Last week I promised to compile some opportunities that you as a writer should be interested in. Here they are:

1. The Writivism Short Story Prize is for emerging African writers. The first prize is worth $400 and each of the four shortlisted writers who do not win the prize receives a cash prize of $100. All the five shortlisted writers travel to Kampala from June 16 to June 22 for The Writivism Festival. Entrants must be unpublished writers, resident in an African country. Entries must be submitted online, by emailing them to info@writivism.com as attachments (not in the body email), clearly labeled in the subject: Writivism Competition 2015. All entries must be in English, and 2,500 – 3,500 words long.

Deadline: April 30, 2015.

Details: https://writivism.wordpress.com/2015/01/31/2015-writivism-short-story-prize-submission-guidelines/

2. If you are in Kampala, Ugandan writer, Jackee Budesta Batanda will be teaching a one-day novel writing masterclass on April 18, 2015 for Shs200,000 only. The class will focus on how to plot and structure your novel. Below is the poster for details:

3. The theme for The 2015 Short Story Day Africa Prize is Water. Submit to water@shortstorydayafrica.org. Stories must be between 3000 and 5000 words in length and submitted in English.

Deadline: July 31, 2015.

Details: http://shortstorydayafrica.org/competitions/

4. Omenana,a monthly speculative fiction e-magazine, is open to submissions from writers from Africa and the African Diaspora. Stories and art must be speculative fiction (fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror or Magical Realism) and must involve characters, settings or themes directly related to the African continent. All work must be submitted by e-mail to sevenhills.media@yahoo.com .

Deadline:  April 30, 2015.

Details: http://omenana.com/submissions/

5. Commonwealth Writers are inviting writers from Commonwealth African countries to submit proposals for a piece of creative non-fiction. Stories should be in the form of creative non-fiction, including memoir, life-writing, literary reportage and essays.  The stories will be part of an anthology edited by Ellah Wakatama Allfrey. There are no subject restrictions, but your proposal/work must be written in English. No previously published work will be considered, including work published in anthologies, chapbooks or online. Send your proposals to writers@commonwealth.int with the subject heading: ‘NON FICTION ANTHOLOGY’.

Deadline:  April 20, 2015

Details: http://www.commonwealthwriters.org/anthology-of-non-fiction-from-africa-call-for-proposals-deadline-20-april/

6. The Sylt Foundation calls all writers of contemporary African literature to apply for the two months African Writer´s Award, offered as part of the Sylt Foundation Residency Programme. The African Writer´s Residency offers an Award of a two months residency to writers of African literature, whose work engages with contemporary themes related to Africa and the African diaspora. The Award is open to published (not self-published) writers of poetry, prose, plays and novels by an African writer, whether in Africa or elsewhere, published in the English language or translated into the English language. The contemporary African writer who wins the award is expected to work on or complete a writing project he/she proposed in her/his application.

Deadline: May 29, 2015.

Details: http://www.syltfoundation.com/Latest-news/Apply-now-African-Writer-s-Residency-Award-AWRA-2015/

7. The inaugural FT/OppenheimerFunds Fiction Award will be presented to the author of a published work of fiction in English or published in English translation. The book must be a minimum of 20,000 words long and be written by a national or passport holder of one of the eligible countries of Africa and the Middle East. Submissions are invited from all publishers worldwide. A selection of short stories or poems is not eligible. Self-published works will not be accepted for entry. The works must be published for the first time in the English language, or English translation between 1 January, 2014 and 30 September 2015. Books may be in print or digital form, or both.

Deadline: April 30, 2015. 

Details: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=112396&tabid=258659

All the best!

7/7 is Sooo Many Stories’ way of helping you beat the Monday blues (sometimes they spill into our Tuesdays). 7 things that are making me happy in the literary world that will make you happy too!