative sovereignty, knowledge justice, feminism, and African integration.
Under the theme: Narrative Sovereignty, Knowledge Justice, and Feminist Futures, This fellowship immerses fellows in sessions on Narrative sovereignty, Feminist storytelling, Knowledge justice, Pan-Africanism and free movement, and Writing for advocacy and social change.
Deadline: 20th July 2026 | Pay: Unstated stipend +publication
Things to note:
The fellowship will explore critical questions including:
Whose knowledge are we producing?
Whose narratives are we amplifying?
How do stories shape public perceptions of borders, migration, identity, and belonging?
What role can feminist storytelling play in advancing African integration?
How can we imagine and articulate a truly Borderless Africa?
Applicants should demonstrate:
Interest in feminist issues and social justice.
Commitment to African unity, mobility, citizenship, or Pan-Africanism.
Passion for storytelling, writing, research, or advocacy.
Willingness to participate fully in both the retreat and online learning sessions.
No prior publication record is required
The following are invited to apply: Feminist writers, journalists, bloggers, researchers, poets, creative writers, community storytellers, human rights defenders, students and young activists, digital storytellers and content creators.
Applicants may propose ideas related to: Narrative sovereignty; feminist knowledge production; free movement and mobility; citizenship and belonging; cross-border identities; women and migration; border communities; Pan-Africanism and integration; language, culture, and identity; digital storytelling and narrative change; feminist futures and speculative writing.
Submit via email to campaigns@africans-rising.org:
A short biography (maximum 250 words).
A statement of interest (maximum 500 words).
One writing sample
Rebecca Longtin, the commissioning editor for Gender Studies at Palgrave Macmillan, is actively seeking new book proposals from researchers in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, across a range of topics and formats, including: Monographs, Edited Volumes, Palgrave Pivots (short-form books, 25-50K words), Handbooks & major reference works, and Textbooks.
She is particularly interested in projects that take queer, feminist, transnational, intersectional, or interdisciplinary approaches—but welcomes innovative ideas across the field.
Deadline: Rolling | Pay: Book deal
Things to note:
You can email her to share your book idea or request a proposal form: rebecca.longtin@palgrave-usa.com
Intrepid Times is a travel magazine looking to publish at least one travel piece about every country. They have been publishing narrative travel writing with heart since 2014. This call for pitches is aimed at experienced travel writers with a couple of clippings to their name. If you are new to travel writing, consider waiting for their next call for submissions in September.
Deadline: 15th August 2026 | Pay: Up to $500
Things to note:
Please pitch us a true travel story of 1800-2500 words. “This is our only criterion. We do not care about keywords or trending topics. We want the travel story that you feel you need to tell. Please pitch a specific, self-contained story, not an overview or summary of multiple experiences, nor essay”—Intrepid
Ensure your pitch includes:
The location of your story
The narrative arc / story structure in brief
A brief bio of you including clippings and social media, if relevant
Before proceeding, please ensure that you have read and agreed with their AI Travel Writing Policy.
Please use the subject line: Professional pitch [Your story title] and send your pitch to editor@intrepidtimes.com
Fahmidan comes out four times a year online. “Send your thought-provoking existentialism, your phobias, your darkest moments. Entrance with your whimsical fantasy. Move to tears with your truth in a world of suffering.”—Fahmidan
Deadline: Rolling basis | Pay: $35 per piece
How to submit:
This is an English language journal. However, submissions partially containing other languages are very much welcome but they do not publish translations.
Send only accept unpublished work that has not appeared in any publicly-accessible forum or otherwise.
Please only submit once per submission category at a time.
No AI generated work.
Poetry: Submit up to 3 Poems.
Poems should be no longer than 3 A4 pages but they’re open to diverse formats as.
Poems should be single-spaced and each begin on a new page. Please clearly indicate when a poem goes beyond one page.
Short Fiction and Non-Fiction: Submit one piece of between 1000 and 2500 words.
Flash Fiction and Non-Fiction: Submit up to two pieces of no more than 800 words.
Click here to submit.
TalkDeath is looking for greats reads on anything from bereavement, grief support, the funeral industry, death positivity and anything related to death. “They are especially seeking stories from those who can speak to death practices and traditions from equity deserving groups, the Global South, and Indigenous writers.”—TWJN (source)
Deadline: Rolling | Prize: From $160
Things to note:
They are open to pitches on any number of stories, topics and themes. Some include:
Evidence-based articles around timely issues related to death and dying;
Perspectives and opinions from/about marginalized and underrepresented voices;
“Explainer” articles of historical or cultural significance;
Personal narratives, which would appeal to a wide audience.
Submit a pitch in the body of an email. Write a paragraph or two describing
a) the topic you’d like to write about and the basic points you want to make;
b) any personal or professional experience you have that qualifies you to write about this topic.
You can send completed drafts as well. If submitting a draft, please send an email with a Word file or link to a Google Doc file. See our Submission Guidelines for Writers for more information.
Use this form to pitch.
Send this to a writer who needs a boost 🙌🏾
Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ: Stories from Another Home is a collection of stories exploring the lived experiences of Nigerians born in, migrated to, or living in Northern Nigeria who are originally from other regions of the country. Book O’Clock invites submissions from writers whose lives reflect this duality and whose experiences meaningfully inform their creative work. The genres in focus include essays, short stories and poetry.
Deadline: 31st August 2026 | Pay: N20,000 + contributor copy
Things to note:
Prose (essays and short stories): A maximum of 1000 words.
Poetry: A maximum of 20 lines.
Only one submission per writer is allowed.
Submissions should follow the following formatting: 12-point Times New Roman, double line spacing for essays/short stories, and single line spacing for poetry.
Entries are to be sent as attached DOCX files to the following email address: submittobookoclock@gmail.com.
The subject of the submission email should read “Submission: Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ — (insert genre & surname).
Attach a bio of no more than 100 words that also includes your state of origin and the Northern Nigerian city your work reflects.
You will get a confirmation email from Book O’Clock within 24 hours of your submission.
Given the project’s sensitivity and niche focus, the collection is edited by creatives with similar backgrounds. Northern Nigeria-based writer and editor Ifeanyichukwu Eze will serve as editor, with Uchenna Emelife, founder of Book O’clock and the director of the Sokoto Book and Arts Festival, as co-editor.
Torch Literary Arts seeks original creative work by Black women writers. They are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what Black women’s contemporary writing should be. Accepted submissions will be published in their Friday Features.
Deadline: Rolling basis | Pay: $150
Things to note:
Include a one (1) page cover letter noting the title(s) of the work(s) submitted and a brief bio. The cover letter page does not contribute to the overall page count.
Note: Submissions without a cover letter may not be read.
Upload your text submission as a Word (DOC, DOCX) or portable document format (PDF).
Typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced) pages.
Numbered pages.
Margins should be between 1” and 1.5”.
Poetry: submit up to five (5) poems totaling no more than eight (8) pages.
Fiction, Creative Nonfiction: 12-point font. No more than fifteen (15) pages or 3500 words (whichever is achieved first). Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.
They want CNF that is thought-provoking, engaging, and personal. Please see the following examples for the type of creative nonfiction we publish:
Brittany Rogers, “Before Uses of the Erotic”
Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, “Two Traumatic Births Changed My Experience of Motherhood”
Drama/Screenwriting: submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than fifteen (15) pages. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained. Indicate if a performance video or dramatic audio reading will be available with the text submission if selected.
Yarnz is a literary and cultural magazine rooted in West African life, language, and imagination, published online and in print. They are seeking stories, essays, poems, cultural criticism, photo essays, and linguistic explorations. “We’re looking for works that challenge well-established ideas. Send us pieces that make us pause to reflect: work that helps us see old patterns through new lenses. We are generally excited about ideas that are fresh and surprising. Works can be written in English, Pidgin or a blend.”—Yarnz
Deadline: 1st September 2026 | Compensation: $10
Things to note:
Attach work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) or PDF
Use standard fonts and double spacing (except for poetry)
Include a short bio (max 80 words) and your social media handle. We ask that you follow us on social media as well. This makes it easy to find you when posting about your work.
You email subject line should follow this format: ‘lastname_firstname_category’
Creative Nonfiction & Essays
This may include personal essays, cultural, social, and political criticism, and reported features. Well-structured cultural and social commentary, and analysis (Afrobeats, literature, movies, etc.).
Word count: No word count.
They value essays that explore West African metaphors, music, memory, movement, imagination, and meaning-making.
Pitch them at pitches@yarnzmag.com
Fiction: send short stories, literary or experimental fiction with strong voice and rooted settings.
Send to fiction@yarnzmag.com
Poetry
Up to 3 poems per submission
Send submissions to poetry@yarnzmag.com
Visual Essays, Art & Photo Stories
High-resolution images (4-10), accompanied by a short artist statement or narrative (150–500 words)
Send submissions to art@yarnzmag.com
Afreada is inviting fiction submissions from African writers. They’re drawn to slice-of-life, literary fiction that allows readers to travel — across the continent and throughout the diaspora — experiencing different places, cultures, and perspectives through the ordinary dramas of daily life. However, they are not the right home for genre-led fiction such as crime, horror, thriller, fantasy, or sci-fi.
Deadline: Rolling | Pay: £100
Things to note:
Send stories of 2,500 words and above, though they remain open to exceptional short stories of any length.
Please format your document in Times New Roman, 12pt, with double spacing throughout.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please withdraw your work from consideration if accepted elsewhere.
All published work is subject to an editorial process, and they work closely with writers to shape the final piece.
Selected stories may be adapted for audio, but they will always seek permission before any adaptation.
To submit, fill the form on this page.
Grief and loss are as universal as life and death. They are footnotes punctuating our moments of joy and happiness and love. “So, what losses have shaped you? What grief has remade you? What painful moments still throb beneath the surface, waiting to be named? The Lagos Review invites you to write them – boldly, honestly, unflinchingly, powerfully.”—TLR
Deadline: Rolling | Pay: Up to $750
Things to note:
They are calling for essays up to 1,500 words on loss and grief in all their forms. Not just the grief of death, but the grief of living:
The loss of freedom through incarceration, kidnapping, or injustice.
The ache of migration: leaving home, losing home, searching for home.
The sting of missed opportunities, failed chances, vanished dreams.
The devastation of pregnancy loss, domestic or intimate partner violence.
Systemic discrimination based on race, tribe or ethnicity.
The heartbreak of losing a parent, a child, a partner, a friend or even a stranger whose story pierced you.
AI produced essays will not be considered
Fiction will not be considered.
Email submissions to: submissions@thelagosreview.ng
Submissions will be received on a rolling basis from June to December 2026
Payment: $250 per published essay (paid 1 month after publication)
Additional opportunity: The top 12 published essays may be compiled into a collection and published in book form with a one-off royalty of $500 dollars.
Click here to submit an opportunity.
Baba | Dismas Okombo (Kenya)
Baba’s grave is bare and ugly. A miserable mound of hard earth covered in dry eucalyptus leaves and surrounded by a few scattered stones. For eight years, seven months and twenty-eight days, nothing has grown on or near the grave. Not even the daffodils mama and I plant on his anniversaries — flowers that dwindle in the August rains to wilt and die under the fiery January sun. Our mistake was placing baba’s remains in a cement vault first and then topping the grave with soil. Had we put him directly into the ground, directly into the warm earth, his rotting corpse would be providing excellent nutrients for the daffodils.
Forgive me, my brother, I am the one who suggested the cement vault. The ugliness of baba’s grave is on me. But you, our baba’s first strength…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ please fill this form.
Photo by Qwerqu McBrew on Unsplash
A poem where I play and backward my sorrow | Abdulbasit Oluwanishola (Nigeria)
Yes, I shed the last tears in my eyes at my dad’s departure. Yes, last night, my eyes were the sky & the earth was flooded. Yes, there was no s preceding X’s words. Yes, X’s words pierced & slashed my heart. Yes, I had promised a bluebird wings. Yes, wings are irrelevant to a caged bird. Yes, my body never harbors darkness…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ please fill this form.
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Gigi odhi maber (May your things go well--Luo, Kenya)
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