The Caine Prize for African Writing will hold its annual workshop from the 21st of March to the 2nd of April at the Leopard Rock Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The workshop will see thirteen writers from seven African countries take in the workshop’s writing and reading exercises and include four 2013 shortlisted writers. These are Abubakar Ibrahim (Nigeria), Elnathan John (Nigeria), Chinelo Okparanta (Nigeria), and Pede Hollist (Sierra Leone).
They will work alongside nine other promising writers; Martin Egblewogbe (Ghana), Abdul Adan (Somalia), Clifton Gachagua (Kenya), Nkiacha Atemnkeng (Cameroon), and Barbara Mhangami-Ruwende, Philani Nyoni, Bella Matambanadzo, Lawrence Hoba and Bryony Rheam from Zimbabwe.
These writers will be under the guidance of Nii Ayikwei Parkes (his detective novel The Tail of The Blue Bird is one of the best books I have read in recent times) and Henrietta Rose-Innes.
During the workshop, the writers will be expected to write a short story for inclusion in the 2014 Caine Prize anthology, which will be published by New Internationalist on 1 July 2014 and subsequently by seven co-publishers in Africa.
Stories conceived at the workshops are automatically entered for the following year’s Prize.
Zimbabwe previously hosted the Caine Prize for African Writing workshop in 2000 when the inaugural prize was awarded to Leila Aboulela at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair in Harare.
Commenting on the significance of bringing the workshop back to Zimbabwe this year, a Caine Prize official, Dr Lizzy Attree said:
The Caine Prize is delighted to be back in Zimbabwe for its twelfth workshop. The success of NoViolet Bulawayo has inspired so many writers and we are keen to nurture talent both at the workshop and by visiting local schools.”
The programme will include a visit to local senior schools, giving students the opportunity to interact with the writers.
The workshop will also incorporate two public events in Harare; the first in collaboration with the British Council will be held at Harare City Library on 1 April.
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