AFRITONDO SHORT STORY PRIZE 2025

The Afritondo Short Story Prize is open to Black and African writers worldwide.

Stories must be written in English and between 3,000 to 5,000 words.

The deadline for the 2025 Prize is 23 December 2024.

This year, we want writers to respond to the theme of “masks”: spiritual, psychological, social, and cultural coverings that people wear.

In some African cultures, masks are worn only by a particular group of people. Around the world, though, everyday people wear them. Who wears masks, and how are they used to organise and make sense of social life? What psychological and cultural benefits/pitfalls are associated with mask-wearing? What types of masks do people wear? Why do people wear masks? And how do masks bridge the gap between the known and the unknown, the visible and the invisible, the ordinary and the supernatural?

Every year, we seek stories that offer creative interpretations of the theme. We like stories that surprise us, that take risks with imagination and language. A good story for our prize will offer unique insight into the theme and explore characters in refreshing and imaginative ways.

The 2025 Short Story Prize will be judged by Rémy Ngamije, Ama Asantewa Diaka, and Umar Turaki.

 Terms and Guidelines

1. You may only submit an entry if you meet any of the following eligibility requirements:

   •You are a citizen or national of an African country.

   •One of your parents is a national of an African country.

   •You are of black ethnicity or belong to a black minority population anywhere in the world.

   For any questions about eligibility, please contact admin@afritondo.com.

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Enquiries about submissions should be directed to The Afritondo Short Story Prize. Please always refer to their website for complete details and information. 

Please note, this call is run by Afritondo, not the Commonwealth Foundation