Writers from Nigeria and Malawi have been chosen for the Literary Laddership for Emerging African Authors in 2023.
The literary fellowship founded by Suyi Davies Okungbowa, a Nigerian author, who established The Literary Laddership as a three-part writing fellowship with the goal of assisting, promoting, and bringing together up-and-coming fiction writers of African heritage who are based in Africa, has revealed its members for 2023. Gabrielle Emem Harry and Yanjanani L. Banda.
Literary Laddership for Emerging African Authors, 2023 Winners
This year, writers from Malawi, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania submitted 55 applications.
As Okungbowa said: “While we received many impressive, interesting and exciting submissions from clearly talented applicants, we could only award the fellowship to two candidates, and the two fellows selected above have demonstrated a penchant for high quality prose, unique storytelling approaches, a strong commitment to the writing practice and the promise of similarly impressive work in the future.”
The Nigerian author of fictitious writing, Gabrielle Emem Harry, who is an Anthology of Diverse Speculative Stories have published her work or will in the near future: Efiko, Omenana, Kenga, and PRIDE: The assessors appreciated her writing for its grace and stunning ease.
Author Yanjanani L. Banda is from Malawi. Afritondo Magazine, Brittle Paper, Kalahari Review, African Writer, Spillwords, Quilled Ink Review, and African Writer are just a few publications that have published her writing. The judges like her use of nuance in the discussion of complex and important subjects.
According to a press release on Suyi Davis website: “three months (starting in July 2023), these fellows will receive $500 to buy time, space and/or resources to create new work or complete their existing one. They will be given access to a private community of practice (that includes emerging and veteran authors sharing craft lessons, best practices, insider publishing knowledge, among other things). Upon completion of their work, fellows will be provided with the necessary guidance and education (and resources, where possible) to navigate the publishing industry and aid submission and publication of their work.”
