The editorial team of Agbowo is pleased to announce a new schedule for reading and responding to your submissions. The new schedule will see each year divided into four quarters; Q1 (January – March), Q2 (April – June), Q3 (July – September), and Q4 (October to December).
Starting October 2019, we will begin to accept submissions towards the first quarter (Q1) of 2020. On December 5, 2019, decisions will be sent to all writers who submitted. The following better represents submission windows for each quarter:
Submission Windows
Transition Period
September 1, 2019 – November 30, 2019 Q1 reading period
December 5, 2019 Q1 decisions
Quarter 1
December 1, 2020 – February 2020 Q2 reading period
March 5, 2020 ` Q2 decisions
Quarter 2
March 1, 2020 – May 31, 2020 Q3 reading period
June 5, 2020 Q3 decisions
Quarter 3
June 1, 2020 – August 31, 2020 Q4 reading period
September 5, 2020 Q4 decisions
Quarter 4
September 1, 2020 – November 30, 2020 Q1 reading period
December 5, 2020 Q1 decisions
The new submission schedule will ensure that writers get prompt decisions about their work. In each quarter, Agbowo will publish three (3) short stories, three (3) essays or works of creative non-fiction and six (6) poems. This will ensure that editors have ample time to work with writers to polish their masterpieces and that Agbowo’s growing reading audience will read only the most intruiging and most innovative works of literary art being published on the African continent today.
Specific submission guidelines for:
Poetry
We accept poems of any length, form or style. Please send only three poems at a time. We are looking for poems from poets of African origin that move us by the freshness and keenness of their sound, their fluidity, the orality of their verse and the profundity of their theses. We also welcome humorous poems and political poems.
Please send your poetry submissions here.
Poems should be attached as either Microsoft Word or PDF documents (or both when the physical form is intricate). Poems submitted must be previously unpublished on any platform. Each poem should be titled and every new poem should begin on a new page. We prefer you use a Times New Roman font with a 1.5 spacing. While we accept simultaneous submissions, please be kind enough to inform us if your submission has been accepted by another journal.
Also, attach a portrait picture, a short bio of less than 100 words and your social media handles.
We look forward to reading your work.
Fiction
*Fiction submissions are closed till October 1st, 2019.
Please send a maximum of one story per submission window. Works submitted should not have been published elsewhere. While you are welcome to send flash fiction, we usually publish stories with the 1500 – 5000 word range.
Please send your fiction submissions here.
Stories should be attached as Microsoft Word documents. Stories submitted must be previously unpublished on any platform. We prefer you use a Times New Roman font with a 1.5 spacing. While we accept simultaneous submissions, please be kind enough to inform us if your submission has been accepted by another journal.
Also, attach a portrait picture, a short bio of less than 100 words and your social media handles.
We look forward to reading your work.
Essays
Essays may explore a wide variety of themes. Everything and anything is allowed. We, however, are on a particular lookout for essays with roots wholly or partly lodged within the context of Africa, either through subjects under focus or case studies. We are also keen on ideas which are plucked outside the box and, if possible, without the box in sight. We give premium to uncommon topics, approaches and styles.
Furthermore:
- Essays must be written in the English language. Broken English is also acceptable.
- Essays should be no longer than 3500 words and no less than 750.
- Essays should be previously unpublished; and if previously published, this should be duly noted in the body of the email.
- Submissions should be in an electronic form and attached as Microsoft Word documents.
- Write “Essay Submission” and the title of your piece in the subject line of your email.
- Include a cover letter and a biography ranging between 100 and 200 words
- A clear photograph of the author should also be attached.
- Plagiarism is not condoned. All quotes should be duly acknowledged.
- Please attach your social media handles as well so we can tag you upon publication.
- Please send your essay submissions here.
Visual Art and Photography
This platform encourages artists to contribute to the ever-growing archive of artistic ideas of our time. Artworks can be on any number of subjects, just as long as the theme helps portray the culture in a unique yet relatable manner. In other words, the more idealistic and daring, the preference we give. We hope to assist your creative journey by preserving your works and showcasing them on both our Monthly and Instagram feed.
We request your works (preferably a portfolio of 3-5 works around a singular theme) be submitted as high resolution files and titled appropriately with a note about the medium. Accepted artists will be interviewed for the Monthly.
Please send your visual arts and photography submissions here.
Please attach your social media (particularly Twitter and Instagram) handles as well so we can tag you upon publication.
Interviews and Reviews
We welcome interview submissions typically between 1500 – 7500 words. Interviews must be related to literary or visual arts. If you will be submitting short interviews, kindly note this in the submission subject. We, however, give preference to detailed interviews. We do not republish interviews that have first been featured on other platforms. However, we allow you to recall your submission if it has been accepted somewhere else.
In your submission, include the following:
- Bio of the interviewer, including picture;
- Bio of the interviewee, including picture;
- Pictures from the interview and pictures that buttresses the interview, if there are any.
- Subject and reason for the interview;
- Please attach your social media handles as well so we can tag you upon publication.
Submissions should be shared in a .doc/.docx file.
For reviews, they should be double-spaced and be no more than 1500 words. Reviews of recently published books are given a high preference.
*We are currently not accepting interview submissions. Review articles should be sent to the Essays/Cultural Criticism Editor here
Compensation
We recognize that writers deserve more than just a beautifully crafted acceptance mail and a platform to share and promote their work – that they deserve, also, to be paid. We constantly have this at the back of our mind and will continue to work towards it.
As a compensational gesture, however, from January 2020, all writers published on Agbowo will receive a complimentary gift voucher worth 2500 NGN to redeem against the cost of any book of their choice with our partner, The Book Dealer and another voucher worth 1500 NGN to redeem against the cost of any handicrafts with ArtxJuju.