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Deadline: 1 March 2011

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

Established in 1996, the competition aims to increase understanding and appreciation of Commonwealth cultures and promote rising literary talents. The competition calls for entries that are original, unpublished, in English, no more than 600 words in length and on any subject.

The winner receives a prize of £2000 and there are four regional prizes of £500.

In 2011 there will also be two special prizes of £500 each; one for the best short story for children and the other for the best short story about this year’s Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’.

The 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition is open for entry via this website from 15 January to 1 March 2011.

Deadline: 1 March 2011

Entering the Commonwealth Short Story Competition is a four-step process.

1) Read the eligibility and entry rules

All Commonwealth citizens aged 19 or over are invited to enter the 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition. See below.

2) Write your short story

Click here if you would like to learn more about writing a short story for radio.

3) Complete the online entry form

Entries will only be accepted via the online entry form. If you have problems entering your story online, click here to get in touch with us.

4) Receive a confirmation email

When you have completed the entry form, you will receive an email confirming that your entry has been received and providing a reference number. This number should be quoted in any correspondence with the Commonwealth Foundation.

Eligibility and entry guidelines

About the scheme

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. Entries will be judged in the five Commonwealth regions by authors, broadcasters, academics and former Commonwealth Short Story prize-winners. We will award an overall prize of £2,000 and four regional prizes of £500. Additionally, there will be two special prizes of £500 each; one for the best short story for children and the other for the best story about this year’s Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’. A further 19 highly commended entries will receive a payment of £100. All winning and highly commended entries will be included on the 2011 winners’ CD.

Timetable

The deadline for receipt of entries is 1 March 2011. Judging will take place between March and May 2011. All winning entrants will be notified by 31 May 2011. The results of the Competition will be announced in September 2011. The 2011 Commonwealth Short Stories CD will be published in September 2011.

Eligibility

• Entrants must be citizens of a Commonwealth country.

For a list of Commonwealth countries, visit: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/Aboutus/TheCommonwealth/Commonwealthcountries
• Entrants must be aged 19 years or over.

Terms and conditions of entry

• Only one story will be accepted per entrant. Should an entrant submit more than one story, the competition administrators will only accept the first entry.
•Stories should be entered in one of the three categories: General Entry, Short Story for Children or a story on the 2011 Commonwealth theme, ’Women as Agents of Change’. All stories will be considered for the overall and regional prizes.
• The story must be the entrant’s own work.
• The story must be original and should not have been previously published anywhere in full or in part.
• All entries must be in English.
• Entries should be 600 words or less.
• Entries will only be accepted via the online entry form.
• The deadline for receipt of entries is 1 March 2011.
• The competition administrators reserve the right to disqualify any competition entry which does not meet the conditions. No correspondence will be entered into in this regard.
• Entries will not be returned.
• The names of the winners will be published in the magazines and websites of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and the Commonwealth Foundation.
• Winners will retain the copyright but assign broadcasting rights (including audio on demand and sale on audio media), publication rights and rights to use the stories for press and promotional purposes, including via the internet, for ten years to the programme partners (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and its members, and the Commonwealth Foundation). These rights are non-exclusive.
• Winning and highly commended entries will be included on the 2011 winners’ CD (published in September 2011) and may be mentioned in any associated publicity materials or press releases.

Submit here.

Top-paying writing job(s):

This list is provided daily and entries are not recycled. We review all writing job/contest announcements and calls for submissions daily and include those offering decent payment to writers.

1. From Knit Today, topic: craft, pays $375 per work

2. From Full House, topic: holiday stories, pays $150 per work

3. From Craigslist, topic: technology and business, pays $120 per work

4. From Craigslist, topic: personal, pays $50 per work

5. From Thriving Family, topic: family, pays $50 per work

6. From BizReef, topic: academic, pays $16.67 per work

7. From Craigslist, topic: products, pays $15 per work

8. From Odesk, topic: beauty, pays $15 per work

9. From ProBlogger, topic: home and garden, pays $15 per work

10. From Problogger, topic: art, painting, pays $10 per work

Note: To make rates comparable, we have converted them to 400-word rate (standard one-page article, double-spaced). Please click on the site link to see actual pay rates.

Free Writing Competition(s):

1. American Heritage Scholarship Series, essay, prize: $10000, deadline: 31 March 2011

2. Creative Loafing's Annual Fiction Contest, short story, prize: $1000, deadline: 31 August 2011

3. Amazing Travel Stories, travel articles, prize: $500, deadline: 30 September 2010

4. 2011 Sylvia K. Burack Writing Award (for students), essay, prize: $500, deadline: 19 November 2010

5. Sylvan Writing Contest (for students), essay, prize: $300, deadline: 29 October 2010

6. Life of St. Francis of Assisi, essay, prize: $100, deadline: 29 October 2010

7. Tis The Season Writing Contes, short story, prize: $100, deadline: 30 September 2010

8. Christmas Writing Contest, short story, prize: $20, deadline: 23 November 2010

Note: All prizes are converted to US dollars or valued as such in case of prizes in kind. Check the site for actual prizes.

Paying Market(s):

1. The Mothman Files, short story, payment: $0.05 per word, deadline: open

2. Riddle Fence, short story, payment: $30 per story, deadline: open

3. The New Writer, short story, payment: $15 per story, deadline: 1 July 2011

4. Gloaming Magazine, short story/nonfiction, payment: $0.01 per word, deadline: open

5. The New Writer, poetry, payment: $7.5 per poem, deadline: open

6. Gloaming Magazine, poetry, payment: $5 per poem, deadline: open

Deadline: 21 March 2011

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

2011 Bessie Head Literature Awards (sponsored by Pentagon Publishers) for Novel, Short Story, and Poetry

The Bessie Head Heritage Trust and Pentagon Publishers announce prizes in literature, three prizes to be awarded each for novel, short story, and poetry. Residents and citizens of Botswana are invited to submit manuscripts on any topic in one of the above categories. Categories are defined according to standard literary characteristics, and are limited to the following lengths :

Novel at least 40,000 words; no upper limit
Short Story up to 10,000 words / 10 pages
Poetry a set of one to three poems

Your submission must adhere to the following criteria:

1. Your work must be original, unpublished and not submitted to any publisher.

2. Your manuscript must be in English and be thoroughly revised and proofread.

3. Your manuscript must be typed or printed. Handwritten entries are not accepted.

4. You must submit four copies of your work by post. Photocopies are fine.

5. Do not send more than one manuscript (novel, short story, or poetry). You may submit exactly one entry per year of the contest.

6. Do not submit a school assignment; school projects are not accepted.

7. Your submission must include a cover page with this information: (a) your real name (no pen names are accepted), (b) your postal or email address, (c) one or two phone numbers for contacting you, (d) a title for your work, and (e) a clear statement of the category of the work (“novel”, “short story”, or “poetry”).

The first page of the manuscript itself – not the cover page – must also clearly state the category and title of the manuscript .

8. Except for the cover page, your entry must not have your name on it. Judges will judge all manuscripts blindly; i.e. they must not be able to identify the authors.

9. Your entry must be accompanied by one photocopy of your Omang or your passport and residence certificate (these photocopies need not be certified).

10. You must enter your work yourself. A publisher or friend may not submit it for you.

11. Deadline: All entries must be postmarked by 21 March 2011 and received no later than 31 March 2011.

Any submission that does not follow the above criteria will be disqualified.

You are advised that you may be asked to authenticate your work, and you should not destroy any drafts, including the first one, since you may be asked to produce them.

Contestants may only win once in any category in any four-year period (if you win a prize, you are not allowed to enter in the same category again for three years). The 2011 cash prizes are as follows:

Novel: First prize P2500, 1st runner-up P1200, 2nd runner-up P800

Short Story: P1500, P900, P600

Poetry: P1200, P800, P500

Post — not email — your cover page, identification, and four copies of your manuscript to

Bessie Head Literature Awards
P.O. Box 70401
Gaborone

If you wish to receive an acknowledgement that your entry has been received, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Winners and details of the prize-giving ceremony to be announced in mid-June 2011 on the website www.bessiehead.org.

Queries to bessiehead@gmail.com or visit www.bessiehead.org/awards/FAQ-Lit-Awards.htm.

Winners are barred for three years from again submitting manuscripts in the same category, though they may enter other categories. Bessie Head Heritage Trust members, Pentagon Publisher employees, contest judges, and members of their families are prohibited from entering. Pentagon Publishers reserves the right to publish prize-winning manuscripts and to evaluate the other manuscripts for publication. It acknowledges the rights of copyright in the manuscript and the lawfulness of the copyright holder's rights and title to these rights.

Deadline: 15 July 2011

THE SHORT STORY COMPETITION CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Intwasa Short Story Competition is an annual literary event seeking to promote original creative writing talent in both English and Isindebele. The competition has two awards; the Yvonne Vera award for best short story in English and the N. S. Sigogo award for best short story in isindebele. The prize for each award will be $500.

There is also a junior section of the competition open to high school students in Zimbabwe. The prizes for the junior sections will be $200 for each award.

The English Award is named after the late Dr. Yvonne Vera who is arguable one of the best writers writing in English to emerge out of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe as a whole. The Ndebele award is named after Ndabezinhle S. Sigogo. Mr. N. S. Sigogo was a prolific writer and probably the most published Ndebele writer with over two dozen publication to his name.

The Short Story Competition is supported by Hivos, Africalia Belgium, Rural Libraries and Resources Development Programme (RLRDP) and Turn Up College.

The deadline for submission for the short story competition is 15 July 2011. Adult stories should not be more than 3000 words. The maximum words for junior stories should be 1500. Stories can be sent to Info@Intwasa.org or Info.intwasa@gmail.com. Hard copies can be sent to Intwasa at 403 Fourth Floor, LAPF House, 8th Avenue and Jason Moyo Street. Bulawayo . Stories should be clearly marked Senior or Junior Section.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: Info@Intwasa.org

For submissions: Info@Intwasa.org

Website: http://www.intwasa.org/

Deadline: 15 September 2010

All Ghanaian writers are invited to submit a short story to our first ever competition. With an entry fee of GHC 0.00 or US$0.00 or GBP 0.00, if you’ve had a story lying around gathering dust, you can’t afford to miss this opportunity to win US$100.00 if you come in First Place!!!

YES, THE AUTHOR OF THE WINNING STORY GETS $100!!!!

Official Fiction Short Story Contest Rules:

This contest is open to Ghanaians living in Ghana or overseas. We expect a Ghanaian angle in the story either in the setting or in the characterization. Short fiction story must be 2500 words max. (Based on a typical MS Word page, this should amount to 4-5 pages, double space, 12 pt, Times Roman). Please do not submit stories for children. All entries must be in English (duh!)

All short fiction contest entries will be accepted between Aug 1, 2010 to Sept 15th, 2010….and we mean it. Not Sept 16th, not a week after but on SEPT 15TH. We will not open any email after this date. Entry fee is FREE!!!! You may enter the short fiction contest with only one story. All work must be original, unpublished, and the sole property of the person submitting. First place short fiction story will be published on this website and depending on the total number of entries; a number of honorable mentions will appear on this site. The shortlisted authors will be notified by 20th September 2010 and the winner announced on the 24th September 2010. The winner will be notified by email prior to publication. Please notify us if your short fiction contest entry is no longer eligible for publication. Decision of the judges is final and to allow them to do an uninhibited job, we cannot divulge the names of the judges until the contest is over. However, be assured that those reading your manuscripts love books and have some experience with the business of publishing! How to Enter?

Send your short fiction contest entry (Word or RTF attachment) to ghanawrites@yahoo.com In the Subject line of your email, be sure to put the Author Last name (you) and the Title of your short fiction contest submission. Please do not put your name anywhere on the actual manuscript; this will allow us to conduct a blind assessment. The only identifier on your manuscript should be your title.

Deadline: 30 September 2010

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SOUTH AFRICA
SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010 RULES

There are two sections which may be entered with prize money as follows :

General section : 1 - R 750.00 2 - R500.00 3 - R250.00
South African section : 1 - R1000.00 2 - R500.00 3 - R300.00

SFSA reserves the right not to award prizes if, in the opinion of the final judge, the standard does not warrant it. The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The SA section prize is sponsored by World Wide Worx (http://www.worldwideworx.com)

1. All entries must be the original, unpublished and not previously prize-winning work of the author, and MUST be either SCIENCE FICTION or FANTASY .

2. All entries must be accompanied by a completed entry form. However the author's name MUST NOT appear on the manuscript.

3. All entries must be in English prose and must be between 2000 (two thousand) and 5000 (five thousand) words in length.

4. All entries must be typed or printed, double-spaced, printed on one side of the paper only and bound (with staples, paperclips, folder, etc.). No hand-written entries will be accepted. No manuscripts will be returned so please do not send originals.

5. Entrants will be judged on: Presentation, Characterisation, Dialogue, Plot, Grammar & Spelling, Writing Quality & Style, Appeal.

6. Fees. The total fee comprises an admin fee of R15.00, PLUS an entry fee for EACH story entered, PLUS a critique fee (optional ) of R25 per story. The admin fee of R15.00 is paid only once, no matter how many stories are entered. For members, the entry fee is R5.00 per story submitted; for non-members, the entry fee is R10.00 per story submitted. If a short, written critique is requested, an additional fee of R25 is charged for EACH critiqued story.

7. The closing date is midnight of 30 September 2010 (envelopes postmarked before this date and time will be accepted). Post entries to :

SFSA Short Story Competition
c/o Gavin Kreuiter
P.O. Box 8022
Edenglen
1613

8. If acknowledgment of receipt of entries is required, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope, or provide an email address and request a receipt. SFSA does not accept liability for entries lost in the post. No registered letters will be accepted.

9. Entrants will be notified of the results of the competition approximately 5 months after the closing date, provided that a second self-addressed stamped envelope (or an e-mail address) is enclosed for this purpose.

10. SFSA reserves the right to publish any story free of charge in the club’s magazine “Probe”, or in the club’s “Best of…” short story collection, but the copyright will remain with the author. (If possible, please keep the electronic version of the entry, as entrants may be asked to send this to
SFSA for publishing.)

11. Additionally, should there be enough entrants under 18 with a suitable quality of work, an award will be made to the best author in this category.

SFSA in collaboration with Writers of the Future ( www.writersofthefuture.com ) is promoting Science Fiction and Fantasy writing in South Africa. Please contact SFSA or WOTF for further details.

Deadline: 29 April 2011

READ International, a student-led educational charity that distributes textbooks to secondary schools in East Africa, is delighted to announce the official launch of the 2011 Read for READ Anthology Competition, on World Book Day, 3rd March.

The Read for READ Anthology 2011 is a unique short story competition for young, socially motivated aspiring writers, and will be launched with support from the British Library. To celebrate the endless possibilities that can derive from a single book, the theme of the anthology this year is ‘The Book Effect’, and will be a collection of stories that focus on inspiration and motivation.

Entrants can submit their story for free in the Read for READ competition, get the chance to have it judged by some of the best in the industry and be published in the anthology alongside established authors and other aspiring writers. Writers that get through to the second round of the competition will have their stories published on the READ website and will battle it out for public votes. Each vote token will cost 50 pence, the cost for READ International of sending a book to a child in Africa.

As Rob Wilson, founder of READ International, says ‘It never costs READ International more than 50 pence to move one book from a UK classroom into the hands of a Tanzanian or Ugandan school child or teacher’. With over three thousand pounds raised by voting cast by the public in 2010, the Read for READ anthology raised the potential to send 1500 books to East Africa. demonstrating how a love of reading and writing in the UK can directly enable more reading and writing amongst students in East Africa.

In anticipation of sending our one millionth book to East Africa this year, the Read for READ Anthology completes the circle of young aspiring writers and global citizens encouraging a new generation of readers and writers to become more socially engaged.

Sonny Leong founder of Cavendish Publishing and Hon. President of the IPG said, “The Read for READ competition is an aspiring initiative for anyone who wants to put pen to paper, realising a dream to be published and at the same time helping thousands of East African students reach their potential.”

Guidelines:

Do you love to write? Have you always dreamt of having your work published?

READ International is offering a once in a lifetime chance to make the dreams of aspiring writers a reality.

What is Read for READ?

Read for READ 2011 is READ International's second annual exciting story competition aimed at young, aspiring writers. It will be launched on World Book Day 2011 on Thursday 3rd March, supported by The British Library, and will result in the production of a published anthology bringing together the work of aspiring and established authors.

By entering the competition, young aspiring writers will have the chance to have their writing judged by some of the best in the industry, be published in an exciting short story anthology alongside established authors whilst helping raise valuable funds to improve education in Tanzania and Uganda, inspiring the next generation of young global citizens.

How can I enter?

The theme of the competition this year is ‘The Book Effect’.

At the heart of READ International’s work in the UK and East Africa is the potential for books and education to empower, motivate and inspire young people to achieve development, drive their communities forward and make change in their world. In this competition we would like you, as aspiring writers, to write a short story on this theme. It can be the subject of the writing itself or the characters within which create 'The Book Effect' and it is up to you to explore this in your entry. Be creative as you want with the theme, and then put pen to paper and enter it into our competition for free, starting your own 'Book Effect'.

For some inspiration and to see our own take on ‘The Book Effect’ click here.

To enter, write a short story of no more than 5000 words and be as creative as you like! Enter between the launch of the competition on 3rd March and the closing date on 29th April 2011. You can enter online by filling in the online Submission Form here or by sending in your printed typescript story to us, along with a signed Postal Entry Form, to READ International, 39-41 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London, SE5 9NR.

Who can enter?

Anybody over the age of 16 from anywhere in the world can enter the competition.

How does it work?

Writers that get through the initial story screening will have their stories published on the READ website for 2 months, from 10th May until 10th July 2011 and will battle it out for public votes. There are no limits to the amount of votes that can be cast, and each vote token will cost 50 pence, the cost for READ International to send one book to a school student in East Africa.

The ten stories with the most votes will then go through to the final, where our panel of expert judges will pick the winners who will be published in our Read for READ Anthology 2011 alongside stories donated by established and successful authors.

Our panel of established judges includes Scarlett Thomas, an established novelist and short story writer whose works have been translated into more than 20 languages. Shortlisted for the South African Boeke Prize and longlisted for the Orange Prize, Scarlett now teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent, and is working on her ninth novel, The Seed Collectors'. Further judges are currently being confirmed.

How can I increase my chances of winning the competition?

Provided your story makes it to the second round you will have a great chance to influence whether or not your story makes it through to the final round to be read and judged by some of the most experienced members of the publishing and literary world. It's in your hands!

You can use Read for READ as a platform to promote your work. Harness the power of social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo and Myspace, and get everyone you know, from friends, to your mum, to your next-door-neighbour, to visit the site and vote for your story.

What is the prize?

Our panel of judges will pick three winning stories from the ten most-voted-for stories that make it to the final. The prize will be publication of the winner’s stories in the Read for READ Anthology, alongside stories donated by established authors.

The anthology will be promoted and sold through our partner organisations, including expert online book seller Better World Books.

Our supporters at the British Library will host a celebratory event to honour the winners. The winners will also have the chance to meet the judges and established authors at this event.

For more details please have a look at the competition terms and conditions.

Any queries? Contact abi.colley@readinternational.org.uk

Submissions form >>

Deadline: 30 April 2011
Contact: info@emgeepublishing.com

Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in Nigeria's literary history occupies a most prominent place, having produced almost all of the giants in Nigerian Literature, e.g., Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, John Pepper Bekederemo Clark, Femi Osofisan, Bode Sowande, Akinwunmi Ishola, to mention just a few!

But despite its huge contribution to Nigerian Literature, there's no major Literature prize coming out of Ibadan. This is what informed the inauguration of the IBADAN LITERATURE PRIZE.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Ibadan Literature Prize is the brainchild of EMGEE PUBLISHING LIMITED-a new publishing kid on the block with a difference. Emgee Publishing Limited, based in Ibadan, which is also the publishing capital of Nigeria, aims to give a new fillip to Nigerian literature and promote reading culture, particularly among young Nigerians.

WIN US$4,000

A total prize of US$4,000 is up for grabs in four categories of Nigerian literature.

Each category carries a prize of US$1,000.

CATEGORIES

The categories where writers can enter for prizes are:

i. Short Story
ii. Children’s Story
iii. Story in Yoruba language, and
iv. Story in Hausa language

WINNERS

Three winners will emerge in each category, and US$1,000 prize in each category will be shared by the three winners in the following proportions:

1. First Prize – US$500
2. Second Prize – US$300
3. Third Prize – US$200

In addition the winners will receive a plaque each.

Download FREE Entry Form Here

CONSOLATION PRIZES

Seven consolation prizes of CERTIFICATE OF HONOURABLE MENTION will be given to seven other entries in each category.

AWARD CEREMONY

The prizes will be presented to the winners at a glamorous ceremony in Ibadan which will involve readings of the winning entries, music and drama.

PUBLISHING DEAL

All the winning entries will also be published by Emgee Publishing Limited. The entries in the short story, Yoruba and Hausa languages categories will be published in three separate anthologies, while the children story winners may be published a book per story.

ROYALTY

The authors whose stories are published will, in addition to the prizes they won, be paid royalties yearly based on the sales performance of the books in the market.

JUDGES

All entries in each category will be assessed by a panel of competent judges comprising eminent literati who shall be barred from entering for the competition.

DEADLINE

The deadline for the submission of all entries is April 30, 2011.

The competition shall be a yearly event and, April 30 of every year will be the deadline for the submission of entries.

Download FREE Entry Form Here

ENTRY FEES

Participants will pay a two thousand five hundred naira only (=N=2,500) entry fee for each category.

A writer can enter more than one story for any category or for two or more of the four categories. In which case, the writer must pay =N=2,500.(two thousand five hundred Naira only) separately for each story entered.

For example, if a writer is entering for both the short story and children’s story categories or is entering two stories for the children story category, (s)he’s expected to pay =N=5,000 and if (s)he’s entering stories for all the four categories, (s)he’s expected to pay =N=10,000.

HOW TO PAY

Entry fees should be paid into the account of:

Account name: EMGEE PUBLISHING LIMITED
Account Number (GTBank: 402/489 454/110),

Or

Account Name: Emgee and Associates Limited
Account Number: (WEMA Bank: 040 108 620 7219)

ENTRY DETAILS

Once the payment has been made, the entry and payment details- i.e. Your story, teller number, amount paid, date of payment and branch where payment is made should be sent to:

a. info@emgeepublishing.com

or

b. mganiyy@emgeepublishing.com

or

c. mganiyy@gmail.com

If you prefer to send in your entry by post (through snail mail), you can do to the following address:

Emgee Publishing Limited,
P. O. Box 21123,
Ibadan, Oyo State
Nigeria.

NB: sending your entries and details through email is preferred.

FREE ENTRY FORM

You can also download FREE Entry form Here

No entry would be entertained without the evidence of payment of entry fees.

Late entries will not be considered.

Muda Ganiyu
(President/Publisher)
Emgee Publishing Limited,
Plot 20/21 Ogunmola Layout,
Believer's Quarters
Osajin, Apete
P.O. Box 21123, U.I. Post Office 200005
Ibadan, Oyo State
NIGERIA
È+234 803 049 7997

Deadline: 31 March 2011

Open for Entries

This competition is to acknowledge excellence in creative writing in the Short Story genre. The contest is open to any emerging writer residing in South Africa.

PRIZES: Win an iPad

* First prize: An Apple iPad plus entry into one of our short courses
* Second Prize: R2000

Top two entries will be published on our college site and the top five winners will receive individual editorial comments on their submitted works.

DEADLINE: 31 March 2011, via e-mail only to Nichola@sawriterscollege.co.za.

Entry is free.

THEME: Moving On

GUIDELINES FOR ENTRIES:

* Entry is limited to South African residents only.
* Entrants must submit a story of maximum word count: 2000 words. Any entries exceeding the word count by 50 words will not be considered.
* We only accept stories from writers who have not been published in any genre, in any professional publication (for payment or otherwise). The only exception is if you have written articles for community or work newsletters where the circulation is under 1000.
* Stories must not have been previously published. Entrants must own full copyright to the story submitted.
* Only one story per entrant is allowed.
* Only e-mail submissions are acceptable, with stories attached as Word Documents. Mark your entry clearly with the subject line: SAWC Annual Short Story Competition, and submit according to rules below.
* If you have not received an acknowledgement of your submission within three days, please re-send your entry.
* All submissions must be sent to Nichola Meyer: Nichola@sawriterscollege.co.za

ENTRY FORMAT:

* Your first page of your Word document must include the story title, your name, email address, and total number of words of the entry.
* Do not include your name on any page of your story, except the title page. All entries will be judged blind.
* Make sure your story has been edited and polished according to tips and guidelines provided on our college site under “Writing Resources”.

CRITIQUES: We unfortunately do not have the time to supply a critique for each submission. If you wish to receive a professional one- to two-page report of your work, please state your requirement on your title page. We charge R120.00 per critique.

COMPETITION RULES:

* The competition is open to anyone living in South Africa over the age of 16.
* The competition closes on 31 March 2011, and winners will be announced and displayed on our web site by 30 April 2011.
* Prizewinners will be notified via email as well as on our web site; please ensure you supply a valid email address with your entry.
* Prize money will be paid via electronic transfer.
* We only accept entries written in English.
* Entrant must own full copyright of the piece.
* Writers retain copyright, but give permission for their work to be displayed on our website.
* The judges' decision is final; no disputes will be entered into.
* If your entry has not been acknowledged within 72 hours, please contact us –your mail may have got lost in transit.
* SA Writers’ College reserves the right to extend the competition deadline, or cancel the competition should the entries not be of publishable quality or up to the required standard.

Deadline: 31 October 2010

You don't need to be a member to enter the annual short story competition.

Rules and Guidelines for the Annual Short Story Competition

THEME: Open

GENRE: Short Story (fiction only)

CLOSING DATE: 31 October 2010

FEE: The entry fee is R30 for members and R40 for non-members. If you would like to receive a critique of your entry an additional R10 is payable. You may submit more than one entry, each with the prescribed fee/s.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. All competition submissions must be in English.
2. Entries may not exceed 2 500 words.
3. Entries must not have been previously published nor been placed in any competitions.
4. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.
5. Entries will be judged on literary merit, use of imagination and ability to enthral.
6. Entries must be typed in double spacing on one side of each sheet of A4 paper. Number the pages and keep a copy, as we cannot return entries unless a SASE has been supplied.
7. Provide a cover page for your entry. This must contain the title of the work, your pseudonym, and the number of words. The author’s actual name or address must not appear on the cover page or anywhere in the submitted work. Your name should only appear on the entry form (see below).
8. Attach an entry form and a cover page to the front of each entry.
9. For posted entries, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your critique. Critiques will not be sent to entrants, even if they have paid the extra fee, unless a SASE with sufficient postage is provided. Qualifying e-mail entries will receive an e-mailed critique.
10. Entries may be posted to SAWC Annual Short Story Completion, Competitions Manager, South African Writers Circle, Suite 522, Private Bag X4, Kloof, 3640; or emailed to bsimpson@pbhs.co.za. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry form.
11. EFT payments and direct deposits must include a reference (minimum of the first three letters of your surname plus your first initial and AC (for Annual Competition), for example, SimpsB-AC). Cheques must be made payable to the ‘South African Writers’ Circle’. If payment has been made by direct deposit, please include a photocopy of the deposit slip with your entry.
Banking details are as follows: SA Writers’ Circle, Standard Bank, Current account, Hillcrest branch: 045726, Account number: 250780119.
12. Winners will be announced on the website and in the SAWC Newsletter. Prize winners will receive their prizes at the 2011 SAWC Annual Awards Luncheon.

PRIZES

1ST PRIZE — R1 000, a SAWC pen and your story published in the SAWC Newsletter Write Now!
2ND PRIZE — R500 and a SAWC pen.
3RD PRIZE — R250 and a SAWC pen.
There are 5 HIGHLY COMMENDED ENTRIES — each win a SAWC pen.

See more of the organization's writing competitions here.

Deadline: 29 July 2011

Win R2000 In Our Essay Competition

Starting March 5, 2011 - Ending July 28, 2011

We are looking for a essay/short story about HIV

Southern Anglican and CABSA (Christian AIDS Bureau for Southern Africa) have joined forces to celebrate the bureau’s 10th anniversary by offering two of our readers the opportunity to win R2000 each.

You are invited to submit a short story that highlights the realities of the epidemic and submissions to Southern Anglican need to be in English and no longer than 1800 words. (Should you prefer to write in Afrikaans, Lig magazine is running the same competition.)

Entries are invited in two categories, previously published and novice authors and the winners of each category in English will be published in Southern Anglican and receive a cash prize of R2000.

Visit the CABSA website www.cabsa.org.za for more information on HIV or the organisation.

Competition Rules

- Stories should have HIV as the theme
- Stories can be in Afrikaans or English and a prize will be allocated in each language for novice or previously published authors.
- Winning entries in the English competition will be published in Southern Anglican.
- Entries should specify the category and that the work has not been previously published.
- Stories become the property of CABSA
- Stories should be no longer than 1800 words
- The competition will be adjudicated by representatives of CABSA and Southern Anglican, and the decision of the judges is final.
- CABSA and Southern Anglican reserve the right not to award a prize if entries do not meet the publication standards of Southern Anglican.
- The closing date for the English competition is 29 July 2011.
- Winners will be announced in the November 2011 issue of Southern Anglican and on www.cabsa.org.za.

Entries can be sent by emailwith subject line: Short Story Competition to Ms Lucinda Leppin support@cabsa.co.za or post entries for her attention to Short Story Competition, CABSA, PO Box 16, Wellington, 7654.

Deadline: 15 January 2011

In celebration of our inaugural reading series event on January 14th featuring Danielle Evans, author of Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, we are sponsoring a short story contest. The rules are simple:

1. Entrants must NOT be a published or self-published author (i.e. an amateur writer).
2. The story must use a bookstore named MahoganyBooks as the setting.
3. The story should be no more than 1,500-2000 words.
4. No profanity
5. All submissions are due by midnight January 15th.
6. Submit your short story as a blog post on The Lit Lounge and give it the tag "Bookstore Short Story."

The submissions will be judged by a panel of three judges. The winning entrant will receive an autographed copy of Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, they will be featured as our Aspiring Writer of the month, and will have the winning piece showcased in our monthly newsletter, on our WritersBloc blog, and on the front page of The Lit Lounge.

Judges:

Monda Webb author of 7:33AM

Roy Pickering author of Patches of Grey

Deadline: 20 February 2011

Submit a Story Script to SikhNet

SikhNet is looking for creative writers (You!) to create new original Sikh-themed stories and story series for children. The winning story, as well as a selection of other story submissions, may be used to produce new audio/video stories on SikhNet. If your script wins, it will be featured in future SikhNet Audio Stories online, CDs, books, AS WELL as possibly being animated and shown on SikhNet and on TV!

Prizes:

* $300 US Dollars
* 4 CD set -Audio Stories Volumes 1-4
* Story Book -Volume 1
* Coloring Book - Volume 1
* 4 CD set - Audio Stories Volumes 5-8 (pending release)
* Story Book -Volume 2 (pending release)
* Coloring Book - Volume 2 (pending release)

Deadline: Feb. 20th, 2011

Are you excited?! Put your creativity turban/chuni on and get those creative ideas going!
What We are Looking for in your Story Script:

1. An original story with Sikh characters that is inspirational or teaches something and speaks, in an entertaining and engaging way, to modern children.
2. Stories that are geared towards Sikh girls and female characters that serve as role models and address the needs of Sikh girls. Stories can have both boy and girl characters together as long as there is a strong female character in addition to the boy character. (See 4 below.)
3. Stories that can be made into a series (i.e., multiple unique stories using the main characters in different plots and settings.) We want characters kids can 'connect with' and get familiar with through lots of different "Adventures."
4. Stories with Sikh Boy & Girl characters that appeal to both genders and tackle topics that relate to both. It could also have other main characters, parents, teachers, adults, animals/imaginary characters/sidekicks, etc.
5. We are primarily looking for original work. This means that if history is used, it should be used in a new and original way. Historical stories are more limited, and for that reason we want new ideas and situations that apply to young people today. Historical fiction can serve this purpose provided it is original and "modern." Modern fiction and future fiction will also be exciting. I'm sure you have some good ideas that are itching to come out.

If this sounds interesting to you, then get started right away since we need your scripts really soon! Once you've started your creative process, you may want to read the suggestions below on how YOU can win the excellent prizes and help create more inspiring stories for kids on SikhNet.

In order for your story to be produced as an actual SikhNet Audio or Video Story you will want to keep in mind the following guidelines (of course don't let anything hinder your creativity!)

Ideas

* Sikh Superhero type story series. Should have some grounding in reality even if parts might be fantasy. Make things real...but amplify them.
* Super Powers - Different characters could have "super powers" that they discover. For example: Intuition from doing lots of meditation and being able to know what is going to happen before it happens. Perhaps the character can see the cause and effect of making a particular action based on different choices that he or she might make?
* Martial Arts powers, power of compassion and heightened awareness. Could be like a Sikh version of the "Incredibles."
* Female character that is beautiful and princess-like (or transforms into such a character in some way).
* The hero of your story might discovering his/her "secret identity" and "super powers" in interesting ways.
* When he/she says a particular "Magic word" (WaheGuru?) turns into the "super hero" all dressed in full bana. Kind of like "Wonder Woman"and is thereby transformed and ready to serve others in a unique way.
* You might integrate Sikh history as a side story using a character like Grandmother or Uncle telling a story within the story.
* Your story could be in today's world...but could also be sometime in the future.
* Make it inspiring by focusing on beauty, standing out, service, helping others, courage and standing up for others.
* Have your stories teach various tools that kids can actually use to deal with different situations in today's world.

Length

At the end of audio or video production, we like to have stories 5 to 10 minutes long. Attached you will find an example of a story that ended up being 5:13 long "God In Every Moment" Audio / Script; another that ended up being 8:25 long "Listening to the Heavens" Audio / Script as well as one that turned out to be 12:43 long "Attitude of Gratitude" Audio / Script. This is just to give an idea of the required length when it's on paper. Keep in mind this is a guideline, if a story is really good, it may deserve more time, just so long as it can keep the attention of children.

Format

Your story needs to be in the format of a script. A movie script looks different than a novel or short story. This means indicating when a character is speaking and when the narrator (if there is one) is speaking. Please indent, use bold font in Caps to indicate character or narrator speech. Please use parenthesis to indicate possible sound effects. The script is generally used word-for-word when recording, so write it in the same way that it would be spoken out loud by the character. See the three linked (script) examples in the section above.

Mood

Don't make the stories overly serious. Keep in mind that these stories are for kids, so keep it fun so they enjoy it and learn something at the same time. Refrain from getting too technical. It's best to share something educational through the story indirectly, rather than "preaching" the meaning which can be boring for young kids. It never hurts to remember humor! Who's got a funny bone? We all do! It's connected to the creativity bone.

Language

The story script should be written in English. We are not currently able to produce stories in Punjabi or other languages.

Narration

We like to add character voices and sound effects so that kids don't get bored with the narrator. Keep in mind when writing a script, how long the narrator is talking without any sound effects or character dialogues. Put in sound effects or character dialogues to break up long narrator sequences. Also imagine how you want the narrator to say it. If there is any kind of intonation you would like to come across, do guide the narrator with that by indicating that with parentheses (Eg: (In a loud voice) or (whispers quietly).)

Audio Effects

When writing a script keep in mind that it will sound different when acted out loud than it will in your head. Try actually speaking out loud the dialogue you have written. Make your script as alive as possible and specify sound effects whenever appropriate.

Video Effects

The winning script will likely be turned into a semi-animated video. The animation will be basic but it will be very exciting to present extra visual entertainment along with the audio story! Visualize how the story will look as you write it. This may inspire you to include descriptions of a scene (in parenthesis of course.)

More than one story & story series

You can write and submit a single story, but we welcome you to submit multiple stories, particularly stories that are part of a series with the same characters. If you are inspired to write more than one story, or your story is longer than you thought and you have to split it up into a series of stories, that's OK. Just make sure that each story ends with some resolution. Even though a story might continue and might leave you hanging...there needs to be some resolution and completion in each episode.

Audience

SikhNet audio stories are listened to by people of all ages, however our target audience is kids 4-12 years old.

Message

The message of the story should be implicit in the plot itself. It should not need side explanations for a child to understand what the moral of the story is. Keep in mind that although any positive message is good for kids, these should have with a distinctly Sikh flavor. Perhaps you could add a line (or short passage) of Gurbani to your story.

Here are some things you might want to ask yourself when writing a script:

* What are struggles that kids these days are being faced with? (Especially Girls!)
* What are issues that kids need guidance with today?
* What inspires kids today as opposed to what might have inspired kids in the past?
* If I were a child age 5-12, would I be excited to hear this story?
* If I were a child age 5-12, would I be able to understand the message in the story?
* Are there any friends with whom I can brainstorm ideas and together come up with a good storyline & characters?

Final production. If your script is selected to be produced as a SikhNet Audio or Video Story please be open to input from us. We want to make sure each story is as excellent as possible.

Above all, we want to hear your original voice speaking! Let the creative juices flow and who knows what will come out!

Submit here.

Deadline: 14 September 2010

RULES OF THE COMPETITION:

• The Intwasa short story competition is open to all residents of Zimbabwe.
• Submissions must be original, previously unpublished and in English.
• Entries can be on any subject, must be typed and not more than 2000 words.
• The deadline for the entries is 14 September 2010.
• Contact details should be included on the short story.
• The judges’ decision will be final.
• The prizes will be awarded during Intwasa Festival ko Bulawayo 2010
All short listed writers will be asked to attend the awards ceremony.
Entries, in an envelope clearly marked “Intwasa Short Story Competition” should be sent to the Intwasa office, Suite 403, LAPF House, 8th Ave/J. Moyo St. Bulawayo or email to info@intwasa.org.zw / rcmutandi@gmail.com

For further information contact 63928 / 0912 814 185 / 0712 798 409

Deadline: 1 March 2011

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

Entry is open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 19 and over to send in original, unpublished short stories for radio.

The 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition will open for entry via the online entry form from 15 January to 1 March 2011. Entries should be original, unpublished, in English and no more than 600 words in length. Entries can be on any subject, but there will be a special award for entries relating to the 2011 Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’ and a special award for a short story for children.

We are interested in using the winning stories more widely and promoting literacy around the Commonwealth. We are actively seeking partners to enable the competition to grow - please contact us if you are interested in supporting any aspect of the competition.

Sacramento-based Stories on Stage will feature stories by African writers on June 24, 2011 at the Sacramento Poetry Center. Valerie Fioravanti, founder and coordinator of the reading series, has asked me to recommend African writers who are interested in submitting their stories for this special feature.

Two stories will be featured at each event, one from a writer with a short story collection or equivalent publication history, and one from an emerging writer. An emerging writer need not have previous publications in order to be selected. To submit a story for possible inclusion in the series, email your story as an attachment (.doc or .rtf only), and include a brief bio and publication history, if applicable. Please submit only one story, between 1000-4000 words. I am looking for stories that work well when read aloud, and not all short stories make a smooth transition off the page (this is true of some of my best stories. If you've never read your work aloud, I recommend a test run before you submit). Short stories only, please. No novel excerpts, essays/memoir, short plays/scripts, or monologues will be considered..." Email stories to valfiora[AT]yahoo.com and cc manu@munyori.com

The Sacramento Poetry Center is based in Mid-town Sacramento. It presents poetry readings every Monday and short story readings every last Friday of the month. The Stories on Stage has been running for a year and it has helped bring high-quality fiction writers and performers to the SPC.

Deadline: 30 June 2011

Think beyond the borders of the usual settings (The United States seems to be the only place where spaceships land). Future Hong Kong. Post-apocalyptic Africa. The drowned coastlines of Australia in a warmer world. A city beneath the waves near Easter Island. India five thousand years from now.

Future Lovecraft will open to submissions for short stories and poetry from May 1 to June 30, 2011. Do not send any submissions before this date. Yes, we mean it.

The anthology will be available in print and as an e-book, and is edited by the eldritch duo of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Paula R. Stiles.

What We Want

Lovecraftian science fiction stories. ‘Lovecraftian’ can include Mythos elements, but we have a broader view of what Lovecraftian means. Interpret and distill it. Stories may be set in the near future or distant future. They may be cyberpunk, biopunk, space opera, dystopic, post-apocalyptic, or any other flavour of science fiction.

Surprise us with your visions of the future. Think beyond the borders of the usual settings (The United States seems to be the only place where spaceships land). Future Hong Kong. Post-apocalyptic Africa. The drowned coastlines of Australia in a warmer world. A city beneath the waves near Easter Island. India five thousand years from now. The distant spaceport of New Port-au-Prince. The Martian and Lunar colonies. Give us protagonists with diverse and interesting backgrounds. Give us women who can battle Nyarlathotep’s deadly soldiers with wit and bravado, not sacrificial space-maidens. Gives us the story of the little folk that are often forgotten, like the cook aboard the space vessel who discovers a terrible secret.

Further fiction guidelines below. For poetry, send up to three poems pasted in the body of the e-mail, with a cover letter. Poems paid at $10 CAD per poem. A physical contributor’s copy and e-book copy are provided.

Length

Short fiction (1,000 words) to novelette (10,000 words). Keep in mind we have a payment cap of $70 CAD, and limited space in the anthology, so your long novelette might be better served by finding another home.

Payment

One cent per word up to a maximum of $70 CAD; one physical copy of the anthology and one e-book copy.

Payment made via PayPal or Canadian check upon publication.

We are purchasing first English anthology print and electronic rights.

Reprints

Considered, with a few caveats:

1. Indicate where and when the story was originally published in your cover letter.
2. Reprints offered should not be easily available in print or online.
3. Payment is a flat $30 CAD for reprints.

If you published it in a small collection in 1985 and it’s no longer on the market, that’s fine. If it was published in a German magazine and never translated to English, we’d like to see it. If it appeared in a now-defunct zine, that’s okay, too. If it was in a recent issue of an English-language zine that is currently online, no.

Submitting

E-mail us at innsmouthfp AT gmail.com. Subject line: Future Lovecraft, [Title of your Story, Author's Name]. The subject line is important; otherwise, the story might go into the wrong pile.

Do not send simultaneous submissions. Do not send more than one short story submission, because we will not consider more than one at a time and will make you resubmit any simultaneous submissions after we answer on the previous one. If we reject one story, you can send another one.

Include a cover letter with the story word count, salient writing credits and any reprint information (if applicable). Yes, we do read cover letters, so please include the information (Paula gets cranky when stories arrive sans byline, title, or cover letter).

Attach story as an RTF (preferred) or Word document. Use standard manuscript format. Italics as italics, bold as bold. No fancy fonts.

Stories can be sent in English, French, or Spanish.

Submissions are accepted from May 1 to June 30, 2011. Do not send anything before or after that date. If you do, we will ignore it.

We will reject some stories as they come in and send others to the hold pile. Final story selection will take place in July 2011.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: innsmouthfp AT gmail.com

For submissions: innsmouthfp AT gmail.com

Website: http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com

Deadline: 31 January 2011

ENTER THE 2011 PRIZE

The award is made in July each year and deadline for submissions is 31st January.

ELIGIBILITY

* Unpublished work is not eligible for the Caine Prize.
* Submissions should be made by publishers only.
* Only one story per author will be considered in any one year.

* We require 6 copies of the work in its originally published version.
* If the work is published in a book or journal, we would like to receive at least one copy of the book / journal and five photocopies; but particularly where several stories are submitted from one anthology we would like if possible to receive six copies of the book / journal itself.

* If the work is published online, we would like to receive six photocopies.

* Only fictional work is eligible.

Please note that works which do not conform to the criteria will not be considered for the prize. Please do not waste your own time and postage by sending in material which is unsuitable. Works not eligible for entry include stories for children, factual writing, plays, biography, works shorter than 3000 words and unpublished work. If you are not sure whether your work is eligible, please email us for advice.

HOW TO ENTER

Publishers should post six hard copies of the story for consideration to:

Nick Elam
The Caine Prize for African Writing
The Menier Gallery
Menier Chocolate Factory
51 Southwark Street
London SE1 1RU

Entries should be accompanied by a letter from the publisher conveying a short CV or brief biography of the writer, and specifying which African country the writer comes from.

FULL RULES

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.

“An African writer” is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, or who is a national of an African country, or whose parents are African, and whose work has reflected African sensibilities.

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).

For practical reasons, unpublished work and work in other languages is not eligible. Works translated into English from other languages are not be excluded, provided they have been published in translation, and should such a work win, a proportion of the prize would be awarded to the translator.

The award is made in July each year, the deadline for submissions being 31 January. Works received after that date will be put forward to the next year's prize. The short-list is selected from work originally published in the five years preceding the submissions deadline and not previously considered for a Caine Prize. The deadline for the next prize is 31 January 2011; works must have been published between 1 February 2006 and the closing date.

In general it is unwise to delay the submission of entries until shortly before the deadline: postal and delivery hiccups can easily result in material arriving too late. It is far better to submit material a few weeks in advance.

NB: There is no application form. Submissions should be made by publishers, in the form of six original published copies of the work for consideration. If published in a magazine or journal we will accept one original copy plus five photocopies, but would prefer six original copies. These should be sent to the address below.

We are happy to take submissions from internet magazines, but must insist that we receive six hard copies of these, as of other submissions. Also it is important that internet entries be carefully edited: past judges have not viewed favourably entries containing typos and other errors.

The judges will consider only one work per writer in any one year, and only short stories are eligible.

Every effort is made to publicise the work of the short-listed authors through the broadcast as well as the printed media.

Winning and short-listed authors will be invited to participate in writers’ workshops in Africa, London and elsewhere as resources permit.

For further information, please contact Nick Elam at The Caine Prize for African Writing and Katy Taylor-Gooby at Raitt Orr and Associates (details below).

For further information please contact:

Katy Taylor-Gooby
Raitt Orr Associates Ltd
Raitt Orr & Associates
2, Vincent Street,
London SW1P 4LD

Tel: 020 7630 9778
Fax:020 7630 5067
E-mail: katy@raittorr.co.uk

Deadline: 20 June 2011

Golden Baobab Prize

* An African literary award established to inspire the creation of the best kinds of African stories that children and young adults all over the world will love.
* Invites entries of unpublished short stories written by African citizens irrespective of age, race or geographical location.
* Awards a monetary prize and connects outstanding stories with publishers all over the world.

Vision: to identify the African literary giants of the next generation and produce classic African stories that will be appreciated for years to come!

Eligibility

* The author must be a citizen of an African state or a dual citizenship holder (a copy of a passport or comparable document will be required of winners).
* African citizens of all ages qualify to present submissions.
* There is no restriction on race or geographical location.
* Writers below the ages of 18 years will be automatically considered for the Rising Writer Prize.

Timeline

Closing date for submissions to The Golden Baobab 2011: Midnight GMT, Monday, June 20, 2011. 2011 Winners Announced: Monday, November 7, 2011 via email to the winners and on the website.

Submission Guidelines

Contestants and entries must comply with ALL of the following criteria. Works that do not conform to the rules will be disqualified.*

* Submitted stories should fall into either Category A (stories for readers aged 8-11 years) or Category B (stories for readers aged 12-15 years).
* Entry should be a work of fiction between 1,000 to 5,000 words. The category a story falls into may influence its length.
* There are no restrictions on themes but stories must be set in Africa or have a very evident African content.
* Stories should be in written in English and should not have been previously published elsewhere, in part or in full.
* Pseudonyms may not be used. Entries must be submitted under entrant's real name.
* Entrants may enter up to five stories.
* All entries must be the unaided work of the entrant.
* Previous entrants and winners of the Prize are eligible to enter in subsequent years.
* The title page of submissions should state the category and title of the story. All biographical information should be sent in the body of submission email.

ALL entries will be acknowledged with an email to the address from which the entry was sent.

* The Golden Baobab Prize administration reserves the right to disqualify entries that do not conform to set rules. No correspondence will be entered into in this regard.

For all queries visit our FAQ page or contact info@goldenbaobab.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Submitting Your Story

Entries should be submitted as typed Microsoft word or PDF documents. There should be a title page with the following information:

* Title of Story:
* Category:
* Age:

The body of the email should include the following personal information:

* Name:
* Title of story:
* Age:
* Country of citizenship:
* Category:
* Email:
* Phone number (country code-area code- number):
* How I heard about the Golden Baobab Prize (just a sentence or two):

Submissions will be accepted as email attachments to: submit@goldenbaobab.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it OR Stories can be submitted here(hyperlink).

Prizes

* Best Story written for ages 8-11 years $100
* Best Story written for ages 12 -15 years $1000
* Promising writer below age 18 years: $800

Outstanding stories are connected with publishers all over the world.

Date: 27 November 2010

Location: Pen and Pages Bookstore, White House Plaza, Plot 79, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2

Two emerging writers, Sumaila Umaisha and Ifeyinwa Omalicha, will feature at the 28th edition of the Abuja Writers’ Forum’s Guest Writer Session, which holds on November 27 by 4pm at the Pen and Pages Bookstore, White House Plaza, Plot 79, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2. Sumaila Umaisha, literary editor of the Kaduna-based New Nigerian, is a short story writer and poet. His stories and poems have appeared in several journals, anthologies and online publications. He has also won several awards for literary journalism including the Literary Journalist of the Year Award by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), which he won in 2004 and 2007.

Earlier this year, he was a participant in the Farafina Writing Workshop, facilitated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Umaisha’s debut collection of short stories, Hoodlums, appeared recently and is attracting attention for its focus on the violence perpetrated in the country in the name of religion, politics and culture This collection, notes Yahaya Ibrahim in a review, “paints (in seventeen short stories) a graphic picture of physical and psychological violence …(and) focuses on ethno-religious conflicts to militancy and other violent crises, Umaisha unveils scenes of savagery that have become the trademark of the Nigerian nation …. One of the major strengths of Umaisha is his ability to craft harsh realities into simple metaphors. On the surface is the story, but between the lines is the heart of the story itself – story that involves or implicates everyone. In the story even the reader stands accused without knowing it.” Ms Omalicha is a post-graduate student of Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is also a Poet and Performance artist. She performed at the maiden event of the Nigerian Prize for Literature endowed by NLNG

She has three published collections of poetry: Amidst the Blowing Tempest, They Run Still and Now that Dreams are Born. She was Resident Poet at the ABTI Academy, Yola, where she worked as a teacher and Literary consultant.

The popular monthly literary event hosted by the Abuja Writers’ Forum and regarded as the most consistent in the country, will also feature music, performance poetry, a mini visual arts exhibition and a raffle with book prizes at stake. Umaisha and Omalicha appear in the wake of the October edition which featured the Abuja-based poet, Kabura Zakama. The Guest Writer Session which started in June 2008 has become the inspiration for similar literary interventions in some of the nation’s major cities, a testimony of its success.