Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarships 2023 for Africans

The Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship is an annual opportunity extended to the vibrant African writing community. With a core mission to support voices from Africa, this scholarship provides both financial support and encouragement to budding authors across the continent. Here’s everything you need to know about the Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship 2023.

Introduction

The Miles Morland Foundation’s principal aim is to back initiatives in Africa that enable Africans to have their voices heard, particularly in the realms of African writing and literature. Recognizing the financial difficulties often faced by writers before they are well-established, the foundation awards a handful of Morland Writing Scholarships each year. The goal? To give each Scholar the breathing room to produce the first draft of a complete book.

Grant Details

The grant’s financial assistance varies according to the genre of the book:

• Fiction Writers: A grant of £18,000, paid monthly over twelve months.
• Non-Fiction Writers: Scholars may receive an additional grant for extra research time, paid over a period of up to eighteen months, at the Foundation’s discretion.

Eligibility Criteria

Here’s what you’ll need to qualify:

1. Nationality Requirements: Open to anyone who writes in the English language, born in Africa, or with both parents born in Africa.
2. Published Work: Submission of an excerpt between 2,000 – 5,000 words from published work offered for sale. Evidence of both publication and sale is required.

Requirement During Scholarship

The only requirement imposed on Scholars during their Scholarship is simple – they must write. Here’s what’s expected:

• Monthly Submission: Scholars must email at least 10,000 new words every month until the book is finished or the Scholarship term has ended.
• Post-Completion Payments: If the first draft is finished before the year ends, payments continue while editing and refining take place.

Scholar’s Undertaking

The commitment from the Scholar includes:

• Monthly Word Submission: Sending the Foundation 10,000 new words written over the course of each month.
• Revenue Sharing: Scholars are asked to donate 20% of any subsequent revenues from the book written during the Scholarship period to the MMF. This includes revenues from film rights, serialisations, or other ancillary income. This is considered a “debt of honour” rather than a legally binding obligation.

Application Process

Make sure to include all the following six items in your application:

1. A submission of between 2,000 to 5,000 words as a Word document from work published and offered for sale.
2. Proof of publication and sale.
3. A description of between 400 – 1,000 words about the new book you intend to write.
4. A scan of an official document showing your, or both of your parents’, birth in Africa.
5. A brief bio of between 200 – 300 words.
6. Tell them how you heard about the Morland Writing Scholarships.

You can apply online through the application form.

For more details, visit Morland African Writing Scholarship.

Deadline: September 18, 2023.

Conclusion

The Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship is a beacon of hope for aspiring writers in Africa. By providing financial support and guidance, it helps them unleash their creativity and bring their literary dreams to life. If you align with the vision of this noble initiative and meet the criteria, don’t miss the opportunity to apply and make your voice heard in the vibrant world of African literature.