The African Writers’ Handbook

Edited by James Gibbs and Jack Mapanje. The African Book Collective and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation together organised the seminal gathering of major African writers and publishers at the African Writers-Publishers Seminar in Tanzania in 1998. That gathering called for a New Deal between African writers and publishers, which is included and discussed in this practical handbook carrying forward the work of the seminar. With an introductory essay by Niyi Osundare, the book provides answers to what African creative writers want to know about publishing and how to break into print: how to get published, how publishing works, relations with publishers, experiences of established writers, and how to find resources. It also includes practical information on prizes, awards, contests, writers’ organisations, magazines, vanity and self-publishing, literary agents, censorship, rights and co-publishing, book fairs and launches, and internet resources for authors. Contributors include Dapo Adeniyi, Walter Bgoya, Henry Chakava, Cyprian Ekwensi, Taban lo Liyong, Kole Omotoso, Osonye Tess Onwueme, Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare, the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, Yvonne Vera, and Paul Tiyambe Zeleza.