Call For Entries | 2018 Caine Prize For African Short Story

Entries are invited from African writers for 2018 Caine Prize for Short Story.

The Caine Prize for African Writing is a literature prize awarded to an African writer of a short story published in English. The prize was launched in 2000 to encourage and highlight the richness and diversity of African writing by bringing it to a wider audience internationally. The focus on the short story reflects the contemporary development of the African story-telling tradition.

Eligibility and Entry Rules:

Unpublished work is NOT acceptable for the Caine Prize.

Submissions must only be made by publishers.

Only fictional work is acceptable.

Only one story per author will be considered.

Submissions should specify which African country the author comes from and the word count.

Six (6) copies of the work are required in its originally published version.

However, if the work is published in a book or journal, at least one copy of the book should be received/ journal and five photocopies; but particularly where several stories are submitted from one anthology six (6) copies of the book / journal itself should be received.

If the work is published online, six (6) photocopies should be submitted to organizers.

Benefits of the Prize:

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

There is a cash prize of £10,000 for the winning author

There is also a travel award for each of the short-listed candidates (up to five in all).

The shortlisted candidates will also receive a Prize of £500.

The winner is also invited to go to three literature festivals in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

Method of Application:

THERE IS NO APPLICATION FORM. To apply, interested applicant is to send six (6) original published copies of his or her work for consideration to the Caine Prize office. Submitted work should be accompanied with a letter from the publisher.

For a work published in a book or journal, at least one copy of the book/journal and five photocopies; but particularly where several stories are submitted from one anthology, if possible to six copies of the book/journal itself should be sent.

For work published in a magazine or journal, one original copy will be accepted plus five photocopies, but would prefer six original copies.

For work published online, six printed copies should be received.

Closing Date:

Application closes on 31 January 2018.