Newly launched Kenyan publishing house Soma Nami press is looking for short stories for their very first Kenyan anthology. The theme of the anthology is “Kenya-ness”, or all the diverse voices and perspectives within the kaleidoscope of Kenyan culture.

Soma Nami Press is a newly established publishing house based in Nairobi. Kenya. Soma Nami Press exists to share outstanding East African stories with the world and to bring compelling Pan-African stories to East Africa.

The anthology will feature fiction that celebrates, unpacks, questions, and critiques the essence, beauty and peculiarity of “Kenya-ness.” For this inaugural anthology, Soma Nami is interested in submissions that are playful, enjoyable, and daring while still being communicative and accessible. Submissions are not restricted to any genre as long as they speak to the subject matter.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Submission is taken as an acceptance of these submission rules.
  • Submit your short story between January 10th, 2024 and March 15th, 2024 (11:59pm, Kenyan time). Stories submitted after the entry date will not be accepted.
  • All entries must be made through this online form.
  • Your short story should be 2000-5000 words long (including the title, your name, and contact details).
  • Please do not submit work that does not speak to the subject matter.
  • Submission Format: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, and submitted in .doc or .docx format.
  • Submissions will only be accepted from Kenyan citizens, and you will need to provide proof of citizenship if your work is accepted.
  • Submit an author bio and links to any previously published works.
  • All entrants must be age 18 years and above.
  • All submissions must be in English although they may include other languages in them.
  • Only original works that have not been published before will be accepted. Stories selected for the anthology will undergo editing, copywriting, and proof reading as necessary and you can expect to undergo several rewrites.
  • Multiple Submissions: Authors may submit up to two stories, but not more than one may be accepted per author.
  • Only submit work that is exclusively your own work. Plagiarism is not acceptable.
  • There is no submission fee

Deadline: March 15, 2024

Submit here. Include your story as an attachment and a brief cover letter that includes your name, contact information, and a short bio.

All submissions will be reviewed by the editorial team and selected authors will be notified by April 30, 2024. Accepted submissions will receive a one-time and final compensation based on the final word count. Compensation will be paid up upto Kes. 10,000.

Good luck to all applicants!