Jennifer Makumbi wins Commonwealth Prize

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi has won the Commonwealth short story prize for a piece praised by judges for its “risk-taking, grace and breadth”. Jennifer is a Ugandan who recently completed her PhD in Creative Writing at Lancaster University.  She beat contenders from around the world to win the £5,000 award for ‘Let’s Tell This Story Properly’.  Read the Guardian article on Jennifer’s… Continue reading Jennifer Makumbi wins Commonwealth Prize

Nguyen Phan Que Mai

Nguyen Phan Que Mai, a student on Lancaster’s Distance Learning MA in Creative Writing, has published her Vietnamese translation of Graham Mort’s story, “A Walk in the Snow”. It can be seen online here. Que Mai’s translation appears in “Tuoi Tre Weekend Magazine”, issue number 2, 11-1-2013. In early July 2013, Que Mai will attend… Continue reading Nguyen Phan Que Mai

How Uganda’s female writers found their voice

Beeatrice Lamwaka, one of the earliest Crossing Borders participants, has been featured in an Observer article, “How Uganda’s female writers found their voice,” by Elizabeth Day, 26th May 2013, recounting how “a pioneering foundation called Femwrite has helped a new generation of Ugandan women tell – or at least record – often harrowing stories of… Continue reading How Uganda’s female writers found their voice

Sticking to My Footsteps

eBook now Available! Sticking to my Footsteps is an anthology of new writing, written and edited by members of FEMRITE Women Writers Association in Kampala, Uganda. The director of the Centre for Transcultural Writing and Research, Graham Mort, visited Kampala in July 2011 to take part in FEMRITE’s Writing Uganda festival and returned in April… Continue reading Sticking to My Footsteps

Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2012

The Wasafiri New Writing competition is open to anyone worldwide who has not published a complete book. We are looking for creative submissions in one of three categories: Poetry, Fiction or Life Writing. Please see the terms and conditions on page 4 of the entry form. £300 will be awarded to the winner of each… Continue reading Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2012

Sentinel Literary Quarterly Short Story Competition

The vision of the Sentinel Poetry Movement is to build the world’s premier community of writers and artists from all backgrounds, nationalities, race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, political or ideological affiliation. Their Quarterly Short Story Competition 2012 has a closing date of 5th April. It is for stories in the English Language up to 1,500… Continue reading Sentinel Literary Quarterly Short Story Competition

Sentinel Poetry Movement Competition

The vision of the Sentinel Poetry Movement is to build the world’s premier community of writers and artists from all backgrounds, nationalities, race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, political or ideological affiliation. Their TRYangle Project Short Story Competition 2011 has a closing date of 10th November. It is for stories in the English Language up to… Continue reading Sentinel Poetry Movement Competition

Stepping Stones Nigeria: Short Story Competition

This short story competition for amateur writers is part of an effort to raise £5000 for Stepping Stones Nigeria. A panel of judges including award winning novelist Goretti Kyomuhendo will select the three winning short stories. Short stories of no more than 1000 words are invited with the opening or closing line: ‘In the distance… Continue reading Stepping Stones Nigeria: Short Story Competition

Films of Migration Stories

Literature Northwest filmed a set of Manchester readings recently for YouTube, and some of them featured readings from Migration Stories (Crocus Books, March 2010).  See our page featuring four films, with readings by Muli Amaye, Kim Wiltshire, Maya Choudry and Sue Stern.  “Migration Stories is a fantastic collection of short fiction that gets right under the skin of the… Continue reading Films of Migration Stories

AIMING HIGHER: Poetry and Fiction: 25-30 October 2010

Ty Newydd National Writers’ Centre is offering a week-long course that will be particularly helpful for writers who would like to apply for entry to postgraduate creative writing courses.  Sara Maitland andGraham Mort (plus guest writer, novelist Tristan Hughes). Residential: £525 (single); £450 (shared) . In partnership with Lancaster University. Whether you write poetry or prose, and whatever your… Continue reading AIMING HIGHER: Poetry and Fiction: 25-30 October 2010