The shortlist for the 2018 Miles Morland Writing Scholarships has been announced. The 20 nominees—selected from over 550 entries from 27 countries—includes writers from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Somalia, and Zimbabwe.

Founded in 2013, the Miles Morland Writing Scholarships, an initiative of the Miles Morland Foundation, offer a fiction scholarship of £18,000 to two or three writers over the course of twelve months and a nonfiction scholarship of £27,000 to a single writer over the course of eighteen months. The funds are “paid…to allow them to take time off to write the book they have proposed.” Writers are required to submit a published piece of 2,000-5,000 words. Although entries do not have to be about Africa, preference is given to African related submissions.

About this year’s shortlist, the Foundation’s founder Miles Morland said: “I can’t think of anywhere else in the world that could produce a shortlist with such energy, imagination, and originality. I’d like to see more of the humor for which countries like Nigeria are famous, but apart from that the shortlist has just about everything, an astonishing variety.”

Here are the 20 writers on the 2018 shortlist:

  1. Heran Abate – Ethiopia
  2. Pwaangulongii Dauod – Nigeria
  3. Edwige Dro – Cote D’Ivoire
  4. Dare Segun Falowo – Nigeria
  5. Muthoni Gichuru – Kenya
  6. Shubnum Khan – South Africa
  7. Jacqui L’Ange – South Africa
  8. Idza Luhumyo – Kenya
  9. Sibabalwe Masinyana – South Africa
  10. Marcelle Mateki Akita – Ghana
  11. Howard Me-Buh – Cameroon
  12. Pulane Mpondo – South Africa
  13. Wairimu Muriithi – Kenya
  14. Siphiwe Ndlovu – Zimbabwe
  15. Olufunke Ogundimu – Nigeria
  16. Makena Onjerika – Kenya
  17. Mary Ononokpono – Nigeria
  18. Yovanka Paquete Perdigao – Guinea
  19. Hassan Santur – Somalia
  20. Kola Tubosun – Nigeria

The three judges—Ellah Allfrey from Zimbabwe, who is the chair; Femi Terry from Sierra Leone; and Muthoni Garland from Kenya)—will meet on 26 November to select winners.

The 2017 winners were Bryony Rheam, Elnathan John, Alemseged Tesfai, F.T. Kola, and Eloghosa Osunde.

Congratulations to the shortlisted writers.

For inquiries about the scholarship, you can contact Mathilda Leigh on: [email protected]