Entries Open: Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2013 (jury includes Indian author Tabish Khair | worldwide)

26 March 2013
Entries Open: Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2013 (jury includes Indian author Tabish Khair | worldwide)
Deadline: 26 July 2013

(Note: This competition requires an entry fee. Please participate with caution.)

Wasafiri is an international literary magazine that provides consistent coverage to Britain's diverse cultural heritage and publishes a range of diasporic and migrant writing worldwide. Since its inception in 1984, it has focused on writing as a form of cultural travelling (Wasafiri is Kiswahili for 'travellers') and extended the boundaries of literary culture.

NEW WRITING PRIZE 2013

Renowned worldwide for featuring some of the best and brightest new talent, Wasafiri launched an annual New Writing Prize as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations in 2009. Since Wasafiri was first published in 1984, it has consistently aimed to shift the contours of established literary canons and remapped the borders of international contemporary writing, creating new imaginative spaces and publishing some of the most promising new literary voices. In the words of acclaimed author Aminatta Forna, ‘In a world which gives voice only to the few, Wasafiri comes to us like a choir of thousands singing the stories of everywhere.’

HOW TO ENTER:

The competition is open to anyone worldwide who has not published a complete book. We are looking for creative submissions in one of three categories: Poetry, Fiction or Life Writing. Simply fill in the entry form and send it to us with your entry and fee of UK Sterling £6.00 if entering one category, £10.00 for two and £15.00 for three categories. The closing date is 5pm GMT on 26 July 2013. Entrants who are visually impaired or who are prevented from typing through disability can enter work on audio CD.

PRIZES: £300 will be awarded to the winner of each category and their work will be published in Wasafiri.

JUDGES:
  • Susheila Nasta MBE (Chair) Editor of Wasafiri and Professor of Modern Literature at the Open University
  • Anthony Joseph Poet, novelist, academic and musician, author of three collections of poetry and a novel, The African Origins of UFOs
  • Tabish Khair Award-winning novelist, poet and critic, shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2010
  • Beverley Naidoo Writer for children and adults and winner of the Carnegie Medal and the Josette Frank Award
Download: entry form

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
  • The competition is open to any nationality and any age group.
  • Word limit is 3000 maximum.
  • Work submitted must be previously unpublished, original and in English. It should not have been submitted to any other competition.
  • Work must be typed, double-spaced, on A4 paper, single sided only etc.
  • Do not write your name, or provide any other form of identification on your manuscript. All submissions will be considered without the judges knowing the identity of the entrant.
  • Work will only be accepted if accompanied by an official entry form and fee
  • payable to ‘Wasafiri Ltd’. If you require acknowledgement of receipt, entries must also be accompanied by a stamped addressed postcard.
  • We regret that manuscripts cannot be altered after submission.
  • If emailing your manuscript, please send it as a Word attachment. Do not paste it into the bottom of the email and provide details of accompanying documentation (e.g. Paypal confirmation; entry form; delivery of cheque).
  • All electronic submissions will receive an acknowledgement.
  • Fee is per category: the entrant can submit a maximum of one entry per category — in the Poetry category one submission can include up to five poems.
  • Entries must be received at the offices of Wasafiri, The Open University in London, 1-11 Hawley Crescent, London, NW1 8NP, UK no later than 5pm GMT on 26 July 2013.
  • The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence or discussion concerning the judges’ decision will be entered into.
  • The copyright will remain with the winning authors. Acceptance of the prize will indicate the author’s agreement to their work being published in Wasafiri and the inclusion in a possible anthology of the best work received.
  • Shortlisted entries may be published on the Wasafiri website.
  • Wasafiri reserves the right to edit the winning entries.
  • Failure to meet the conditions of entry will mean that a submission is automatically disqualified from the competition.
  • No person may win more than one prize.
  • The competition is not open to members of the Wasafiri Board.
  • Shortlisted authors will be notified by email and will be invited to the prize-giving event (date and venue tbc.)
  • A list of shortlisted authors will be put on our website in Autumn 2013 and can be posted out if requested.
  • Manuscripts will not be returned.
  • The entry fee is non-refundable.
(Note: Entries may also be submitted by e-mail. Please refer to this post for the details.)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: wasafiri@open.ac.uk

Website: http://www.wasafiri.org/
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