Send us your writing.
Itanile Mag publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, essays and poetry from African writers and the diaspora. Two reading periods a year, one clear process.
Regular reading periods
Itanile publishes two issues a year and holds two open submission calls. Only entries sent during a reading period are considered; entries sent outside them are held for the next open call. Dates may be flexible. Register on the site and subscribe for emails so you hear about changes.
June and December: African experiences, told in distinctive ways
Each June and December we publish a special issue written by African writers worldwide. Content and style are not tightly restricted. Bring your best craft and your own voice. Translated work is welcome.
What to send
One previously unpublished poem, or up to 3,000 words of fiction or nonfiction.
How to label it
Title your entry with the edition and year, for example #JuneYEAREntry: Your Title, or #DecYEAREntry: Your Title.
Your profile first
Register or sign in and update your bio before submitting. Entries without an updated profile are ignored. If you cannot log in, attach your bio and email to the submission form.
When special issue entries open
First period: roughly April to May, published around June or July. Second period: usually opens in October and closes in November or December, published at the end of December. Dates may change and we announce any changes.
What entrants can win
A cash prize of up to ₦100,000 (the amount may change, with notice) and an e-publishing contract worth ₦60,000 for each of the top three entries. Winners outside Nigeria need a PayPal account or a way to receive PayPal payments.
Work that sees Africa and the world through your eyes
Inventive writing that addresses the human condition in a complex local and global context, written from an individual perspective. Clarity, confusion, anger, pain, surprise, wonder, joy, perceptions of people and places, personal longings, struggles, dreams, regrets, failures and triumphs are all welcome.
Before you send
- Unpublished work only. Not posted online or in print, including on a personal blog.
- Simultaneous submissions are fine. Tell the editors by email if your piece is accepted elsewhere.
- One piece per category at a time. Poetry may include up to three poems.
- Fiction, creative nonfiction and essays must be under 2,500 words.
- Submit through the website. Email submissions are not accepted.
- We aim to reply within two months.
What you agree to
- Submitting grants Itanile first publishing rights. You keep your copyright.
- We may edit submissions and sometimes change titles.
- Writing should suit an online audience: short, sharp and engaging.
- If your work is not accepted, we encourage you to write something new and try again.
Ready? Send it in
Register or sign in, update your bio, then submit through the form below.
