The Journal of African Youth Literature/ How to Submit

Journal of African Youth Literature Opens Climate Change Submissions

The Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit) is now accepting submissions for its climate-themed 11th issue, inviting African youth writers to respond creatively to climate change through poetry, prose, plays, and criticism.

JAY Lit publishes work in any African language, including English, French, Swahili, Yoruba, Amharic, Zulu, and Chichewa. Submissions must be by, about, and/or for African-born youths, with “African” defined by place of birth or heritage, not race.

Deadline: 31 January
Pay: Nomination for the JAY Lit Annual Prize

Submission Guidelines for the Journal of African Youth Literature

All submissions must be original and unpublished. Although most contributors are aged 15–35, older writers are welcome if they aim their work at this age group.

Format manuscripts in 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, justified, paginated, and submit them in MS Word. British or American English is accepted if used consistently. You can submit simultaneously. Remove all identifying information from the document. Non-English submissions must include a short English summary.

Writers revising their work may find it helpful to review guidance on sentence rephrasing in creative writing to improve clarity and impact.

Poetry

• Short poems: up to 20 lines, maximum 5 poems per submission
• Long poems: 21–50 lines, one poem per submission

Send poetry submissions to poetry.submissions@jaylit.com. The subject line should state whether the submission is a long poem or short poems, along with the writer’s name and title.

Prose

• Short stories & personal essays (CNF): 1,000–4,000 words
• Flash fiction & flash CNF: 250–1,000 words

Send prose submissions to prose.submissions@jaylit.com, clearly indicating genre, name, and title in the subject line. Writers experiencing creative fatigue may benefit from practical advice on overcoming writer’s block.

Plays

• Short plays: up to 4,000 words
• Long plays: 4,000–20,000 words

Plays should also be sent to prose.submissions@jaylit.com, with length specified in the subject line.

Critical Essays, Reviews, and Translations

Send critical essays and reviews, which must not exceed 2,000 words, to ibrahim.ibrahim@jaylit.com. Translation submissions require rights clearance and should begin with a pitch to the same address.

Writers exploring climate themes may also wish to situate their work within broader conversations around contemporary African writers and their thematic choices.