Alert! The 2016 Writivism Short Story Prize longlist has been announced, including local writers Megan Ross and Catherine Shepherd, and Tanzanian Noella Moshi, who lives in South Africa.
The Writivism Short Story Prize is an annual award for emerging African writers administered by the Center for African Cultural Excellence (CACE). Entrants must be unpublished writers, resident in an African country.
Entries in French were accepted for the first time this year.
This is the longest Writivism longlist to date, at 21 stories, after a record number of over 500 entries.
A group of readers whittled the list down to 100 stories, which were then sent to the judges for consideration. The 2016 judging panel is Tsitsi Dangarembga (Chair), Richard Ali Mutu, Sumayya Lee, Okwiri Oduor and Mamadou Diallo.
The winner will receive prize money of $400 (about R6,000), while all shortlisted writers receive $100 and travel to Kampala, Uganda for the annual Writivism Festival. All longlisted stories are published in the annual Writivism anthology, which will be edited this year by Emmanuel Sigauke.
Previous winners of the award include Johannesburger Saaleha Idrees Bamjee, Pemi Aguda of Nigeria and Ugandan writer Anthea Paelo.
2016 Writivism Short Story Prize longlist
Laure Gnagbé Blédou, for “Jene suis pas rentree”
Idza Luhumyo, for “Decisive Moments”
Aito Osemegbe Joseph, for “The List”
Merdi Muintshe, for “Un Certain 36 Novembrre”
Mathyas Kouadio, for “La Voie De Son Coeur”
Megan Ross, for “Duiweltjie”
Acan Innocent Immaculate, for “Sun Down”
Doreen Anyango, for “Levels”
Gloria Mwaniga Odary, for “Boyi”
Praise Nabimanya, for “Free Fall”
Aïssa Tâ, for “Un Couple Qui En Dit Long”
Frances Ogamba, for “Subtle Defence”
Le K-Yann, for “Poison D’avril”
Bura-Bari Nwilo, for “Like Eyes Liquid With Hope”
Sese Yane, for “We Will Be Safe”
Noella Moshi, for “Possession”
Jude Mutuma, for “Grey Love”
Abu Amirah, for “The Swahilification Of Mutembei”
Acidri Malunga, for “The Story Not Told”
Catherine Shepherd, for “The Woman’s Way”
Farai Mudzingwa, for “A Native Metamorphosis”
Image courtesy of Writivism