Bernardine Evaristo is the First Black Writer to bag Author of the Year Prize
Bernardine Evaristo’s successful run continues as she scooped both the Best Fiction Book of the Year and Best Author of the Year awards at the 2020 British Book Awards. Her win makes her the first Black writer to win Best Author of the Year.
Two other writers made history at the awards: Oyinkan Braithwaite became the first Black writer to win Best Crime & Thriller Book of the Year, while Candice Carty-Williams became the first Black writer to win Overall Book of the Year.
Graydon House and HQN Books Imprints Call for Black Authors
Harlequin’s Graydon House and HQN Books imprints are accepting unagented submissions from Black writers up until September 8, 2020. This is part of the company’s efforts to amplify black voices especially with the on-going discuss about massive inequality in publishing.
Send a query letter and the first 30 pages of your work to:
GHSubmissions@harpercollins.com.
Or
HQNSubmissions@harpercollins.com.
An editorial feedback will be sent to you within 90 days. If they are interested in your work, they can recommend an agent for you to contact. However, HQN books will request a full manuscript (80,000 words minimum).
For further information about the kind of books they publish, please visit:
www.graydonhousebooks.com
Morland African Writing Scholarships 2020
The Miles Morland Foundation is accepting entries for the 2020 Morland Writing Scholarships for African writers from July 1 to September 18. The awards offer a fiction scholarship of £18,000 to two, three or four writers, paid over the course of twelve months, and a nonfiction scholarship of £27,000 to a single writer, paid over the course of eighteen months to enable them take time off to work on a proposed book.
For all information on how to apply, visit https://milesmorlandfoundation.com/about-2/faq/
The SprinNG Women Author’s Prize.
The SprinNG Women Authors Prize (#SWAPng) will select a Nigerian female author annually – someone who has published a full-length book in print, and invest N100,000 in purchasing, distributing, and marketing copies of their book nation-wide through its sister literary websites and events whom it collaborates with.
The prize for this year opens on July 1 and closes on September 30. A panel of judges will be announced in October and the winner will be announced in January 2021.
To apply, follow this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMSbr9eo3yBNfHZ3WCtjd1TeGXvWx1o-f-FwqlnvVKJfanmg/viewform
Festive Fiction Prize calls for Submission
Festive Fiction Prize organised by Festive Publishers and Literary Agents is calling for submissions. They call on writers to explore the theme: Black Lives Matter and Love in the time of COVID-19.
Writers are expected to submit a fictional narration of between 3000-5000 words. The winning story gets a N100, 000 prize and the best stories will be compiled in a collection for publication. Entries should be sent via email to festivemediang@gmail.com as an attached Word document. In the body of the email, the following should be indicated: name, address, contact phone number, and a short synopsis of your story. Deadline for submission is September 1st, 2020.
The prize will be awarded in October.
Ouida Books Announces New Imprint, Calls for Submissions
Ouida Books has announced a new publishing imprint called LWM. According to a post on social media, LWM is devoted to publishing accessible books about technology in Africa and is now accepting submissions for its first venture—the “So You Wan’ Learn” series.
If you are interested in becoming the author of a book in the series, email LWM@ouidabooks.com following the guidelines provided below:
Your CV including two references
A 200-word proposal, including justification, on the aspect of technology you seek to write about
A proposed table of contents and the first 500 words
Proposed timelines
Submissions close on 31 July, 2020.
Apply for Google Podcasts Creator Program
Launched in 2018, the Google Podcasts Creator Program is guided by a mission of providing a global audio community with open resources, empowering underrepresented voices, and showcasing new work.
This year, the program will serve creators with an existing podcast who want to advance their skills and take their productions to the next level. Podcasters from traditionally marginalised groups (including African countries) are encouraged to apply.
Applications close on August 2. All applicants will be notified by September 4. For more information, click: https://googlecp.prx.org/faqs
HIASFEST Special Calls
The Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festivals (HIASFEST) is proud to announce the following calls for its 2021 festival: HIASFEST 2021 Tuition Scholarship; The Nigerian Prize for Indigenous Languages; and The Nigerian Prize for Teen Authors 2021.
Submission requirements
HIASFEST 2021 Tuition Scholarship
The winner will receive the sum of N100, 000
Applicant must be from Niger state or born in Niger state, studying an art course in any level of tertiary education.
The following should be included in the submission: completed manuscript, admission letter, certified GPA sheet (3.5 and above), short profile, portrait picture and an application letter.
The Nigeria Prize for Indigenous Languages
Winners in the Creative Writing category will receive N100, 000. Winners of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba in the Science Book category will receive N150, 000, while winners of Nupe and Gbagyi will receive N100, 000.
Entries can be published or unpublished, and are for creative writing (prose only— a full new book in any of: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Nupe or Gbagyi) and science books (Mathematics only– written or translated versions.)
Send six (6) hard copies of your work, including: a cover letter, bio, studio portrait, the copyright permission for translated works, email address, residential or office address, and phone number.
The Nigerian Prize for Teen Authors 2021
First prize: N150, 000: Second prize: N100, 000; Third prize: N50, 000
The prize will be awarded for poetry and fiction (published or unpublished novella or collection of short stories)
Entries should include: six (6) hard copies of your work, proof of identity (photocopies of Nigerian passport or National ID card), birth certificate, letter of recommendation by school and parents, last term’s report sheet; contact address, emails, phone numbers of school and parent, and other relevant contact information plus passport photograph in school uniform.
Submissions to any of the above categories should be sent to: C6, Shamras Plaza, opp. Murtala Park, Bosso Road, Minna, Niger State.
Deadline for all submissions is December 30, 2020.
For further details, visit: www.hiasfest.org.ng
