We're not looking for polite literature. The Iskanchi Magazine Prize is for the rebels. The rule-breakers. The ones who understand that sometimes the only way to tell the truth is to shatter the form that contains it.
What We Mean by "Irreverent, Disobedient, and Non-Conforming": Irreverent means refusing to bow to literary conventions. Disobedient means resisting the pressure to make African literature palatable. Non-conforming means exploring forms that challenge what a story, poem, or essay can be.
Real experimentation means fractured narratives, multilingual texts, hybrid forms, structural innovations, and voices that multiply and contradict. African literature has always been experimental — the Prize simply makes space for that innovation to flourish without apology.
We're waiting for the writer who's been told their work is "too much." Too experimental. Too African. You're not alone.
Submission Details: Email submissions@iskanchi.com, Subject Line "Iskanchi Magazine Prize", Deadline December 1st, 2025.