Submission Requirements:

Times New Roman font in 12-point size; double space for prose when possible; must be original works of literary art; must not be previously published or anthologized work; no AI-produced text or artwork.

Length & Number for Each Genre
  A) Poetry—40 lines or fewer, maximum of three poems per submission
  B) Short stories—maximum of 2,500 words, one story per submission
  C) Essays—maximum of 2,000 words, one essay per submission
  D) Hybrid Narratives—maximum of 2,000 words, one narrative per submission
  E) Flash Fiction—200-500 words; maximum of three flashes per submission
  F) Artwork & Visual Poetry: maximum of one page formatted per submission; PDF format accepted & preferred; must be original, uncopyrighted artwork; no AI

Entries should be submitted under the appropriate genre in Submittable with the payment of a $5 fee per submission (solely to help finance operating costs, fees & advertising for anthology). Please only send your submission as a Microsoft Word Document (or in the case of Artwork & Visual Poetry as a PDF) under the appropriate genre. Although not a strict requirement, it is common practice for the subject line in Submittable to include: Title of Submission by Contributor’s Publication Name (for example: Africa by Mbizo Chirasha). A short biographical summary is a requirement.

Please Note: while the Editors will honor withdrawals of submissions by email & pressing inquiries related to submission requirements , submissions by email & paper mail are unacceptable for this anthology & will not be received, read, or returned by the editors.

Multiple genres &/or multiple submissions per Submitter are welcomed, encouraged, & acceptable. However, multiple submissions will require an additional $5 fee and must not exceed the maximum allotment of entries. In general, only one genre entry per Anthology Contributor will be accepted for publication even if more than one entry exists & would qualify for inclusion. Finally, there is no guarantee that the Editors will read entries that exceed the maximum word count or that exceed the number of creative works permitted per entry. The Editors reserve the explicit right to leave entries with excessive word counts unread or to respectfully request an additional $5 payment for subsequent entries to be considered.

What We Want to See

We are looking for gut-turning, nerve-nudging, and heart-tilting writing & creative endeavors. We encourage international contributors. Please send your most thoughtful & thought-provoking work which reflects your best creatively written &/or artistic response to the global African Diaspora. Please only submit grammatically polished work that you have carefully proofread & edited for readability, succinctness, and clarity.

Deadline for Submissions: extended to April 15, 2024, at 11:59 pm, Eastern Daylight Time, United States; No Late Submissions Will Be Accepted.

The Editors highly encourage early submission. Former, as well as current professorial, student, & professional colleagues of the Editors are eligible to contribute. However, all submissions will be fully read in concrete, equal standing & deliberation by the Editors. No preference will be given to known contributors. All submissions that meet the guidelines will stand an equal chance for acceptance & inclusion in the anthology.

Given this thorough readership of entries, the Editors politely request submitter’s patience with our turnaround time for notifying Submitters of acceptance or decline. We will aim for approximately three months from the end of our submission deadline. If after two months from the date of your submission, Submittable doesn’t show your submissions Status as In-Progress, feel free to politely inquire about your submission. We will do our utmost to update you of your entry’s progress at that juncture.

At heart, regardless of a particular submitter’s selection status, you as having a Soul and a Body, are very much a part of the “musical score” of this anthology. The editors & others involved in arranging this anthology profoundly appreciate learning from your literary endeavors as your Readers & Admirers, acceptance or respectful decline though it may be. Salute. Bo Mba! Aluta Continua! Together We Rise. Blessings & Namaste.

Upon Possible Acceptance:

Published authors agree to grant the publisher First Serial Rights to your work. Accepted Contributors will be prompted to include a professional cover letter to the Anthology Editors with a 10-line, tightened Writers Profile or Author Bio, and the welcome accompaniment of a professional headshot photo. This may be used for the anthology, but will surely be included in established and extensive online media publicity. Accepted Contributors will receive a minimum of $50 for each printed entry. Plus, contributor copies of the printed and digital anthology will be provided upon completion of publication of the anthology by Pan-Writers Caravan.

For pressing inquiries about submission status, including withdrawals of entries, as well as publication offers, publicity & promotion possibilities from official & professional avenues: please make direct contact with the Anthology Coeditors:

Mbizo Chirasha (Africa):  mbizotheblackpoet@gmail.com

Anthony Ramstetter, Jr. (United States): anthonyramstetterjr@gmail.com