Leading South African indie press Blackbird Books is currently accepting submissions of manuscripts for children’s literature. Writers at various stages of their careers can pitch their completed manuscripts for evaluation by the editors at Blackbird Books.

Founded in 2015, Blackbird Books was created to “publish new and existing black writers and narratives, and thereby entertain a variety of readers across different demographics.” It first existed as an imprint under Jacana Publishers before commencing independent operations in 2020.

In line with its founding ideals, it has since served as a home for some of Africa’s most promising new talents including the Commonwealth Prize-winning Namibian author Remy Ngamije, the South African author and Brittle Paper Award finalist Keletso Mopai, the Brittle Paper Award winner Panashe Chigumadzi, and the Nigerian author Onyeka Nwelue.

Please note that only completed manuscripts will accepted and read. Forward submissions to: [email protected] or go to the website to submit here. 

Deadline: 31 August, 2022.