The deadline for the Morland Writing Scholarship is 31st October 2013.  

Up to 3 grants of £18,000 (paid monthly over the course of a year) will be awarded to early career writers to enable them to pursue their work.  Writers should submit a brief proposal outlining what they intend to write (500 words) and a sample of previously published work.  Entries will be judged by a panel of Ellah Allfrey, Olufemi Terry and Nadifa Mohamed.

The Scholarships are open to anyone who has been born in Africa or both of whose parents were born in Africa.  Full details of how to apply here

The 2014 Commonwealth Short Story Prize is open for entry between 1st October and 30th November 2013.

Awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000-5,000 words) in English. Short stories translated into English are also eligible.

Regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize will receive £2,500 and the overall winner receives £5,000. Translators of winning stories will receive additional prize money.

Entries are eligible from the following African countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.

The judges are Ellah Allfrey (Chair), Doreen Baingana, Courttia Newland, Marlon James, Michelle De Kretser and Jeet Thayil.

For entry rules and the online entry form, visit: www.commonwealthwriters.org/prizes

Cordite Books has a call for submissions open between 7th August and 30th November 2013.

Cordite Books, an imprint of Lagos, Nigeria based Parrésia Publishers Ltd, is calling on African writers of quality Crime Fiction to submit manuscripts. The winning manuscript will be published by Cordite Books and will receive a US$1,000 prize. Edited by award winning author, Helon Habila, Cordite intends to tap into a growing market for spy and crime fiction in Africa.

Submissions are welcome from published or unpublished authors; submission must be in the crime fiction genre; by an African author; set at least partly in Africa and be between sixty to eighty thousand words in length. Winners will be selected by the Editor. In addition to a publishing contract, the winning manuscript will get a cash prize of $1,000 (covering an advance on royalties). Two runners-up will get cash prizes.

Find information on how to submit here.

The deadline for the 2014 Caine Prize is 31st January 2014.

The Prize is awarded to a short story by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere. Indicative length is between 3000 and 10,000 words.

There is a cash prize of £10,000 for the winning author and a travel award for each of the short-listed candidates (up to five in all). The shortlisted candidates will also receive a Prize of £500.

There is no application form. Submissions should be made by publishers, in the form of six original published copies of the work for consideration.

This is the first time the Caine Prize will award £500 to each shortlisted writer.  Dr Lizzy Attree, the Prize’s Administrator stated that ‘this latest development reflects the Caine Prize’s commitment to recognising the skills and artistry required to produce great fiction and rewarding writers appropriately for their work.’ Every shortlisted story is also published in the annual Caine Prize anthology alongside twelve stories written at the annual workshop held in Africa.

Find information on how to enter here.

Categories: Calls for & opportunities

Tags: Africa, African literature, African writer, Caine Prize, Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Cordite Books, Ellah Allfrey, Kate Haines, literary prize, Miles Morland, Parresia, Writing Scholarship