We are excited to launch the Reader Program at Agbowó and welcome our first cohort. 8 readers join from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Botswana for the one-year program across the fiction, nonfiction and poetry genres.
The Reader Program at Agbowó serves Africans who are interested in editing and boosting their creative careers with practical experience and support for one year. Readers will be supervised and supported directly by current editors in the applicable genre.
The program includes
- Practical Editorial sessions
Readers will support Agbowó with the first readings of submissions to Agbowó, and will provide the editors will recommendations for publication. Editors will guide readers, as applicable, in making editorial decisions, while readers will help editors focus on a few submissions that will potentially make publication.
- Training sessions
Agbowó will host 2 -3 workshops across the year to support readers’ knowledge on the business of editing. These sessions will hold virtually, and be spread across the year.
- Personal Creative Development Support
Readers will have access to personal support from team editors. This includes in-depth structural edits and feedback for creative works by the readers about once a month, guidance on submissions to magazines to improve acceptance rate, etc. Where readers express interest, they will get guidance in applying to grad schools for MFA.
- Experimental Creative Projects
Readers will be supported to develop and implement experimental projects which can be launched through Agbowó. This includes providing design, technology, platform, and expert support which are within Agbowó’s reach. Readers can also pitch for small financial support of a maximum of 150 USD each to deliver three experimental projects – with potential sustained support for successful experimental projects.
Meet Our First Cohort
Nonfiction
Halimah Adisa (Nigeria)
Favour Chukwuemeka (Nigeria)
Lynn Nyaera Onywere (Kenya)
Fiction
Elliot John (Ghana)
Mustapha Enesi (Nigeria)
Poetry
Henrietta Enam Quarshie (Ghana)
Abdulkareem Oladimeji (Nigeria)
Phodiso Modirwa (Botswana)
