Noirledge Publishing and her partners are calling for submissions for the Noirledge Anthology of Short Fiction. This opening edition will focus on short fiction by writers of African descent, and will be published in both print and digital formats.
Apart from being the year that many African countries are celebrating 60 years of independence from colonial rule, 2020 has been a tumultuous year: from the global COVID-19 pandemic to Black-Lives-Matter protests that condemn and reject in unequivocal terms visible and invisible forms of anti-black violence.
On the continental front, political and socio-economic issues continue to multiply. These include terrorism and insurgencies, kidnappings and sundry criminalities, religious and ethnic conflicts, rape and domestic violence, the threat to free speech and the shenanigans of the political class, the Lassa fever epidemic and economic downturn. No doubt we are marked by these tragedies, as well as the many milestones and accomplishments we have made on the flipside. How have we continued to survive in spite of our realities?
This edition of the Noirledge Anthology Series is intended to chronicle the joys and frustrations of life and living in postcolonial Africa as well as celebrate the resilience of the human spirit. It is also intended to record the new pan-African solidarity that is consolidating gradually but palpably across multiple locales of the world.
ELIGIBILITY:
Submission is open to published or unpublished writers of African descent of any age. We construe “writers of African descent” broadly, that is, African and African diaspora writers. We expect submissions to be refreshing, innovative, engaging, thought-provoking and well-written.
FORMAT:
Submissions are free.
Contributors are invited to send in a single entry for consideration.
Each entry should be a maximum of 3,500 words.
Each entry must be original and previously unpublished.
Each entry must be written in English and typed using Times New Roman font, at 1.5 spacing and in Microsoft Word format. Entry should also include the writer’s name and word count.
The email in which the entry is to be sent, should contain the subject, “Entry for Short Fiction Anthology.”
The email must also include a short bio in Microsoft Word format and a portrait photo of not more than 4MB in Jpeg format. The short bio and portrait photo should be added to the email as separate attachments.
The writer’s short bio and portrait photo must each contain the writer’s name for easy identification.
Emails containing the aforementioned attachments should be sent to noirledge@noirledge.com. Submission opens on August 20, 2020 and closes October 20, 2020.
ACCEPTANCE:
Contributors whose entries are selected for publication will receive confirmation emails and details of scheduled publication date(s). Shortlisted entrants must be willing to work with our editorial team in getting their entries ready for publication and will also be required to sign a non-exclusive publishing agreement.
We acquire first publishing rights; all other rights revert to the writer(s) after publication. All published works will remain part of the Noirledge Anthology Series and may be reissued as we deem necessary and in consultation with the writer(s). Writer(s) are required to acknowledge the anthology as the original place of publication if the work is published elsewhere.
Due to limited financial resources at this time, contributors whose entries are shortlisted will not be paid, but will be entitled to two copies of the anthology when printed. However, they might have to be responsible for postage costs. Shortlisted contributors may also be invited to participate in readings, festivals and events when necessary. For future editions, we hope to be able to provide some form of remuneration for our shortlisted entrants.
ABOUT THE NOIRLEDGE ANTHOLOGY SERIES
The Noirledge Anthology Series is interested in promoting the African spirit and culture. We appreciate narratives that explore what it means to be human and African in the contemporary world. We are interested in those stories and ideas that draw from our history and throw-up thoughts about the ties that bind our past with our present and future. We are also inspired by discussions that prepare and move Africa and her people forward in the global scheme of things. We welcome both regional and national experiences as well as personal and general experiences of peoples of African descent worldwide.
