Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship For Africans 2023

The Miles Morland Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2023 Morland Writing Scholarships for African writers will open for entries on Saturday, 1st July. The Foundation welcomes both fiction and non-fiction proposals. We are aware that non-fiction Scholars may need extra time for research, so the Foundation may exercise its discretion to offer non-fiction writers a longer Scholarship period of up to 18 months.

Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship Requirements

• A submission of between 2,000 to 5,000 words as a Word document of work that has been published and offered for sale.
• Proof of publication and proof of sale.
• A description of between 400 – 1,000 words about the new book you intend to write.
• A scan of an official document showing that you, or both of your parents, were born in Africa.
• A brief bio of between 200 – 300 words.
• Please tell us how you heard about the Morland Writing Scholarships.

Prizes

Scholars writing fiction will receive a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over twelve months. At the discretion of the Foundation, Scholars writing non-fiction, who require additional research time, could receive an additional grant, paid over a period of up to eighteen months.

At the end of each month scholars must send the Foundation 10,000 new words that they will have written over the month. Scholars are also asked to donate to the MMF 20% of whatever they subsequently receive from the book they write during their Scholarship period. This includes revenues from film rights, serialisations or other ancillary revenues arising from the book written during the Scholarship period. These funds will be used to support other promising writers. The 20% return obligation should be considered a debt of honour rather than a legally binding obligation.

The Foundation will not review or comment on the monthly submissions as they come in. However, each Scholar will be offered the opportunity to be mentored by an established author or publisher. In most cases the mentorship will begin after the book has been finished and the Scholarship period has ended. At the discretion of the Foundation, the cost of the mentorship will be borne by the MMF. The MMF does not intend to act as an editor or a publisher. Scholars must find their own agents and publishers, although the MMF is happy to offer advice.

To apply, kindly click here.

Please note that this is not a residential Scholarship. It is up to the Scholars what their living arrangements are during their Scholarship year.

Applications will be received between 1st July 2023 and 18th September 2023. Applications submitted outside that period will not be looked at.

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