Are you writing a novel? Have you been writing a novel for months, years even? Do you have a draft manuscript that needs revision? Are you committed to finishing your book and seeing it in print? Are you based in East Africa?
Ibua Publishing invites you to apply to its new manuscript project, where you’ll have an opportunity to complete your novel with the support of renowned editors and writers, and see it print on the streets and in bookshops. Selected writers will work with a team of mentors from Saseni! led by writer, editor and teacher Billy Kahora, to hone their writing, and to develop and finish their novels.
The three best manuscripts will be published by Ibua Publishing.
Ibua is committed to the East African novel and its place in documenting our heritage and experience of life in East Africa. The Ibua Manuscript project finds inspiration in the works of pioneer authors like Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Rebecca Njau and Meja Mwangi to Robert Serumaga, Austin Bukenya, Nurrudin Farah, and contemporary voices such as Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Arthur Gakwandi, Yvonne Adhiambo Owour, and Goretti Kyomuhendo. In these writers we find stories that reclaim our historical contributions to the world and trace the interconnectedness of our lives across a vast canvas of situations, localities, cultures, and experiences.
To be eligible for this project, writers must be residents of East Africa and must be a citizen of an East African Community member.
Submission guidelines
- Writers are requested to submit a PDF of part or whole of their manuscript, which should not exceed 300 pages (50,000 words).
- Manuscripts should be formatted in Times New Roman, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing.
- A synopsis of the manuscript, not exceeding 500 words, along with a short bio and current contact details (name, email, phone number, and place of residence) should be included.
- A timeline you are working with for completion of the full manuscript.
What to submit: Adult fiction in English. It should be unpublished, original work. (And if formerly published, it shouldn’t have sold more than 500 copies).
Who can submit: A citizen of an East African country (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo) and resides on the continent.
Submission window: Monday 25th September to Friday 26th January 2024.
When to expect a response: Successful candidates will be contacted by Monday, 8th April 2024.
How to apply: Send an email with the required information to print@ibuapublishing.com with the subject line ‘Ibua Manuscript Project 2024.’
For enquiries please contact the Editorial Team via print@ibuapublishing.com