The Caine Prize for African Writing awarded annually to creative writers  short stories, is open for submissions into its 2018 edition. The prize was launched in 2000 to encourage and highlight the richness and diversity of African writing by bringing it to a wider audience internationally, and was named after the late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of Booker plc and Chairman of the Booker Prize management committee for nearly 25 years.

The winning author will get a cash prize of £10,000 and a travel award will be given to each of the five ahort-listed writers.
Winner of the prize will be announced in the 2nd of July 2018 and the short-list will be released sometime in March.

 Eligibility

• You must be an African.
• Unpublished work is not eligible for the Caine Prize.
• Submissions should be made by publishers only.
• Only fictional work is eligible.
• Only one story per author will be considered in any one year.
• Submissions should specify which African country the author comes from and the word count.
• 6 copies of the work in its originally published version are required.
• If the work is published in a book or journal, send at least one copy of the book / journal and five photocopies; but particularly where several stories are submitted from one anthology send six copies of the book / journal itself.
• If the work is published online, also send six photocopies of it.

Note: works which do not conform to the criteria will not be considered for the prize. Please do not waste your own time and postage by sending in material which is unsuitable.
Works not eligible for entry include: stories for children, factual writing, plays, biography, works shorter than 3000 words and unpublished work.

How Do I Apply?
There is no application form. To apply please send six original published copies of the work for consideration to info@caineprize.com including a letter from the publisher.

When is the Deadline?

31st of January 2018

Here are previous winners of the Caine  prize from year 2000 – present:
2000: Leila Aboulela (Sudan)
2001: Helon Habila (Nigeria)   2002: Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya)
2003: Yvonne Owuor (Kenya)

2004: Brian Chikwava (Zimbabwe)
2005: Segun Afolabi (Nigeria)
2006: Mary Watson (South Africa)
2007: Monica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda)
2008: Henrietta Rose-Innes.(South Africa)
2009: EC Osondu (Nigeria)
2010: Olufemi Terry (Sierra Leone)
2011: NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)
2012: Rotimi Babatunde (Nigeria)
2013: Tope Folarin (Nigeria)
2014: Okwiri Oduor (Kenya)
2015: Namwali Serpell (Zambia)
2016: Lidudumalingani (South Africa)
2017: Bushra al-Fadil

It would interest you to know that The African winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Wole Soyinka and J M Coetzee, are Patrons of The Caine Prize. Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne is President of the Council, Ben Okri OBE is Vice President, Dr Delia Jarrett-Macauley is the Chair, Adam Freudenheim is the Deputy Chairperson and Dr Lizzy Attree is the Director.

Got questions or need guidance with your entry?
Send an email to: info@caineprize.com or visit: http://caineprize.com/how-to-enter/