The Sillerman First Guide Prize for African Poetry is asking on African poets to submit for its 2025 version.
The prize is awarded yearly to an African poet who has not but printed a group of poetry. The winner receives USD $1000 and guide publication by means of the College of Nebraska Press and Amalion in Senegal. Michael Imossan, Abu Bakr Sadiq, Tares Oburumu, Sherry Shenoda, and Cheswayo Mphanza have beforehand gained the prize.
The judging panel for this yr’s version consists of Kwame Dawes, Chris Abani, Matthew Shenoda, John Keene, Gabeba Baderoon, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Aracelis Girmay, and Mahtem Shiferraw.
The Sillerman First Guide Prize for African Poets will solely settle for “first guide” submissions from African writers who haven’t printed a book-length poetry assortment. This consists of self-published books in the event that they have been bought on-line, in shops, or at readings. Writers who’ve edited and printed an anthology or the same assortment of different writers’ work stay eligible.
An “African author” is taken to imply somebody who was born in Africa, who’s a nationwide or resident of an African nation, or whose mother and father are African.
Solely poetry submissions in English might be thought of. Work translated from one other language to English is accepted, however a proportion of the prize can be awarded to the translator.
Poetry manuscripts must be at the least 50 pages lengthy. The writer’s identify shouldn’t seem on the manuscript. All entries can be learn anonymously. Please embody a canopy web page itemizing solely the title of the manuscript (not the writer’s identify, deal with, phone quantity, or e-mail deal with). An acknowledgements web page itemizing the publication historical past of particular person poems could also be included if desired.
Submitting to the competition requires no entry price, and no utility types are essential. Eligible writers could submit multiple manuscript.
The Sillerman First Guide Prize for African Poets is powered by the African Poetry Guide Fund, in partnership with Prairie Schooner and the College of Nebraska. The Fund promotes and advances the event and publication of the poetic arts by means of its guide collection, contests, workshops, and seminars and thru its collaborations with publishers, festivals, reserving brokers, faculties, universities, conferences and all different entities that share an curiosity within the poetic arts of Africa.
Submissions can solely be made electronically, and the window will shut on Wednesday 11 December. Submit your entries right here.