Nine literary magazines from across Africa you can read to tide you over January, the longest month of the year.
2024 is here and you have decided that as part of your resolutions, this is the year that you will read more. With the cost-of-living crisis that we are all living through, it can be difficult to get the cash to buy all the books that are being published by Africans nowadays. In this post, we give you some literary magazines, all free, that can tide you over the long month of January. If you are a writer, you can check out what your peers, or hoped-for-peers, are up to technique-wise and the lot.
Doek! Literary Magazine
Doek! is a free, independent, and Pan-African online literary magazine produced in Windhoek, Namibia. It publishes short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art from Namibia, Africa, and the African diaspora.
The current issue features fiction, nonfiction, and poetry as well as visual art with contributions from among others Hana Gamon, Tjimamutja Pehape Katjiuongua, Cosmata Lindie, Demoy Lindo, Scholastika Namutenya Negongo, and an amazing interview with Yewande Omotoso.
Read the edition by clicking here
Isele Magazine
Isele Magazine is a literary magazine, founded in 2020, that publishes fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, and book reviews.
The most recent issue features writing in prose, poetry, and nonfiction with writing from among others Anya Johanna DeNiro, Pegah Ouji, Stephen H. Foreman, Alex Leslie, Nnaemeka Nnam, Alex Ssali, Chinelo Obianuju Okonkwo, Jake Shore, Ewa Gerald Onyebuchi, Chukwudi Ukonne, Godwin Adah, Olalekan Daniel, Omodero David, and Nnadi Samuel.
Read the edition by clicking here.
Iskanchi
Iskanchi Mag, a production of Iskanchi Press, seeks out and publishes wayward literature by African writers. The idea is to showcase work that engages with and examine what the experimental form looks like in the African literary context. They are interested in pieces that disobey in form and content, in works that bother by being without borders.
The latest issue is the fall issue with writing from Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The writers are Timi Sanni, Jonathan Durunguma, Bwanga ‘Benny Blow’ Kapumpa, Kisaparwot Gerald, Nneamaka Onochie, Dorcas Akobundu, Bill Masuku, and Uwera Martha Aamani.
Read the edition by clicking here.
Kwee
KWEE is a literary magazine based out of Liberia devoted to creativity, excellence and diversity. The term “KWEE” is a variant of “Kwi”, a Liberian concept that literally translates into ‘book’ as in ‘literate’ or ‘civilized’.
The current edition has work by among others Obari Gomba, Althea Romeo Mark, Richard Wilson Moss, Herbert Logerie, Aken Weriebi, Cher Antoinette, John Eliot, Lekpele N. Nyamalon, Jack Kolkmeyer, Matanneh Dunbar, Nene Tetteh Adusu, and loads more.
Read the issue by clicking here.
Lolwe
Lolwe is a Pan-African literary magazine that publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, and literary criticism. The magazine has a focus on amplifying the work by writers, poets and visual artists from Africa, Caribbean and the Black diaspora
The current edition features work from DR Congo, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, USA, and Zimbabwe. The writers and poets are Buke Abduba, Bongani Sibanda, Menenaba, Adewale Olasupo, Clarie Gor, Wayne McCray, Tryphena Yeboah, Mildred Kiconco Barya, Hauwa Saleh Abubakar, Tahnia Barrie, Chinecherem Enujioke, Lysz Flo, Ruba El Melik, Omayeli Arenyeka, Ọbáfẹ́mi Thanni, Otancia Noel, Georgette Mulunda Ledgister, and Delela Ndela.
Read the issue by clicking here.
Omenana
Omenana, a tri-monthly speculative fiction e-magazine, is open to submissions from writers from Africa and the African Diaspora.
The current edition edited by Mazi Nwonwu features writing from among others Adesire Tamilore, Mseli Ngoma, Tunmise Onifade, Ogheneyome O, and Hannu Afere
Read the edition by clicking here.
Open Country Mag
Open Country Mag is a multiplatform space for African literature that was founded by Otosirieze Obi-Young and launched on December 26, 2020. The magazine offers journalism and in-depth stories about the institutions and people shaping the African literary scene.
The current edition has an extensive feature on Leila Aboulela.
Read the issue by clicking here.
The Johannesburg Review of Books
The Johannesburg Review of Books is an independent literary review that publishes reviews, essays, poetry, photographs, and short fiction from South Africa, Africa, and beyond.
That newest issue with a focus on fiction features original stories from Masiyaleti Mbewe, Wamuwi Mbao, Jarred Thompson, Simon van Schalkwyk, Werner Pretorius, Duane Jethro, Franki Jenkins and Tshegofatso Nkwane. There are other contributions from Shubnum Khan, Diane Awerbuck, Tsitsi Mapepa, Magogodi oaMphela, Hamza Koudri, Byron Loker among others.
Read the issue by clicking here.
The Shallow Tales Review
The Shallow Tales Review is a Nigerian-based electronic literary magazine dedicated to curating new and established voices from Africa.
The current edition has fiction, nonfiction, and/or poetry from Cynthia Chukwuma, Chizitere Madeleine Nwaemesi, Rutendo Chidzodzo, I Echo, Khaloud Al-Muttalibi, Abdullah Jimoh O., Junaid Ahmed Ahangar, John Paul Caponigro, Ewoenam Akahoho, Ejiro Elizabeth Edward, as well as a profile of Maaza Mengiste.
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