Monthly Archives: May 2014

Kwani Trust Seeks Applicants for 2014 Fiction Workshop

Kwani Trust invites applications for a residential fiction workshop to be held from June 24th to July 6th. Following Kwani?’s pursuit of developing new contemporary fiction, the workshop will incubate writing from fourteen emerging voices with particular focus on writers between the ages of 18 and 24 and writers from outside of Nairobi’s urban space.

Kwani? has always been interested in providing creative and alternative voices, narratives and expressions to mainstream societal concerns. The establishment of devolutionary politics in Kenya, the planned decentralisation of power with the application of the new Constitution and the emergence of new aspects of power in our society requires scrutiny and the telling of new stories. We are therefore interested in developing creative writing that mirrors what has been described as our new politics.

Not limited to the above, the workshop will broadly explore what new narratives can emerge from the county as Kenya’s new central political unit beyond the state. Linked to this will be explorations of the mtaa, or neighbourhood, as an oppositional and organic context to these new narratives, expressions and voices.
We hope that the writers invited to the workshop will work with power and mtaa as broad thematic concerns. The two week-workshop, and the intensity of the residential format, will allow the writers enough time to produce substantial work, learn aspects of the writer’s craft and develop style with Kwani?’s guest tutors and mentors. The invited writers will also form a meaningful working relationship with the other writers on the programme.

At the end of the workshop we will ask writers to submit drafts suitable for submission to Kwani? 09, the ninth issue of Kwani Trust’s flagship literary journal subtitled Your Count®y Needs You.

To apply, please email submissions@kwani.org by Monday, May 26th with the following:

-Email Subject Line: 2014 Fiction Workshop Application
-A short fiction sample (1000-2000 words) (Word or PDF)
-A one page motivation statement including 1. Why you wish to attend the workshop 2. Story idea(s) around power or mtaa 3. A brief bio
-Name
-Age
-Location
-Phone number
-Email address

*Writers must be available for the duration of the workshop. Transport, full accommodation and meals will be provided.