The Words Finesse

Brittle Paper, one of the online literary platforms promoting African literature has announced the shortlists for their 2018 literary award. The announcement was made in a statement released today on their website.

"We are delighted to announce the shortlists for the 2018 Brittle Paper Awards. Begun in 2017 to mark our seventh anniversary, the Awards aim to recognize the finest, original pieces of writing by Africans published online. The $1,100 cash prize is split across five categories: the Brittle Paper Award for Fiction ($200), the Brittle Paper Award for Poetry ($200), the Brittle Paper Award for Creative Nonfiction ($200), the Brittle Paper Award for Essays & Think Pieces ($200), and the Brittle Paper Anniversary Award ($300) for writing published on our blog.

The Award is to celebrate not only of writers and their works but also of magazines, journals, and websites, and their editors and publishers who have set up open spaces where true literary diversity can thrive and where their works speak for themselves.

According to the Editor, Dr. Ainehi Edoro Glines and Deputy Editor, Otosirieze, the winners will be announced on Monday, November 19, 2018.

For more details, visit their website HERE.

The Purple Hibiscus Trust announces call for the 11th edition of its creative writing workshop. 

Applications for the workshop will be open until October 15, 2018. The workshop, which would be run by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will start from November 20 to November 30, 2018.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be received via email to purplehibiscus2018@gmail.com.

The email subject should read "Workshop Application".

The body of the email should contain the following: applicant's name, address, a short bio and a fiction or non-fiction writing sample between 200-1,000 words.

The final shortlisted applicants will be notified on November 7, 2018.

Accommodation will be provided for accepted applicants.

Chimamanda Adichie.  Photo: Mamadi Doumbouya for Vulture

The literary community, budding writers and fans of internationally-acclaimed and award-winning Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who has been silent following the temporary resting of the Farafina Trust Creative Writing workshop heaved a sigh of relief when the creative director, Chimamanda Adichie announced the return of the annual creative writing workshop.

The workshop which suffered a set back and could not hold last year because the sponsors pulled out, will now hold, as a new sponsor, Trace Nigeria, has taken over. 

This was announced by Chimamanda during an interactive session with the press in Lagos.

The workshop which is currently in its 11th year, will now hold from November 20 to 30, 2018. 

According to her, “the workshop will continue to provide me the opportunity to contribute to the growth of the writing community in Nigeria. It will also serve as a platform for writers to learn from one another and from established writers.” 

On his part, Sam Onyemelukwe, Managing Director of Venator Partners/Trace Nigeria, said: “We are very pleased to partner with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She is an inspiration to youths in Africa and around the world; and through her art, she not only entertains, but challenges stereotypes and kindles conversations that would often otherwise not be had. This corresponds with the Trace mission to engage and inspire urban and Afro-Caribbean youths through news, entertainment, arts, lifestyle and culture.” 

Speaking about the workshop, she said that the workshop, which was formerly known as the Farafina Trust Creative Writing workshop is now to be called the Purple Hibiscus Trust Writing workshop. Pointing out that the workshop has really lived up to its bidding, “it has gone really well, it has grown, people have benefited from it. People are being made to understand that every society needs strong story tellers. I feel very proud of them and what they have done through it”. 

Adichie has been organising the workshop for the past 10 years under different sponsorships. The workshop has graduated over 200 participants, many of whom have become published writers and editors.

She teaches the workshop alongside other established writers who are invited. Past co-teachers include Poet laureate of Scotland, Jackie Kay, British-Malaysian writer, Tash Aw, and American novelist, Dave Eggers. 

She also called for applications from elligible canditates for the workshop which opened on  September 24 and will run till October 15. Such applications with few sentences about the person should be sent to purplehibiscus2018@gmail.com.

Reacting to a question on feminism, Ms. Adichie called for equality among men and women, “Women and men should be given equal opportunity. No one should stop anyone no matter the sex from being what he/she wants to be. Talents and intelligence cut across gender, so women should be allowed to occupy positions of authority.” Adding that, “we should not use religion or biological differences to hold women down.” 

On her style of writing, she said: “I don’t think I am a poet. I started with tiny books, but it did not go well. The first books were like trying to find myself and I finally found myself in fiction.”

On when next to expect a new book from her, she laughed and said: “I don’t know exactly, but what I can say is watch out.”

Some of the alums of the workshop, Sheilla Chukwunozie and Mazi Nwonwu also shared their experiences about the workshop, how it really impacted them and changed their lives.

Anase Writer Society and Muse for Peace Foundation are inviting poets and writers to submit their works from either of Poetry, Article or Essay, as tributes for the late Kofi Annan, the great peace activist and exemplary leader, who was passionate and dedicated to world peace and equality in his life time.

The submission which closes on Sunday, the 30th of September, 2018, is open to authors or poets of any nationality. 

Any interested poet or writer is permitted to submit only one poem (30 lines Maximum) or one article/essay.

Email subject of the submission should read "Tribute to Annan", while the submission should be placed in the body of mail, as file attachment is not allowed.  

Entrant is also expected to include his or her Name, Country, short Bio and Contact details in the body of mail to be sent to the mail welcoming the submission: kofiannantribute9@gmail.com.

Born on 8th of April, 1938; Kofi Atta Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, from January 1997 to December 2006 and also the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation, as well as chairman of The Elders, an international organization founded by Nelson Mandela. He died on 18 August, 2018.

Committee for Relevant Arts and  Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize for Literary Review have called entries of movie reviews by all and sundry that's equal to the task for a reward of One Hundred Thousand naira (N100,000).

The Prize will be given to the winning entry at this year's Lagos State Book and Art Festival (LABAF 2018) scheduled to hold  in November.

How to enter

Review any three of the legendary Nigerian film maker, Tunde Kelani 's full length feature movies to win 100k for the Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize.

Entries should be sent to info@lagosbookartfestival.com or Coralabaf@gmail.com on or before October 20th, 2018.