PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Adopt-An-Author Program A Call For Submissions

Each year, Publish’d Afrika Magazine sponsors the editing, proofreading, manuscript development and ultimately publication of three aspiring authors’ works, at no cost to them. These are aspiring authors that we identify independently, whose works in our opinion stand out and show promise. The authors also have to be willing to be mentored further on the craft.

This year, the indications are that we will increase the number to 10 writers. In March 2025, these writers will form part of PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Magazine’s annual Spoiling The Broth anthology (Volume 3) launch and workshop, where a number of industry experts will further help to hone their craft.

The idea is not only to help the 10 writers to publish their books, but to also inculcate in them the skills to build a fan base, and to develop themselves into brands synonymous with literature. While there is no age limit to writers who are accepted into the program, preference would be given to:

Writers under the age of 35.
Manuscripts must be written in English
Novels
YA Fiction
Short story collection
Memoirs/autobiography
Self-help books
Only open to SADC countries
We will not accept poetry or religious manuscripts at this time.

The PUBLISH’D AFRIKA’s Adopt-An-Author Program was established in 2021, with the publication of, amongst others, Zeripah Amoni’s book, I Am Also A Woman. The project was wholly funded by Mr Success Moripa, of Moripe Group of Companies. The project gained momentum with the publication of Matumelo Mafoko’s book, Through The Silent Tsunami. Matumelo’s project was funded by PUBLISH’D AFRIKA, after a sponsor pulled out.
Anathi Kom’s poetry anthology, A Tree of Life, soon followed. This was a collaboration between PUBLISH’D AFRIKA and the University of Fort Hare. Anathi has gone on to make a name for herself, also becoming a contributor to PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Magazine’s Spoiling The Broth anthology Vol1.

How to get spotted by PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Magazine scouts? In this day and age, writing talent alone is not enough to guarantee success as an author. Authors now have to unashamedly market their crafts to death. You no longer just have to sell your book, but also sell yourself as a brand. Put yourself and your work out there. Get tongues wagging, be in people’s faces and hog the spotlight, in a positive way of course.

Those are the people we are looking for; scribes who do not think publishing a book alone is enough. Writers who have laid the foundation and now need to be met halfway. Writers who are prepared to work equally hard for the success of their projects.

Unsolicited manuscripts will not be accepted. However, writers are welcome to send us a synopsis of their work (no longer than two pages, Times New Roman or Calibri 12), along with one chapter, an author bio and a detailed marketing plan they have put together.
Do you have numbers that you can show us? A fan base or following that would readily consume your work should it be published? Basically, can you show if there will be a return to the investment PUBLISH’D AFRIKA might make on you and your work?
Submissions open on 18 June 2024 and will close on 18 August 2024. Send your submissions (synopsis, one chapter, an author bio and detailed marketing plan only) to Sukoluhle Nontokozo Mdlongwa at info@publishdafrika.com.

PUBLISH’D AFRIKA CHRONICLES

BOOK #1: I AM ALSO A WOMAN

By Zeripah Phiri
ISBN: 978-1-77626-078-2
Pages: 140
Publisher: PUBLISH’D AFRIKA

While her peers had already forgotten how many times they had gone through their monthly menstrual circles, Zeripah Phiri still hadn’t seen hers, and she was already 19 going on 20. But she didn’t think much of it. She believed she might have been a late bloomer. After all, she had always been skinny and petite growing up, and even her breasts hadn’t fully developed by the time she turned 18.
It wasn’t until she got married at 21, that the matter of her menstrual period became a sore point in her marriage. She also found that she and her husband couldn’t consummate their marriage – he just couldn’t penetrate her even after using the best lubricants money can buy. Doctors also couldn’t help, so they turned to prophets and traditional healers – with disastrous results.
“One sangoma accused my grandmother of having cast a spell on me and magically stole my womb,” says Zeripah, reminiscing. “Another instructed me to insert a coarse corn cob into my vagina three times a day, in combination with an assortment of concoctions, in a bid to widen my vaginal walls. You can imagine how painful that was.”
On the home front, the in-laws were understandably unhappy that their makoti still hadn’t conceived, two years into the marriage. Zeripah’s father-in-law went as far as to urge his son to take a second wife, as he couldn’t bear the thought of ‘a piece of furniture occupying space in my son’s house’. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before the husband started having a wandering eye, eventually starting a secret relationship with a woman who was known to the family.
‘I Am Also A Woman’ is a true-life story of Zeripah Phiri, who was born without a womb, a condition known as MRKH. It is a rare congenital disorder that affects the female reproductive system. It is characterised by an underdeveloped vagina and uterus. The uterus may be small or absent, and the vagina is typically shortened, hence her husband couldn’t penetrate her. The condition affects one in 5000 women worldwide.
“I was already married when I discovered I suffered from this condition,” says Zeripah. “It basically means I can’t conceive even if I wanted to, and that I had wasted thousands on zangoma, fake prophets, quacks and traditional healers, who all had convinced me that they could cure me. Funny enough, shortly after I published the book, I even got offers from men who vowed that their manhoods were divine and that they could give me a baby after just one night in bed with them.”
Most women with this – at least those who are in relationships and are aware that they suffer from MRKH – find themselves having to use vibrators not because they have the urge for sex, but because the vagina tends to close up if not penetrated for an extended period of time.
“Those who are married or in relationships, who have husbands or partners who work far from home, have to continuously ‘service’ themselves with vibrators,” says Zeripah. “If they don’t, intercourse with their partners will be a painful, horrendous experience on their return.”
Zeripah says she wrote the book to share her life story, to teach others her perspective and prove to herself that she is not alone. She believes there are others who will whisper, “Me too”. She has decided to come out of the proverbial closet, express and pour out her heart without interruption.
“I believe that by doing this, I will be able to reach out to a lot of people going through the same reality as mine; women who bore the brunt from the same syndrome but are not ready to open up,” she says. “I feel that opening up your wounds helps in healing.”
“In this book, I share my life story, what I went through until the day I took the bold decision to talk about my condition. I must say, this journey of infertility is so draining at times, but I have learnt not to let my crown fall.”

What Is An Editor?

By James McCreet


I’ve been professionally editing and subediting text for almost two decades. Not only fiction, but also magazine articles, academic theses and business writing. The traditional role of an editor has been to polish and correct work written by someone who is, essentially, already a proficient writer but who needs another pair of eyes on their work.

In this traditional model, the writer is usually at least as good a writer as the editor – and possibly better. The editor, however, has different knowledge: a deeper understanding of grammar, more experience of plot structures, a better sense of the market, a set of guidelines required by a particular publisher. The editor tweaks an already effective piece of work into the final product.

The relationship works because the skills are complementary. The editor is not typically a writer and the writer is not an editor (though either theoretically could be. It happens).

What I’m seeing these days is a change in the editor’s role. It seems that a writer now is someone who isn’t, essentially, a proficient writer but wants to be. Nevertheless, they have produced a book. The editor’s role in this model is not to add a final polish but to fix all of the errors: the defective dialogue, the bad description, the incoherent plot, the confused tenses, the fundamental lack of correct punctuation etc.

In short, the editor is not adding the final polish but adding the writing itself. The editor must also be the writer. The person who wrote the manuscript is neither a writer nor an editor.

It’s one way – a collaborative or collective way – to produce a novel, though it puts most of the skill on the editor. It’s a reason why I generally don’t edit novels anymore unless it’s the traditional model. Trying to edit a fundamentally badly-written novel is like trying to unbreak an egg. If someone fundamentally can’t write, I think it makes more sense to learn the skills before producing a novel.

Retailer Pays Your Study Fees, And Employs You Upon Completion

Shoprite Opens Bursary Applications

The Shoprite Group invites high-performing students keen to join the retail industry to apply for its comprehensive bursary programme. Students enrolled for degree studies in Accounting, Biological Sciences, Criminology, Information Technology, Logistics and Supply Chain, Retail Business Management, Food Sciences as well as Agricultural Sciences can apply for funding between 1 February and 30 April 2024.
The comprehensive bursary covers tuition and accommodation. Employment after graduation is guaranteed, giving beneficiaries a seamless entry into the business allowing them to learn from the industry’s top talent, experts and mentors. In addition, bursary holders receive a monthly grocery allowance and enjoy access to the Shoprite Employee Wellness programme.
In the last financial year, the Group invested R14.9 million in its bursary programme, which funded 200 students.
The retailer is the largest private sector employer in South Africa and one of the top graduate employers in the country. In 2023, for the third consecutive year, the retailer was awarded the Gradstar Students’ Choice Award for Employer of Choice in the retail sector.
“As a leader in retail innovation, the company provides fertile ground for young talent to grow and thrive. Our bursaries are aligned to critical skills in the business and our commitment to uplifting the lives of young people by providing them an entryway into highly skilled roles.”
Harry Makobe, 23, from Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion, received funding for the final year of his B-Com Supply Chain Management degree at the University of Pretoria. The Group also funded his post-graduate degree and absorbed him into the supply chain graduate programme in 2023. He was later appointed as Store Replenishment Analyst.
“This is a full circle moment for me because I started working as a merchandiser in retail when I was 15 years old during the school holidays. The best thing about the bursary is that you are guaranteed a job, and the graduate programme ensures you have the skill and the confidence to make an impactful contribution in your field.”
Rachel-Leigh Audier, 25, from Germiston in Gauteng, is on her way to becoming a Chartered Accountant after the Group funded her Bachelor of Accounting degree and post-graduate studies at the University of Johannesburg.
“I am in my third year of training and couldn’t have asked for a better place to learn and grow. I’ve been exposed to various parts of the business and acquired skills that could be applied well into the future, which is aligned with the new SAICA CA2025 programme.”
For more information, go to:
https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/newsroom/2024/bursaries-2024.html

Adverbs and Dialogue Tags

 .     The Do’s and Don’ts

The general rule in fiction writing is to eliminate as many adverbs as possible, and replace them with stronger, more specific words. Writing coaches all over the world are in agreement that using adverbs in dialogue tags qualifies as lazy writing often notable from novice, inexperienced authors. Adverbs in dialogue tags tend to tell the reader how he should think or feel, instead of the author making an effort to allow the character’s words and actions to paint the picture or evoke emotion in the reader.
What are adverbs and can you use them in your writing? Do you often feel you have to pepper your writing with adverbs to make your character’s demeanour clear, just in case you couldn’t quite crack it in the dialogue?
Adverbs are those words ending in ‘–ly’, often used to modify the verb – “he said angrily” or “he said hastily” or “she said gently”. When you describe how a character says or does something, you take away the power from their spoken words, as their emotions and body language become insignificant to the reader. Good writing, however, does not need adverbs to help your readers understand how your characters think or feel. Your dialogue should be strong enough to convey that emotion by itself.

Here’s an example:
“Get out of my house!” he said angrily.
“Get out of my house!” he said through gritted teeth.
The first example uses an adverb to communicate the feeling/emotion, basically telling the reader what he should feel, while the second uses an action. It is also ‘telling’ instead of ‘showing’. The second example tells the reader that the character is angry, without the writer stating it in the dialogue tag. The action itself (through gritted teeth) is brief; it eliminates the adverb and conveys the character’s emotion. This type of writing also helps to mold memorably vivid characters with distinct voices.
The function of dialogue tags is to tell us when a character is speaking, which character is speaking, and also helps to break long, winding dialogue. Some readers do not even notice dialogue tags; they simply read over them. A good writer would use a dialogue tag to insert body language, an action or a reaction, and this is not something a reader can easily miss. Without the reader being the wiser, you have conveyed the emotion and tone of the dialogue to the reader.
It is not an entirely bad idea to use adverbs. When you feel you have to, then use them sparingly, as long as they do not interrupt the flow in the story. This can be in instances where an adverb can easily replace a long sentence that is pregnant with character actions and body language. While some readers may not be irked by the use of adverbs, refrain from overusing them because you are not writing for just one reader – a host of other readers might pick up your book. Strike a balance that would accommodate a wide variety of readers and tastes.
There are, however, instances when an adverb cannot be avoided, such as when you find yourself writing dialogue for a character that is being sarcastic or polite. Picture a barman declining payment from a lady that he has taken a liking for at the bar.
“Nah, your money is not good enough here,” he said politely.
To some readers, the above dialogue might not be clear; the reader might think the barman suspects the lady’s money might be fake. A reader who gets it, though, would not be irked by the adverb, even though he realises that the barman is being polite. The reader might be so amused by the dialogue, he wouldn’t even notice the adverb.
Picture the same barman, now emboldened to shoot his shot, but the lady isn’t as charmed by his advances.
“So, how about I take you out tomorrow might?” he asked.
“Ask me again in ten years, I might say yes,” she said nonchalantly.
Again, a savvy reader would know immediately that the lady is in fact being sarcastically indifferent, but for a reader that isn’t as savvy, the adverb ‘nonchalantly’ has replaced writing a long-winded action that describes her aversion to the barman’s advances.
Writing coaches also advise against the use of synonyms for ‘said’, such as ‘he urged’, ‘he opined’, ‘he quizzed’ or ‘he lamented’. Again, when you have to use them, do so sparingly instead of littering them generously on every page. Make a habit of sticking to ‘said’ and ‘asked’ and steer clear of adverbial overuse.

CORPORATE INFORMATION
PUBLISH’D AFRIKA is a registered B-BBEE Level-1 company
Contact us for all your editing, proofreading and self-publishing needs.
Email: info@publishdafrika.com
Call/WhatsApp: +2783 487 4440 / +2774 643 0618
http://www.publishdafrika.com

Are You An African Writer, Or A Writer of African Descent?

Afreada: https://afreada.com/Adda Stories: https://www.addastories.org/Africa In Dialogue: https://africaindialogue.com/Africa In Words: https://africainwords.com/Africa Writes: https://africawrites.org/African Writer: https://www.africanwriter.com/Afritondo: https://www.afritondo.com/AfroSF: https://afrosf.submittable.com/submitAgbowo Art: https://agbowo.org/Ake Review: https://www.akefestival.org/about-ake-review/Akuko Magazine: https://www.akukomagazine.com/A Long House: https://alonghouse.com/The Amistad: https://www.theamistad.com/Anathema: http://www.anathemamag.com/ArabLit Quarterly: https://arablit.org/Artmosterrifric: https://artmosterrific.com/Azure: https://www.lazuliliterarygroup.com/azure-a-journal-of-literary-thought.htmlBakwa Magazine: https://bakwamagazine.com/Barzakh Magazine: https://www.barzakhmag.net/Best Of Africa: https://thebestofafrica.org/BKO Magazine: https://bkomagazine.co.za/Brainwavez: https://www.brainwavez.org/Brittle Paper: https://brittlepaper.com/Caine Prize for African Writing: https://www.caineprize.com/Chimurenga: https://chimurengachronic.co.za/Eclectica Mag: http://www.eclectica.org/index.htmlEro Gospel: https://erogospel.com/Everyday Journal: everydaysubmissions@gmail.comFIYAH: https://www.fiyahlitmag.com/Fortunate Traveller: https://www.fortunatetraveller.com/submissions/Guernica: https://www.guernicamag.com/Gutter: https://www.guttermag.co.uk/Imbiza Journal: https://www.imbizajournal.co.za/Ilunafriq: https://ilunafriq.com/Isele Magazine: https://iselemagazine.com/Iskanchi: https://iskanchi.com/submitJALA: https://africanlit.org/ala-publications/jala/Jalada Africa: https://jaladaafrica.org/James Currey Prize for African Literature: https://jamescurreyprize.com/James Murua’s Literary Blog: https://www.jamesmurua.com/The Johannesburg Review of Books: https://johannesburgreviewofbooks.com/The Journal of African Youth Literature: https://africanyouthliterature.art.blog/Ka’eda Africa: https://kaediafrica.org.ng/Kalahari Review: https://kalaharireview.com/Kendeka Prize for African Literature: https://www.solanopublications.com/kendeka-prize/Kikwetu Journal: http://www.kikwetujournal.com/Kweli Journal: http://www.kwelijournal.org/Libretto: https://librettong.com/Literandra: http://literandra.com/Literatas: http://www.literatasmz.org/Litro: https://www.litro.co.uk/Lolwe: https://lolwe.org/Lunaris Review: https://review.lunaris.com.ng/Lunar Station Quarterly: http://lunastationquarterly.com/Meskot: http://www.meskot.com/Minority Africa: https://minorityafrica.org/Mosaic Literary Magazine: https://mosaicmagazine.org/Nalubaale Review: https://nalubaalereview.wordpress.com/New Contrast: http://www.newcontrast.net/New Ink Review: https://thenir.wordpress.com/Olongo Africa: https://olongoafrica.com/Omenana: https://omenana.comPlantin: https://plantinmag.com/Periferias: https://revistaperiferias.org/en/Poda-Poda: https://poda-poda.com/Praxis Mgazine: http://www.praxismagonline.com/Pree: https://preelit.com/A Reader’s Community: PodcastRevista Literatas: http://www.literatasmz.org/Sable Literary Magazine: http://www.sablelitmag.org/SAND Journal: https://sandjournal.com/Silver Pinion: https://www.silverpinion.org/The Single Story Foundation: https://singlestory.org/Short Story Day Africa: http://shortstorydayafrica.org/Strange Horizons: http://strangehorizons.com/SUNU Journal: https://www.sunujournal.com/Sultan’s Seal: https://sultansseal.com/The Single Story Foundation: https://singlestory.org/Transition Magazine: https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/transitionUncanny Magazine: https://uncannymagazine.com/Wasafiri: https://www.wasafiri.org/Wawa Book Review: https://wawabookreview.com/