My Mind Words Paper [Search results for south africa literature] 

Deadline: 25 August 2011

The Delegation of the European Union, in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture, is seeking proposals to empower youth in South Africa to improve their life skills through culture, arts and sports activities. The proposals should ideally engage with disadvantaged youth, include them in organising community life and open the way for youth to make a positive contribution to local development.

The full Guidelines for Applicants are available for consultation at the EU Delegation offices at 1 Greenpark Estates, 27 George Storrar Drive, Groenkloof PRETORIA and on the following internet sites:

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-services/index.cfm?do=publi.welcome

http://www.eusa.org.za/en/index.htm

http://www.dac.gov.za

The deadline for submission of proposals is 25 August 2011.

An information session will be held on 10 June 2011 from 10:00 to 12:00 at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, 210 Queen Wilhelmina Ave, New Muckleneuk, Pretoria.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME AND PRIORITY ISSUES

As part of the Youth Empowerment Programme, the Youth Empowerment through Arts and Culture Call for Proposals aligns EU support with the partner country's policies through the integration of the Department of Arts and Culture priorities.

The EU and South Africa share a common vision that the full participation of youth can contribute to vibrant, confident, self-reliant, healthy societies. In this context, Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation have the potential to harness youth as drivers and participants in economic and social development. This is recognised in the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement (Art 85), the over-arching framework for relations between the EU and South Africa as well as the EU-SA Strategic Partnership Action Plan. It is further confirmed in the EU-SA Country Strategy (2007-13).

The global objective of this Call for Proposals is to create opportunities for youth empowerment in the sector of culture, to include youth as drivers in social and economic development in South Africa.

The specific objective of this Call for Proposals is to empower youth in South Africa to improve their life skills through arts and culture activities which will engage with disadvantaged youth, include them in organising community life and open the way for youth to make a positive contribution to local development.

This call is launched in full cooperation with the Department for Arts and Culture (DAC) and supports DAC priorities for future engagement with donors, specifically targeting juvenile offenders, youth and arts, human settlement and beautification of public spaces, and persons with disabilities.

Particular attention should also be given to cross-cutting issues such as youth participation, Millennium Development Goals, good governance, HIV/AIDS, crime and violence prevention, gender, environment, collaboration with non-state actors, social cohesion and capacity building.

Young people aged 14 – 35 are the target group for proposals under this programme, with a particular focus on disadvantaged youth, including juvenile offenders, young persons with disabilities and those in rural areas.

Actions foreseen but not limited to are:

• Arts and culture productions with young people
• Arts and culture events targeting youth
• Arts and Culture projects linked to high schools
• Promotion of arts and culture in juvenile correctional facilities
• Art in public spaces
• EU-SA culture initiatives
• SA culture initiatives involving youth
• Professional/entrepreneurial training for young people on arts and culture
• Training on arts and culture administration
• Arts and culture research
• Capacity-building for national/provincial networks on arts and culture

The expected results of the programme of the Youth Empowerment through Arts and Culture Call for Proposals:

1) Youth in poor communities have improved access to cultural activities/heritage, including indigenous knowledge systems.
a) Arts and culture initiatives (music, theatre, dance, film, literature etc) in poor communities are supported.
b) EU-SA culture events/initiatives to showcase EU-SA collaboration are supported.
c) SA youth arts and culture events/initiatives are supported.

2) Training for youth in the field of arts and culture have been developed and implemented.
a) Culture sector training is delivered to disadvantaged youth.
b) Training for youth in the field of arts and culture are developed.

3) The capacities and networks of culture organisations targeting the youth are strengthened/established.
a) Coordinating mechanisms with communication capacity, covering all 9 provinces of South Africa are functioning.
b) Management and networking capacity of cultural organisations are developed.

Grant recipients will be obliged to provide information on project activities, actions, publications etc to the EU Delegation and/or the Department for Arts and Culture (DAC) for possible publication.

Grant recipients have to comply with the guidelines on communication and visibility as set out in the Communication and Visibility Manual for EU External Actions.
(http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/visibility/index_en.htm)

Download Guidelines for Applicants >>

Download application form >>

Contact Information:

For submissions: The Delegation of the European Union to South Africa, PO Box 945, Groenkloof 0027, PRETORIA, South Africa

Website: http://www.dac.gov.za/

Date: 21 May 2011

The Miriam Tlali Reading & Book Club and the wRite associates will be celebrating Afrika Day by featuring and profiling The Leader South Africa Never Had with the author, Ngila Michael Muendane, the world renowned motivational speaker and liberation activist, on Saturday, 21st May 2011, 14H00, African Literature Boookshop, 191 Louis Botha Avenue, Corner 8th Street, Orange Grove.

Afrika Day commemorates 48 years of the establishment of the Organization of African Union, now African Union, on 25th May 1963.

The book, The Leader South Africa Never Had: The Remarkable Pilgrimage of Vusumzi Make, is based on a little celebrated leader who was involved in starting the biggest bus boycott in South Africa which was equaled by the one led by Dr. Martin Luther King at the same time.

“As we celebrate Afrika Day, we invite the public to engage the author on how the story of this leader unfolded and impacted hugely on Africa’s independence struggle, the brains and braves behind it, touching on master musical cats like Nina Simone, Max Roach, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davies Jnr, founding fathers of Africa’s Independence Kwame Nkrumah, Franz Fanon, internationalist Che Guevara, poet extraordinaire Maya Angelou and many other greats”, said Sindiswa Seakhoa, Convenor of the Miriam Tlali Reading & Book Club.

Said Ngila Muendane, “…this is a story of one of the most extraordinary men of our time. You probably never heard of this remarkable man. Find out why. He single-handedly influenced the course of history in South Africa almost unnoticed.”

Make was a close friend of O.R Tambo, shared a room with him, continues Muendane, and stopped Apartheid Prime Minister John Vorster in his tracks when he tried to pursue his fraudulent détente policy in Africa!

This is a fascinating story, full of valour, pain, joy, triumph, humour, love, adventure, risk and many more. It reads like fiction and is written in a captivating style. It’s truly a great read, concludes Muendane.

The Club features the now popular Kiddies’ Session which accommodates kids aged 2- 10 facilitated by Pride Mthethwa. The programme looks at encouraging children to read and write through storytelling and reading particularly in indigenous languages. Also interesting will be the Teens’ Session which covers age 11 – 16 facilitated by poet and singer Precious Masuku. This months’ session will focus on poetry-writing as well as reciting. The programme aims to grasp the ever-changing minds of teens at an early stage. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to benefit from these exciting programmes.

Accompanying the book discussion will be poetry performances by Emmah Mabye, an upcoming poet from Tembisa who will read some of her latest works. Toto Mubenga, a former heavyweight boxer originally from The Democratic Republic of Congo will also be reciting his poems.

Book lovers are also invited to buy this and other books by Michael Ngila Muendane, Miriam Tlali, Lewis Nkosi, Victor Molele and Mosala Huma that will be available for sale. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: contact: 011-791 3585/4102, fax: 086 605 3642 or e-mail info@writeassociates.co.za

Updated:
June 5, 2011

The River Crosses Rivers: A Festival of Short Plays by Women of Color - Call for Submissions -06/06/2011

Word Warrior Creative WORDshop (South Africa) -06/07/2011

Job Opening: Junior Editor for Submerge Publishers (South Africa) -06/09/2011

"Mohammed — The Messenger of Peace" Essay Contest -06/10/2011

Call for Candidates: Bayeux-Calvados Awards for War Correspondents -06/10/2011

Introduction to Screenwriting Workshop (Auteur Film School, South Africa) -06/11/2011

Thinkers and Trouble Makers: Panel Discussion of Queer Women of Color Activists (California) -06/11/2011

Mixed Roots Literary Festival Opens June 11th at the Japanese American National Museum -06/11/2011

Umhlanga Life Short Story Competition (South Africa) -06/13/2011

The Guardian 2011 International Development Journalism Competition on Global Poverty -06/13/2011

Apply for the Intajour International Academy of Journalism Fellowship in Germany -06/15/2011

Call for Entries: Africa in the Picture Film Festival -06/15/2011

Call for Essays/ Creative Pieces - African Women in Motion: Gender and the New African Diaspora in the United States -06/15/2011

Call for Submissions from Poets of Color: "The Moment of Change" Anthology of Feminist Speculative Poetry (Aqueduct press) -06/15/2011

Call for Papers: Children’s Literature and Reading in and of Africa (IBBY Africa conference, Swaziland) -06/15/2011

Call for Submissions: The Black Barbie Anthology -06/15/2011

Call for Articles to be Included in the Book "Transformation of Islam in 21st Century" (University Press) -06/15/2011

Book Reviews on "Popular Fiction" and "Genre Fiction" for Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture -06/15/2011

Apply for the Cave Canem Fellowship (African American Poetry) at Vermont Studio Center -06/15/2011

Call for Papers: Fourth International Symposium of Printing and Publishing in the Language and Countries of the Middle East -06/15/2011

Reporting Regional Integration: Sponsored Course for SADC Journalists -06/17/2011

Arabic Literary Translation Workshop with Paul Starkey (London Review of Books) -06/19/2011

Amazwi Ethu South African Tales Creative Writing Contest -06/19/2011

Golden Baobab Prize (for African short story for children, top prize: $1000) -06/20/2011

Pulitzer Center Seeks West African Journalists to Report on Water and Sanitation -06/20/2011

For French/ English Writers: The Camac - Fondation Tenot Writers Residency in France -06/20/2011

Job Opening: Online Fashion Editor for 36Boutiques.co.za -06/25/2011

South African Literary Awards (SALA) 2011 -06/30/2011

Deadline: 8 December 2011

The CASA Essay competition is held under the auspices of Akroterion: Journal of the Classics in South Africa, housed in the Department of Ancient Studies, University of Stellenbosch.

The intention of the competition is to encourage promising undergraduate and Honors students in Africa to pursue their interest in Classics. Essays on any aspect of Greek or Latin language or literature, or classical history or civilization may be submitted. The idea is that students should submit work done as part of their courses, but they may of course write specifically for the competition if they choose. Lecturers are kindly requested to bear this competition in mind when they consider that their students have submitted essays of suitable quality and encourage these students to submit their work for consideration.

The essays are judged by a panel consisting of three South African scholars: Dr Johan Cilliers (University of the Free State), Prof Peter Tennant (University of Kwa Zulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg) and Prof Marianne Dircksen (University of North West). The final editing and preparation of the essay for publication are done by the Essay Editor and the members of the Akroterion Editorial Committee.

The competition is open to undergraduates every year and to Honours students in even-numbered years only. Students who complete Honours in an odd-numbered year may submit essays for the open competition held the following year. Only one essay per candidate may be submitted per year; a prize winner may not compete in subsequent years of the competition.

Students from any university in Africa may submit entries. Essays may be in English or Afrikaans, and should not exceed 3 000 words in length (exceptions will only be made if space is available and if the quality of the work warrants this).

Essays submitted for the competition need not conform to the guidelines set out in the ‘Notes for Contributors' in Akroterion, but the author of the winning essay should be prepared to edit it, if so requested. Work may be typed, printed or hand-written although electronic versions will be much appreciated. The winning entry will be published in Akroterion. In addition, the winner as well as the runner-up will receive a cash prize. The prizes and the cost of publishing the essay are both sponsored by the CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

All entries should be sent to Dr Johan Cilliers, postmarked (or preferably emailed) not later than 8 December at the following address:

Dept. of English and Classical Languages (Internal box 28)
University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300
Tel. +27 (051) 436-8138
Fax. +27 (051) 448-3942
e-mail: jcillier@mweb.co.za

Please direct queries either to Dr Cilliers or to Dr Christoff Zietsman at the Department of Ancient Studies, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. Telephone: +27 (021) 808-3142; fax: +27 (021) 808-3480; e-mail: jcz@sun.ac.za

Contact Information:

For inquiries: jcz@sun.ac.za

For submissions: jcillier@mweb.co.za

Website: http://academic.sun.ac.za/akroterion/akroguid.htm

Date: 24 September 2011

The Miriam Tlali Reading & Book Club invites the public to engage “The Poverty of Ideas, South African Democracy and the Retreat of Intellectuals” with authors Leslie Dikeni and William Gumede, 24th September 2011, African Literature Bookshop, 191 Louis Botha Avenue, and Corner 8th Street, Orange Grove, from 14H00 to 16H30.

This groundbreaking book tackles the uncomfortable and much avoided issue of the devaluation of ideas and the intellect in the public sphere in post-apartheid South Africa. In particular, it examines the intolerance of criticism and dissent and the impact this has had and continues to have on the consolidation of democracy.

Contributors include: William Gumede on building a democratic political culture; Leslie Dikeni on pseudo-intellectuals, James Matthews on poets and dissidence, Albert Nolan on the spiritual life of intellectuals and many other intellectuals.

The discussants will be the co-editors, Leslie Dikeni, a political analyst and researcher at the graduate School of Public and Development Management at the University of Witwatersrand and William Gumede, the author of The New History of South Africa and Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC. He is also a Programme Director of the Africa Asia Centre, School of Orientation and African Studies at the London University.

The facilitator is Sandile Ngidi, one of South Africa’s leading journalists and editor of a literary journal, Baobab.

The programme will also feature the Kiddies’ and Teen’s sessions which accommodate kids aged 2-10 and teens aged 11 – 16. Thembi Mkhizwane of the Pimville Library Services will be facilitating the kiddies’ session by reading “Izinganekwane engazixoxelwa nguGogo by Lisa Grainger ” and the teen’s will be writing and performing poetry under the theme “My Language Is My Pride”, said the wRite associates.

Books will be available for sale. Entrance is free and people are encouraged to bring their kids.
“The Poverty of Ideas, South African Democracy and the Retreat of Intellectuals” can be bought at the wRite associates and leading book stores. The book price is R 180.00

To place an order and for more information, please contact the wRite associates at or 011-791 3585 or info@wRiteassociates.co.za or info@sala.org.za

Contact Information:

For inquiries: info@wRiteassociates.co.za

For submissions: info@wRiteassociates.co.za

Website: http://www.writeassociates.co.za/

Deadline: 17 - 21 March 2012

Weaving creation into Christian publishing

A Rocha South Africa and MAI invite 35 Christian writers with working manuscripts to this workshop. Writers must live in South Africa and desire to publish fiction, journalism, Bible engagement materials, children’s literature, autobiography, poetry or drama in one of South Africa’s official languages. Manuscripts should relate to the workshop theme, "Journeys in Restoration, Reconciliation, Transformation and Hope" or have a strong environmental resonance.

Selected manuscripts will be published in association with A Rocha South Africa.

*A Rocha is an international Christian organization which, inspired by God’s love, engages in scientific research, environmental education and community-based conservation projects.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: inquire via online form here: MAI or A Rocha

Deadline: 29 June 2012

The wRite associates, in partnership with the national Department of Arts and Culture, invite South African writers to submit their work for the South African Literary Awards.

The main aim of the South African Literary Awards is to pay tribute to South African writers who have distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature, while it celebrates literary excellence in the depiction and sharing of South Africa’s histories, value systems and philosophies and art as inscribed and preserved in all the languages of South Africa, particularly the Official Languages. The awards aim to become the most prestigious and respected literary accolades in South African literature.

Selections are made from published authors whose primary input is in imaginative writing - fiction as well as creative non-fiction. The work must demonstrate good linguistic presentation, the nation’s identity, the societal values, universal truths, and cultural aesthetics, contribution to social cohesion and nation building and transcendence of time.

GENERAL RULES

• The work must be original
• The submissions must follow the criteria
• The awards are not open to the stakeholders’ staff and their immediate families and judges of the awards
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• Only South African official languages are considered
• Nominations must be accompanied by an endorsement of the author and/or publisher
• Ten copies of the book/publication must be submitted
• All the submitted copies, whether successful or not, will not be returned to the submitting party

1. Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award (for writing in African languages in the RSA)

• Only short stories are considered
• No age restriction
• Only works published in 2010 – 2011 will be accepted

• The award is open to novels and novellas only
• Only works published in 2010 – 2011 will be accepted
• No age restriction

• The author will be judged on his/her overall literary achievement
• The profile of the author and any supporting material must be submitted
• No age restrictions

• The author must be 60-years old or above
• The author will be judged on her/his outstanding work regardless of quantity and year of publication
• The profile of the author and any supporting material must be submitted

• The journalist must have made significant contribution to the promotion and development of literature through writing about and analysing South African literature
• The award includes print and electronic media
• No age restriction

• Only the literary works translated by a South African on South African works of art will be considered
• All the literary genres are welcome.
• Both the original and translated copy must be submitted
• Only works published in 2010 – 2011 will be accepted
• No age restriction

• Only anthologies published by one author will be considered
• Only works published in 2010 – 2011 will be accepted
• No age restriction

• The award is open to all genres
• The work can be fiction or non-fiction
• The author must have not been published before in any genre
• Only works published in 2010 – 2011 will be accepted
• No age restriction

• The award is open to creative non-fiction works, i.e. biographies/autobiographies, letters, speeches and memoirs
• Only anthology published by one author will be accepted
• Only works published in 2010 – 2011 will be accepted
• No age restriction

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: call 011-791 3585 OR 011-791 4102 or e-mail info@sala.org.za

For submissions: info@sala.org.za

Website: http://sala.org.za

Deadline: 29 July 2011 (from 30 June 2011)

Due to the huge public interest in the South African Literary Awards, the SALA organizers have decided to extend the Call for Submissions deadline from 30th June to 29th July 2011.

“We encourage and call on authors who write in all South African official, especially, indigenous languages, to submit their work for SALA 2011 edition”, said the SALA Director, Morakabe Raks Seakhoa.

While we are pleased with the current submissions in English and Afrikaans and encourage more in this extended deadline, we are a bit disappointed in work submitted in the indigenous languages, concluded Seakhoa.

The categories for 2011 are:

1. Lifetime Achievement Literary Award
2. Posthumous Literary Award
3. Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award (for writing in African Languages in the RSA)
4. k.Sello Duiker Memorial Award
5. Literary Translators Awards
6. Literary Journalism Award
7. Poetry Award
8. First-time published Author Award

Selections are made from published authors whose primary input is in imaginative writing - fiction as well as creative non-fiction, i.e. biographies/autobiographies, letters, speeches and memoirs. The work must demonstrate good linguistic presentation, the nation’s identity, the societal values, universal truths, and cultural aesthetics, contribution to social cohesion and nation building and transcendence of time.

The main aim of the South African Literary Awards is to pay tribute to South African writers who have distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature, while it celebrates literary excellence in the depiction and sharing of South Africa’s histories, value systems and philosophies and art as inscribed and preserved in all the languages of South Africa, particularly the Official Languages. The awards aim to become the most prestigious and respected literary accolades in South African literature.

Founded by the wRite associates in partnership with the Department Of Arts and Culture and supported by, Sowetan Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Projects, the National Arts Council of South Africa, the SABC as well as Nutrend, SALA has played a significant role to encourage and motivate writers to raise the bar in our literary endeavours.

Submission can be posted to PO Box 4488, Randburg, 2125 or delivered at 74 Mimosa Road, Randpark Ridge, 2165.

Download 2011 nomination form >>

Contact Information:

For inquiries: info@sala.org.za, or call 011 791 3585 or 011 791 4102

For submissions: PO Box 4488, Randburg, 2125; or delivered at 74 Mimosa Road, Randpark Ridge, 2165

Website: http://www.sala.org.za/

Deadline: 20 July 2011

Oxford is one of the leading educational publishers in South Africa, producing a wide range of quality curriculum-compliant educational material. Our range includes books from Grade R to Grade 12 as well as higher education textbooks, general literature titles, dictionaries and atlases.

Oxford University Press Southern Africa’s head office is located in Cape Town, where approximately one hundred people are employed. A further thirty sales staff are based at the offices around the country.

Managing Editor – Contract post

The position involves mainly project management and some editing of titles from manuscript to publication. This includes taking responsibility for the appropriateness of the material, its alignment with curriculum requirements, the quality of the edit, managing the process and liaising with designers, typesetters, and freelancers, and working within deadlines and budget according to editorial and production processes.

You will have strong project management skills, conceptual, organisational, and language skills. You are organised, efficient, and meticulous, able to communicate well with people at all levels, and possess initiative, enthusiasm, creative flair, and the ability to cope with deadlines and pressure.

You have a tertiary level qualification, and are familiar with the schools education system in South Africa . You are extremely accurate in your use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, and language level, and able to develop and improve a text for coherence, consistency and design.

A commitment to producing materials of the highest quality, on time, is essential. A thorough knowledge of the editorial and production processes of book publishing, and proven project management experience is required.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. This position is based in Cape Town .

Please apply in writing, with a covering letter and two-page CV stating current salary to Dierdre Reeve, email dierdre.reeve@oup.com. The closing date for applications is 20 July 2011.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Oxford reserves the right not to fill the vacancy at this time.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: dierdre.reeve@oup.com

For submissions: dierdre.reeve@oup.com

Website: http://www.oxford.co.za

Deadline: 20 July 2011

Oxford is one of the leading educational publishers in South Africa, producing a wide range of quality curriculum-compliant educational material. Our range includes books from Grade R to Grade 12 as well as higher education textbooks, general literature titles, dictionaries and atlases.

Oxford University Press Southern Africa’s head office is located in Cape Town, where approximately one hundred people are employed. A further thirty sales staff are based at the offices around the country.

Editor – Contract post

The position involves editing and proofreading mainly titles from manuscript to publication. This includes taking responsibility for the appropriateness of the material, its alignment with curriculum requirements, the quality of the edit, liaison with designers, typesetters, and freelancers, and working within deadlines and budget according to editorial and production processes.

You will have conceptual, organisational, and language skills. You are organised, efficient, and meticulous, able to communicate well with people at all levels, and possess initiative, enthusiasm, creative flair, and the ability to cope with deadlines and pressure.

You have a tertiary level qualification, and familiar with the schools education system in South Africa. You are extremely accurate in your use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, and language level, and able to develop and improve a text for coherence, consistency and design.

A commitment to producing materials of the highest quality, on time, is essential. A thorough knowledge of the editorial and production processes of book publishing, and proven project management experience is required.

Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Please apply in writing, with a covering letter and two-page CV stating current salary to Dierdre Reeve, email dierdre.reeve@oup.com. The closing date for applications is 20 July 2011.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Oxford reserves the right not to fill the vacancy at this time.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: dierdre.reeve@oup.com

For submissions: dierdre.reeve@oup.com

Website: http://www.oxford.co.za

Deadline: 30 June 2011

Writers are reminded that Sanlam and Tafelberg are once again awaiting entries for the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature. This time round the organisers are looking for a story in which hope plays a role. Manuscripts in any of the official languages will be accepted.

Categories are:

* English,
* Afrikaans,
* Nguni-languages,
* Sotho-languages,
* Tshivenda,
* Xitsonga and
* SiSwati.

In each category there are two prizes: Gold (R12 000 in cash and publication) and Silver
(R6 000 in cash and publication). The deadline for entries is 30 June 2011. Unfortunately e-mail submissions are not allowed. The organisers request entrants to keep a copy of their entry. The names of the finalists will be announced before the end of 2011, and the names of the winners and the launch of the winning books will be in 2012.

Rules:

1. The competition is presented in six categories: Afrikaans, English, Nguni languages, Sotho
languages, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.

2. There are two prizes in each category: Gold prize: R12 000, Silver prize: R 6 000

3. Requirements: A story in which hope plays a role. It should be suitable for young readers
(between 12 and 18 years). Length: 25 000 to 45 000 words.

4. Tafelberg undertakes to publish the winning entries and reserves the first option to publish
any of the other entries.

5. While under consideration entries may not be submitted for publication elsewhere until the
publishers have confirmed in writing that the manuscript has been turned down for publication.

6. The judges reserve the right to withhold one or more of the prizes should the quality of the entries not be up to standard.

7. The competition is open only to citizens of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and
Swaziland.

8. Entries should be typed or printed out on A4 paper, with double spacing and broad
margins, on one side of the paper only, and clearly numbered. Do not bind. The organisers cannot accept e-mail entries.

9. As entries are judged anonymously, writers are requested to ensure that their names
appear only on the title page of the entry and nowhere else.

10. Each entry must be accompanied by a signed entry form or a copy thereof.

11. Entries may not be submitted under a pseudonym.

12. Entrants are requested to keep copies of their entries. The organisers cannot accept final
responsibility should an entry go astray.

13. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

14. Closing date: 30 June 2011.

Download entry form >>

Contact Information:

For inquiries: Contact Danita van Romburgh at NB Publishers at (021) 406 3412 or dvanromb@nb.co.za.

For submissions: Danita van Romburgh, PO Box, 879, Cape Town, South Africa 8000

Website: http://www.nb.co.za/

Date: 10 - 11 September 2011

Following up from an exciting Memoir Workshop in February, HELENA KRIEL is back in South Africa to teach a SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP.

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO WRITE A MOVIE SCRIPT? This two-day workshop - WITH HELENA KRIEL - will focus on the craft used by industry professionals writing in Hollywood.

PROGRAMME OUTLINE

- The development of an interesting story idea.

- The interplay of the protagonist and antagonist.

- The eight act structure that underpins any professional screenplay.

- Thinking visually.

- Considerations of what makes for good dialogue.

- Learning to put conflict into every scene.

- Defining and using your personal theme.

DATES AND TIMES

• SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH 11:00 - 17:00
• SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH 11:00 - 17:00

Helena Kriel was raised and educated in Johannesburg South Africa. After graduating with a Dramatic Art and Literature degree from University of Witwatersrand she worked in Television, directing and writing. Her plays Pigs on Passion, Arachnid and I Can't Wait To Tie You To The Sofa premiered at the National Arts Festival and were all produced a number of times.

She was nominated for playwright of the year. She emigrated to America and won the Steven Spielberg Dianne Thomas Award for her first screenplay Virtuoso. She has been a working screenwriter in Los Angeles writing for the studios and independent producers for twenty years.

Ahab's Wife, The Good Soldier, The Arabian Nights, Tsotsi, Valley Song, and Wuthering Heights are a few of her adaptations. Heated and The Other Woman are amongst her original screenplays. Kama Sutra was produced with Academy nominated director Mira Nair directing and released in 1996. Skin was produced by Elysian Films and released in 2009. Skin has won over eight festival awards and was named in the best ten independent films of 2009.

She has finished her first novel The Burning Ground and is busy with a memoir Sweet and Savage. Helena teaches screen writing at the low-residency Masters Programme in Writing at Spalding University. She lives in Los Angeles.

PRICE: R2 500 PER PERSON.

INCLUDES:

Two full days working in a group and one-on-one with Helena Kriel. A festive indian lunch cooked by alexis kriel on both workshop weekends.

BOOKING AND ADDRESS

The workshops will be held in a private house in atholl, sandton. The full address will be sent to you on confirmation of your place on the course. Contact Alexis Kriel for updates on forthcoming India excursions.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: alexis@alexiskriel.co.za

Website: http://www.alexiskriel.co.za

Announcement of winner: 11 July 2011

The shortlist for the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing has been announced today (Monday 9 May). The Caine Prize, widely known as the ‘African Booker’ and regarded as Africa’s leading literary award, is now in its twelfth year. The chair of judges, the award-winning Libyan novelist Hisham Matar, said "choosing a shortlist out of nearly 130 entries was not an easy task – one made more difficult and yet more enjoyable by the varied tastes of the judges – but we have arrived at a list of five stories that excel in quality and ambition. Together they represent a portrait of today’s African short story: its wit and intelligence, its concerns and preoccupations.”

Selected from 126 entries from 17 African countries, the shortlist is once again a reflection of the Caine Prize’s pan-African reach. The winner of the £10,000 prize is to be announced at a celebratory dinner at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, on Monday 11 July.

The 2011 shortlist comprises:

· NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) ‘Hitting Budapest’ from ‘The Boston Review’ Vol 35, no. 6 - Nov/Dec 2010

· Beatrice Lamwaka (Uganda) ‘Butterfly dreams’ from ‘Butterfly Dreams and Other New Short Stories from Uganda’ published by Critical, Cultural and Communications Press, Nottingham, 2010

· Tim Keegan (South Africa) ‘What Molly Knew’ from ‘Bad Company’ published by Pan Macmillan SA, 2008

· Lauri Kubuitsile (Botswana) ‘In the spirit of McPhineas Lata’ from ‘The Bed Book of Short Stories’ published by Modjaji Books, SA, 2010

· David Medalie (South Africa) ‘The Mistress’s Dog’ from ‘The Mistress’s Dog: Short stories 1996- 2010’ published by Picador Africa, 2010

As always the stories are available to read online on our website.

Joining Hisham on the judging panel this year are Granta deputy editor Ellah Allfrey, publisher, film and travel writer Vicky Unwin, Georgetown University Professor and poet David Gewanter and the award-winning author Aminatta Forna. Once again the winner of the £10,000 Caine Prize will be given the opportunity of taking up a month’s residence at Georgetown University, Washington DC, as a ‘Caine Prize/Georgetown University Writer-in-Residence.’ The award will cover all travel and living expenses.

Last year the Caine Prize was won by Sierra Leonean writer Olufemi Terry. As the then Chair of judges, Fiammetta Rocco, said at the time, the story was “ambitious, brave and hugely imaginative. Olufemi Terry’s ‘Stickfighting Days’ presents a heroic culture that is Homeric in its scale and conception. The execution of this story is so tight and the presentation so cinematic, it confirms Olufemi Terry as a talent with an enormous future.”

Previous winners include Uganda’s Monica Arac de Nyeko, for ‘Jambula Tree’ from ‘African Love Stories’, Ayebia Clarke Publishing, 2006, and Binyavanga Wainaina, from Kenya, who founded the well-known literary magazine, Kwani?, to publish work by new Kenyan writers.

This year the shortlisted writers will be reading from their work at the Royal Over-Seas League on Friday, 8 July at 7pm and at the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre, on Sunday, 10 July at 7pm.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: jenny@raittorr.co.uk

Website: http://www.caineprize.com/

Deadline: 15 July 2012

The work of writers of African heritage, whether they hail from the “old” or the “new” diaspora, has been known for its exceptional vigour and originality, and has unsurprisingly attracted the attention of scholars from all over the world. In recent years, however, criticism focusing on the production of artists from the old diaspora, either African American or Caribbean, has often examined these authors’ displaced identity in the Americas or in Europe at the expense of their African heritage and their perception of it. Even analyses of contemporary literary texts centring on the slave trade have more readily discussed writers’ representation of history than their engagement with Africa per se – the latter topic having seemingly lost the prominence that it once enjoyed in scholarly circles, as writers themselves appear to have less frequently chosen to place the continent of their ancestors at the centre of their fiction and poetry. Yet, in many cases, this African dimension still seems to play a significant role in the overall assessment and understanding of their works, and is therefore worthy of renewed critical attention.

African cultures and settings cannot be said to suffer comparable neglect in recent discussions of works by writers of the new diaspora, a category that broadly encompasses those who were born on the continent but left it either as children or as young adults. However, perhaps because these diasporic artists provide the bulk of the canon of contemporary African literatures, their perception of the continent of their birth has rarely been assessed through the lens of their geographical position, many critics preferring instead to emphasize globalizing trends or, conversely, to position diasporic artists, such as third-generation Nigerian writers, as the unproblematic heirs to the strategies of historical and cultural retrieval implemented by older Africa-based authors. Even though recent efforts have been made to circumscribe the specificity of the new diaspora’s artistic perceptions of Africa, the question still remains under-explored.

Taking our cue from Countee Cullen’s famous line – included in his 1925 poem “Heritage” – we would like to invite participants in this conference to address the diverse critical blind spots surrounding the representation of, and engagement with, Africa in the works of contemporary writers and artists from the old and the new diasporas. The questions and topics that could be addressed (either through close readings or theoretical contributions) include, but are not limited to:

- How is Africa represented in the diasporic imagination? Is it usually metaphorized or romanticized? Or, on the contrary, does it tend to be depicted in a realistic mode? Is the continent viewed as being trapped in a past marked by slavery and exploitation, or as being marred by a present of poverty and corruption? Do some diasporic artists unwillingly contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypes about Africa as a monolithic whole?

- Is Africa still relevant to the artists of the old diaspora? Does it still shape their creative minds? Is “African diaspora” a pertinent discursive category when discussing Caribbean or African American artists?

- Conversely, is the concept of “African diaspora” established enough to provide a valid critical framework in the case of the new diaspora? Do diasporic artists from North, South, East and West Africa have a common external vantage point from which to appraise the country or continent of their birth? Or, on the contrary, does their geographical location seal their common estrangement from Africa?

- What are the differences or parallels in the representations of Africa found in the works of artists of the old and new diasporas on the one hand, and those who are based in Africa on the other?

- What is the role played by gender, class, generation and/or race in the way diasporic writers perceive the culture and the land of their ancestors?

- Are categories that include references to the African continent rather empowering or limiting? How so?

- What is the role played by academics, journalists, facilitators and publishers in the dissemination of the artistic production of the old and new diasporas? To what extent do these actors encourage strategies of (self-)exoticization? Do they favour selective canonization?

- How do new technologies, particularly the internet, shape the dialogue between artists of the old and new diasporas, and those residing in Africa? Are distinctions between writers based on the continent and overseas still relevant in the twenty-first century?

- What, if anything, does Africa expect from its diasporic writers? Are these artists entitled to criticize the continent they originate from, or are they expected to treat it with special consideration? In other words, do diasporic artists have any particular ethical duty?

We welcome proposals within the field of literature, but also film, music and visual arts. Abstracts for 20-minute papers should be about 200 words, and panel descriptions for 90-minute sessions about 700 words (overall description of the panel in about 100 words, plus three individual abstracts of about 200 words). Non-Anglophone and comparative approaches are most welcome, but all papers will be delivered in English.

Proposals should be sent by 15 July 2012 to africatomenow@gmail.com. A response will reach you by 15 August 2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: africatomenow@gmail.com

Website: http://www.l3.ulg.ac.be/africatomenow/

Deadline: 23 May 2011

We are pleased to inform you that our first writing workshop would hold between 26 to 28 May 2011 in Obafemi Awolowo Uinversity, Ile-Ife. The venue for the workshop is the Natural History Museum, which has been described as the most beautiful building in Africa’s most beautiful campus.

This workshop is not designed for established writers – or writers with a book ready for publishers. It is designed for young people (and old?) who think they are talented, or have been told so. More importantly, it is designed for those who want to horn their talent into a craft, who wish to think of their writing as a carpenter thinks of furniture.

The Workshop is divided into General Sessions and Genre-based Sessions. General Sessions is to focus on the general creative life, contemporary creative and artistic indulgencies as well as reflections on the work of an artist. This aim is to be reflected in the general reading list as well as the conversations (between facilitators) discussions (facilitators and participants), talks (by various facilitators) and exposure to creative content (audio, video and slide presentations.)

In Genre-based Sessions, participants are split into the genres they indicated interest in – Poetry, Fiction or Non-Fiction. Participants are not allowed to register for more than one genre. Facilitators in the respective genres are to conduct these sessions, with emphasis on reviewing the work produced by participants, and discussing quality work by more established writers. Although our focus is on writers resident in Ile-Ife, the workshop is also open to writers outside Ile-Ife. However, we would not cater for the accommodation and feeding (aside breakfast) of any participant outside Ile-Ife.

Application: Application deadline is 23 May. There is space for only 40 participants, so apply early.

Complete the Application Form, and submit via email (sarabaworkshop@gmail.com) after payment of the WorkshopFee. Your letter of invitation would be sent upon confirmation of payment.

Facilitators:

Ayobami Famurewa (Fiction) is currently pursuing a Master’s in Literature in English at the Obafemi Awolowo where she obtained a Bachelors’ degree in 2008. Her short stories have been published in African Writing Online, Farafina Magazine, Saraba Magazine, The Weaverbird Anthology of New Nigerian Fiction (Kachifo 2008) and Speaking for Generations: An Anthology of Contemporary African Short Stories (African World Press 2010). She was a participant in the Chimamanda Adichie-Binyavanga Wanaina writers’ workshop that held in Lagos in July 2007. Her writing received an honourable mention in the 2009 Commonwealth short story contest and won the Naija Stories Website launch Contest in 2010. In September, she will be commencing her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.

Emmanuel Iduma (Fiction) holds a degree in Law from Obafemi Awolowo University, and is currently studying to be called to the Nigerian Bar. His short stories and poems have appeared in African Writer, Story Time, New Black Magazine, Saraba, Itch, Sentinel Nigeria, Daughters of Eve and Other New Short Stories from Nigeria (CCC Press 2010), Speaking for Generations: An Anthology of Contemporary African Short Stories (African World Press 2010), Hack Writers, and is forthcoming in African Roar and MTLS. He was a participant of the Word into Art into Africa workshop organized by the Africa Centre/SPARCK (South Africa). His story was a finalist of the Word in Action International Literary Contest 2008. He won the Naija Stories Independence Day Contest 2010. In September he will be commencing his Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester.

Dami Ajayi (Poetry) is a final year medical student and immediate past editor-in-chief of the Ifemed Journal Club. A consummate literary enthusiast and co-founder of Saraba literary magazine, he has had his poetry, reviews and short stories published in The Nation, The Guardian, Sunday Sun Revue, African Writing, Hack Writers, Saraba, MTLS, Sentinel Nigeria, Palapala Magazine, African Writer and his short story is forthcoming in African Roar. His first collection of poems, Clinical Blues, will be published next year. He was also a participant of the recently held Bayelsa Book and Craft Fair in Yenagoa.

Adebiyi Olusolape (Poetry) is a mechanical engineer by training. He often refers to himself as a journeyman collagist who lives at Ibadan, this is his modest way of describing himself as an encyclopaedia of some sort. He is currently the Poetry Editor of Saraba and has been influential to the creation of Saraba’s many intercontinental chapbooks. His poetry has appeared in Maple Tree Literary Supplement, 60 Minutes with the Geeks, and in Saraba. His other works have
also appeared in several dailies including The Nation.

Arthur Anyaduba (Non-fiction) obtained a Bachelors’ Degree in English Literature in 2008. He has taught English Literature at Secondary School level. His reviews and criticisms have appeared, to critical acclaim, in 234Next. He is pursuing a Masters’ Degree in Literature in English in Obafemi Awolwo University. He works with Saraba as Fiction Editor.

Workshop Fee: Three Thousand Five Hundred Naira only (#3, 500)

Download application form >>

Download information booklet >>

Contact Information:

For inquiries: sarabaworkshop@gmail.com

For submissions: sarabaworkshop@gmail.com

Website: http://sarabamag.com

Deadline: 31 July (Autumn issue), 31 December (Spring issue)

Lapis Lazuli is a refereed Bi-annual International e-journal of emerging Literary and Linguistic perspectives in the contemporary literatures in English relating to theoretical articles, interviews and book reviews on both literature and language. It is published on behalf of PINTER SOCIETY OF INDIA.

Lapis Lazuli encourages interpretative criticism, fresh insight into new and established literary/linguistic areas and seeks to entertain meaningful pursuits of different contemporary academic issues. It also encourages original contributions in the form of poetry. Each issue contains essays on major works of literatures in English in the global perspective. The journal will love to invite articles on the literatures in English of Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Africa, South Africa and South East Asia.

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Journal would like to have original, well-written, duly researched articles on various segments of both the older and the contemporary literature in English, throwing light particularly on Drama and Theatre. The journal, nevertheless, will also encase, in the global perspective, such articles on poetry, fiction, literary criticism, linguistics, critical theories, creative writings and reviews of published books. We invite critical and analytical articles on various aspects of contemporary literature written, researched and duly documented by the academics, scholars and perceptive readers across nations.

The society will make efforts to publish occasional special issues. The editorial policy, with no leaning towards any particular ideology or concept, is open to any intellectual exercise in any area of literature. Publishers may send copies of their published books for review by selected experts.

Submissions, should be typed double spaced on hard copies (not exceeding 3000 words) on one side of the paper only, in conformity with the MLA style sheet (6th or 7th Edn.) documentation pattern; or may also be submitted by e-mail Attachment or by sending CDs using MS word. Hard copy manuscripts submitted for publication can not be returned to the authors, if not personally collected.

SPRING ISSUE of LAPIS LAZULI the last date for submission is 31 DECEMBER of every year.

AUTUMN ISSUE of LAPIS LAZULI the last date for submission is 31 JULY of every year.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: lapislazulijournal@gmail.com or drdineshpanwar@rediffmail.com

For submissions: submissions to be sent through e-mail at lapislazulijournal@gmail.com or drdineshpanwar@rediffmail.com

Website: http://pintersociety.com

Deadline: 20 July 2011

Oxford is one of the leading educational publishers in South Africa, producing a wide range of quality curriculum-compliant educational material. Our range includes books from Grade R to Grade 12 as well as higher education textbooks, general literature titles, dictionaries and atlases.

Oxford University Press Southern Africa’s head office is located in Cape Town, where approximately one hundred people are employed. A further thirty sales staff are based at the offices around the country.

Assistant Commissioning Editor – Contract post

This key position includes planning, commissioning and managing market-facing curriculum-compliant titles, and financial management of the titles concerned.

It involves:

• conceptualization of projects

• commissioning

• liaison with authors, and provincial and national education officials

• drawing up contracts

• managing a team of desk editors

• planning and controlling budgets

• liaison with the Sales and Marketing team

The successful applicant must have publishing experience, possess excellent technical and language skills, and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Other essential requirements are intellectual ability, financial skills, organizational and administration skills, as well as the commitment and ability to produce books of the highest quality.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. The position is based in Cape Town.

Please apply by writing a short covering letter, and providing a CV stating current salary to Chuma Jeremiah at chuma.jeremiah@oup.com. The closing date for applications is 20 July 2011

Contact Information:

For inquiries: chuma.jeremiah@oup.com

For submissions: chuma.jeremiah@oup.com

Website: http://www.oxford.co.za

Deadline: 22 July 2011

The National Film & Video Foundation is offering FREE part-time training opportunities to individuals who wish to train as script editors in the film and television arena.

The successful candidates will go through an intensive Sediba "Masters" Screenwriter's Training Programme where they will be required to team up with a writer in developing concepts which are engaging & have wide audience appeal. This part-time training programme runs for 12 months, comprising of one workshop per month held during weekends. Workshops will be held in Johannesburg. Travel & accommodation for those based outside the Gauteng Province will be arranged & paid for by the NFVF.

Requirements

* Relevant tertiary qualification or extensive experience in the film and television industry
* Experience of writing intellectually challenging and coherent reports, articles and/or essays for a degree programme, newspaper or magazines, a web blog, a creative or professional writing programme.
* A satisfactory understanding of storytelling based either on one of the following:
* 1. Study of drama, film, television or literature in a university honours degree course 2. Completion of a screenwriting or script editor’s professional development programme or, 3. Experience as a published short story writer, novelist, storyline writer, script writer or script editor for a television drama series or feature film screenplays A satisfactory understanding of storytelling based either on the study of drama, film, television or literature in a university honours degree course or through completion of a screenwriting or script editor’s professional development programme or experience as a published short story writer or novelist or as a storyline writer, script writer or script editor for a television drama series or feature film screenplays.
* Vision for making a big impact on South African film and television drama
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills
* Articulacy in at least one of the indigenous African languages of South Africa as well as English
* Work efficiently and effectively to tight deadlines
* Enjoy engaging in collaborative working relationships
* Ability to act on his or her own initiative
* To be available to attend a five day Concept Development Workshop on 29th August 2011 – 02nd September 2011.

Desirables

* Broad knowledge of current trends in contemporary fiction, theatrical films and TV drama
* Experience of working under pressure, time keeping, administrative situations and working in teams gained through working in a crew or support role in a film or television production team.
* A creative imagination
* Excellent computer skills
* Good negotiation skills

How to apply for the programme

The following information should be sent in with your application to be considered for the programme:

A completed application form Curriculum Vitae – please ensure that you identify the level of your proficiency in English and the indigenous African languages that you speak, read and can write in professionally. A 1-page motivation letter in which you provide a summary of your passion for the kind of film and television dramas you want to make and why, and of your knowledge and experience of the theory and practice of writing for the novel or the dramatic form in theatre, radio, television or the cinema.

Please email by the deadline of 22 JULY 2011 to Pretty Mthiyane at prettym@nfvf.co.za.

Click here for the application form >>

About the Sediba Masters Programme >>

Contact Information:

For inquiries:

For submissions: prettym@nfvf.co.za (subject: Call for Writers)

Website: http://dev.nfvf.co.za

The winners of the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize were announced today in Sydney in an exciting climax to this year's final programme. Critically acclaimed international literary titles for Best Book and Best First Book were awarded to:

Best Book Winner – The Memory of Love, Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone)

The judges praised The Memory of Love for its risk taking, elegance and breadth. A poignant story about friendship, betrayal, obsession and second chances – the novel is an immensely powerful portrayal of human resilience. The judges concluded that The Memory of Love delicately delves into the courageous lives of those haunted by the indelible effects of Sierra Leone’s past and yet amid that loss gives us a sense of hope and optimism for their future. Forna has produced a bold, deeply moving and accomplished novel which confirms her place among the most talented writers in literature today.

Best First Book Winner – A Man Melting, Craig Cliff (New Zealand)

The judges chose this highly entertaining and thought provoking collection of short stories for their ambition, creativity and craftsmanship. Confidently blending ideas that frequently weave outlandish concepts with everyday incidents, the prose is skilfully peppered with social observations that define the world we live in. The eighteen short stories are truly insightful and amplify many of the absurdities around us, reflecting our own expectations, fears and paranoia on the big questions in life. This book is of the moment, and is rightly at home on a global platform. Cliff is a talent to watch and set to take the literary world by storm.

Now in its 25th year and supported by the Macquarie Group Foundation, Commonwealth Writers’ Prize is unique in offering both established and emerging writers the opportunity to showcase their work. The Best Book winner claims £10,000 while the writer of Best First Book wins £5,000.

For the last 25 years the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize has played a key role in unearthing new international literary names, bringing compelling stories of human experience to a wider audience. As highly acclaimed international authors Aminatta Forna and Craig Cliff will follow in the footsteps of some of the biggest names in modern fiction in winning the Prize, including Louis De Bernieres, Andrea Levy, Ian McEwan, and Zadie Smith.

For the fifth consecutive year the Macquarie Group Foundation, one of Australia’s leading philanthropic foundations, is helping to advance one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the world. With Macquarie’s support the prize has grown to reach more people around the world, encouraging wider reading across a range of Commonwealth cultures and rewarding the rising talent that other prizes often overlook.

Aminatta Forna was born in Glasgow, Scotland and raised in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Her first book, The Devil that Danced on the Water, was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize 2003. Her novel Ancestor Stones was winner of the 2008 Hurston Wright Legacy Award, the Literaturpreis in Germany, was nominated for the International IMPAC Award and selected by the Washington Post as one of the most important books of 2006. Aminatta lives in London.

Craig Cliff was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand. A graduate of Victoria University’s MA in creative writing, his short stories and poetry have been published in New Zealand and Australia. His short story 'Another Language' won the novice section of the 2007 BNZ Katherine Mansfield Awards. Craig lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Commenting on the winning announcement, Danny Sriskandarajah Interim Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, said:

“I am delighted to congratulate, the winners of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2011. In its 25th year, the Prize embodies the Commonwealth at its best. It unearths the best writing from across 54 countries, promoting dialogue and understanding on an international scale.”

Richard Sheppard, Chairman of the Macquarie Group Foundation, the supporter of the Prize, added:

"The Macquarie Group Foundation is delighted that two such diverse writers have won this year's Commonwealth Writers' Prize. For the last 25 years, the Prize has helped to bring writers to new global audiences and I'm sure once again that this year's winners will delight and inspire readers and writers around the world."

Nicholas Hasluck, Chair of the judging panel said:

“This year’s winning books demonstrate the irreducible power of the written word at a time of rapid global change and uncertainty. The standard of entries this year has been exceptional, showcasing work with strong insight, spirit and voice introducing readers to unfamiliar worlds.”

The regional prize winners are:

Africa:

Best Book: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone)
Best First Book: Happiness is a four-letter word by Cynthia Jele (South Africa)

Caribbean and Canada:

Best Book: Room by Emma Donoghue (Canada)
Best First Book: Bird Eat Bird by Katrina Best (Canada)

South Asia and Europe:

Best Book: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (UK)
Best First Book: Sabra Zoo by Mischa Hiller (UK)

South East Asia and Pacific:

Best Book: That Deadman Dance by Kim Scott (Australia)
Best First Book: A Man Melting by Craig Cliff (New Zealand)

Contact Information:

Website: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/

Deadline: 21 June 2011

R1000 and a professional critique are up for grabs. All you have to do is flash your shorts.

Flash fiction is a style of fictional literature or fiction of extreme brevity. There is no widely accepted definition of the length of the category. Some self-described markets for flash fiction impose caps as low as three hundred words, while others consider stories as long as a thousand words to be flash fiction. (Wikipedia)

We challenge you to write a story in one post on our Facebook wall. Being constrained to 420 characters, including spaces, will spark your creativity and force you to focus on word choice, sentence structure and even punctuation. It can be done.

Liesl Jobson, SA’s Queen of Flash, will judge the competition and give the professional critique.

Genre: Any

Word count: 420 characters or less

Prize: R1000 cash sponsored by Books LIVE and a professional critique by Liesl Jobson (on a story of no more than 1000-words).

Flash Fiction Competition Rules

1. Entrants must Like Short Story Day South and Books LIVE on Facebook.
2. 420 characters (not words) including spaces or less. Stories must be confined to a single post and not continued in the comments boxes below.
3. Submissions are open now until 21 June 2011
4. All entries must be posted on Short Story Day South’s Facebook wall and sent to shortstorydaysouth@gmail.com
5. Submissions must be in English
6. You must retain the rights to your story to submit it.
7. By submitting a story the author attests that it is their own original work and grants non-exclusive print and digital rights to Short Story Day South and Books LIVE

Contact Information:

For inquiries: shortstorydaysouth@gmail.com

For submissions: shortstorydaysouth@gmail.com

Website: http://www.shortstorydaysouth.co.za