BlackBird Books, an imprint of Jacana Media, as well as Casa Lorde and Eunice Ngogodo Own Voices Initiative are setting up a writer’s residency for young African womxn who are starting their careers as writers.

BlackBird Books provides a platform and a publishing home to both new voices and the existing generation of black writers.

Recent books by the publisher include The Eternal Audience of One, the debut novel by Rwandan-born Namibian writer Rémy Ngamije; If You Keep Digging, the debut short story collection by Keletso Mopai, and Vagabond: Wandering Through Africa on Faith by Lerato Mogoatlhe.

Who can apply?

Young black womxn from any African country who are starting their careers as writers and are between 18 and 40 years old.

The residency is open to writers of all literary genres: novel, poetry, essay, storytelling, narration, theatre, etc.

General terms of the residency:

• Accommodation during up to 4 weeks in Brooklyn, Pretoria, during October (2019) or February (2020). Breakfast and basic expenses included (toiletries, unlimited Wi-Fi).
• The residency does not include transport costs to Pretoria, but it does include R5,000 (five thousand) for basic expenses during your stay.
• Private bedroom and private bathroom inside Casa Lorde, a collective working space.
• Meeting and working sessions with professional writers from South Africa.
• Production of a text is mandatory, although BlackBird Books is not obligated to publish it.

Application and documents required to apply:

• A letter of motivation specifying how you would benefit from your stay at Casa Lorde
• A description of the project you plan to develop during the residency
• Your Curriculum Vitae and a short biography (500 words)
• A sample of your writing (this can be something that has been published or not)
• Please indicate if you would be available during October 2019 or February 2020 (or either).

Application deadline: 31 August 2019.

Successful applicants will be announced during the first weeks of September.

Send your application to the two following addresses with the subject line Casa Lorde Writer’s Residency application:

• info@everapublishing.co.za
• na.floresga@gmail.com

Categories Africa Fiction Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Awards BlackBird Books Casa Lorde Eunice Ngogodo Own Voices Initiative News Writing