We have a very exciting opportunity for budding African writers! The Jacana Literary Foundation is offering publishing courses as well as free digital masterclasses to help emerging writers learns the ins and outs of publishing and take their writing to the next level. Sign up now!

The Jacana Literary Foundation (JLF) is a not-for-profit organisation which seeks to promote and foster excellent writing from South and southern Africa through a number of initiatives.

In conjunction with Hawthornden Foundation, the JLF will present monthly, in-person, best-of-their-kind practicals. Taking place on the first weekend of every month, these Wise Up Practical Publishing Courses will explore the practical aspects of publishing, getting published, and how to do it for yourself.

Classes cost around R350-650 and include topics such as “Introduction to Copy-editing” taught by Russell Martin, “A Guide to Researching and Navigating the Archives” by Michael Marchant, and “From Pitch to Publication: How to Get Published with a Traditional Publisher” by Sibongile Machika.

Sign up for the publishing courses here.

The JLF has also curated a programme of free digital masterclasses, which will help improve participants’ writing skills. Internationally acclaimed authors, Arja Salafranca, Niq Mhlongo, Mubanga Kalimamukwento, Denis Hirson and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, will share their peculiar and particular insights into the arts of different genres.

Topics include “Travellers’ Tales: An Introduction to Travel Writing” with Salafranca, “A Beginner’s Guide to Short Story Writing” with Mhlongo, “The Building Blocks of a Novel” with Kalimamukwento, “From Memories to Manuscript: The Art of Writing a Memoir” with Hirson, and “Nobody Publishes Poetry (But Poetry Books Get Published)” with de Villiers. Both aspiring writers and published writers are welcome to join!

Register for the masterclasses here.