Farafina Trust will be holding a creative writing workshop in Lagos, organized by award-winning writer and creative director of Farafina Trust, Chimamanda Adichie, from June 16 to June 26, 2015. The workshop is sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc. Guest writers who will co-teach the workshop alongside Adichie are the Caine Prize Winning Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina, National Librarian of Norway Aslak Sira Myhre, and others.
The workshop will take the form of a class. Participants will be assigned a wide range of reading exercises, as well as daily writing exercises. The aim of the workshop is to improve the craft of Nigerian writers and to encourage published and unpublished writers by bringing different perspectives to the art of storytelling. Participation is limited only to those who apply and are accepted.
To apply, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Your e-mail subject should read ‘Workshop Application.’ The body of the e-mail should contain the following:
- Your name
- Your address
- A few sentences about yourself
- A writing sample of between 200 and 800 words. The sample must be either fiction or non-fiction.
All material must be pasted or written in the body of the e-mail. Please DO NOT include any attachments in your e-mail. Applications with attachments will be automatically disqualified.
Deadline for submissions is April 30, 2015. Only those accepted to the workshop will be notified by June 2, 2015. Accommodation in Lagos will be provided for all accepted applicants who are able to attend for the ten-day duration of the workshop. A literary evening of readings, open to the public, will be held at the end of the workshop.
118 Responses
is this workshop open to children?
Hi Temitayo,
The workshop is not open to children.
Can 17/18 year olds apply?
Hi Blacky,
Yes, a 17- or 18-year-old can apply.
Hello, I am Israel from warri delta state.
Please may I need 2ask: what are my chances of being selected among d chosen ones?
I really need to participate for I ve been waiting for did opportunity in d past decades.
Hello Lucky,
All applications are read and assessed, and the participants are selected based on the quality of their writing. You should endeavour to send a sample of your best writing.
Good luck.
Thank you for creating this opportunity. But, can someone who has interest in writing but is a novice in writing apply?
Hi Jeremiah,
Anyone can apply to the workshop, new writers included.
Please is the workshop open to non-Nigerians?
Yes, the workshop is open to non-Nigerians.
Reblogged this on wordgenre and commented:
Here!
Can an applicant submit two writings?
Send your best writing. You will be judged on a sample of your best writing.
Will the workshop boost my chance of achieving my ultimate dream of having my work/s published by FARAFINA KACHIFO?
Reblogged this on !nkyEngineer.
Hey, if one is accepted will one make personal feeding arrangements or will all that be handled by the organizers?
It is a residential workshop. Your feeding and board will be taken care of for the duration of the workshop.
What’s the cost?
There is no cost.
Reblogged this on geerian.
Reblogged this on ifekleva and commented:
You can all begin to send in your entries. Deadline is the 30th of next month. All the best.
Hello
Is the workshop only open to citizens of Nigeria?
Anathi
Hi Anathi,
Non-Nigerians can apply.
I appreciate this platform.God will reward. You.let my writing pass the test of your want.all I pray.
Can we be given any guideline/hint on the writing, like genre or something? What type of writing, or what exactly should we write about?
Hi Ace,
There are no guidelines as to genre or subject matter. You can write about anything; just submit a sample of what you believe to be your best writing.
Is the workshop open to just prose writers? How about those who are involved in other genres of literature like Poetry?
Hello Maureen,
The workshop is designed primarily for prose writers.
Hello,
Can Nigerians not currently resident in Nigeria apply and if selected, are they any provisions to cover travel expenses?
Hello,
Nigerians outside of Nigeria can apply, however there is no provision for travel expenses.
What if your writing sample exceeds 800 words? Is it acceptable?
Hi Eunice,
As per the instructions, your writing sample should not exceed 800 words.
Pls can it not be a story maybe just a piece on reality
Hello,
You should send a sample of your best writing. This can be fiction or non-fiction.
Im freaking out.
Will accommodation be provided for non residents during the 10 days workshop?
Hello,
As the post says, accommodation will be provided in Lagos for the participants.
Reblogged this on ugochinem and commented:
I think farafina is doing something great here….
please, I want to apply, but i dont have a laptop, must i have a laptop before i apply?
Hi Kingsley,
It is not required that you have a laptop. However, your application must be sent via email.
Hello, can amother genre, other than prose, drama to specific, be submitted? Also how many writers would be selected?
The workshop is designed primarily for prose writing, however you are free to submit in any genre.
A minimum of 20 writers will be selected.
Hello, can pictures be included in the article one wants to send in to further buttress a point?
Thank you
Hello,
The applications are judged based on the quality of the writing. A picture is not likely to help much. Also, please note that attachments of any kind are not allowed.
Must the “sample writing” be a complete work? Are excerpts permitted?
Excerpts are permitted.
kudos to farafina, i will apply. Anticipating to meet my role model, Amanda in person.
Reblogged this on I am Woman and commented:
On your mark…set…WRITE!!!
Welldone thus far I just want to clarify. Are things like age,sex,school etc required in the ‘few sentences about you’ or can you just pick a part of yourself and write there? And how much is a few sentences, 10 maybe?…thank you
Hi Fio,
Your statement about yourself can contain whatever you want it to.
If an applicant is selected, does it boost his chance of getting published by farafina kachifo?
Not necessarily. The objective of the workshop is to help writers improve their craft.
I need to ask if the length of the write-up has anything to do with selection. If the write-up is just few words above 200, does that reduce one’s chance of participation?
Hi Adekunle,
It’s important to follow the given instructions.
Reblogged this on kenebrity and commented:
A life time opportunity worth grabbing!
I feared the first prose document I sent was a microsoft word attachment, though i later sent it by copying and pasting on the body of the email, hope this hasn’t disqualified me?
Hi Ben,
The entry that has your writing sample in the body of the email will be considered while the one with the attachment will be disregarded.
[email protected]
Hello. Please I’ve submitted my entry but I didn’t get any message that my entry has been received like my friend did. I’ve checked my spam messages and it isn’t there. I need to know if it has been received. Please help, thanks.
Hi Seyi,
Please confirm that you sent your entry to the right email address ([email protected]). If you did, your entry has been received. It’s likely that it ended up in the Spam folder (which is why you did not get a response). But the Spam folder is checked regularly, and your entry will definitely be read. No need to worry.
Hi,
The instructions state that successful writers will be contacted BY 2nd June 2015. Does that mean some people might be contacted earlier than that date? Thanks.
It means that by June 2, all selected applicants will have been contacted.
I was having internet problems and my mails would not send until about 5am. Will my application be considered? I didn’t see the call for submissions until that 30th.
Unfortunately, only applications received before the deadline will be considered. You will have the opportunity to apply again next year.
hi, what you guys got going on here is really great and should be encouraged. more grease to your elbow..meanwhile i have submitted my write up which is a poetry sample. hoping i would be one of the lucky ones..
oh i missed it,i didn’t know about this…just saw the post now.is there anyway you can shift the deadline forward.please this is a golden opportunity I don’t want to miss
Unfortunately the deadline cannot be extended. However there will be another opportunity to apply next year.
Seems I’m late. Please when will the next workshop hold?
The next workshop will hold next year. The announcement will be made when due.
Thank you
l love to be there, we hope to receive the full address if are chosen.
I sent in my application last month. When should we expect a reply.
Successful applicants will be contacted by June 2.
Hello, I just found out about the workshop, this year is not possible for me to apply. But I was wondering if there will be one in summer 2016. Thanks in advance! Best, carla
Dear Carla,
There will be a workshop next year. The dates will be announced here on our blog.
Hey guys,
Great motivation as usual. I’d like to suggest that short notes on all valid stories received be sent to all applicants. It would widen the didactic purpose of the world. As pains have been taken to read through the stories,a few words with pointers would be the final kindness. Limiting response to just selected applicants might be limiting the brilliant purpose of the writing workshop.
Cheers
is this open to other african writers that are not nigerian
Yes, the workshop is open to non-Nigerians.
I applied In April, today is the 2nd of June. Have the successful applicants already been chosen?
Yes, they have. The selected participants are now listed on our blog.
Sent my entry, but am yet to get a mail confirming my being part of the workshop…I believe….
Hi.
From the time I sent in an excerpt of my writing, I started longing for this day, 2nd June. I have checked my email today for God-knows-how-many-times but haven’t seen the invitation email. It’s simple – I may not have been chosen. But I’m still hopeful. I hope a miracle happens somehow because I just don’t want to miss this opportunity.
Anyways, keep up the good work!
Hello, today is June 2nd, have successful applicants been contacted?
Yes, they have. The list of successful applicants is now on our blog.
Hello:)
By what time should one expect to be notified if they have been accepted?
Successful applicants have now been notified.
Hello,has the list of selected writers been released already?
The list of successful applicants is now up on our blog.
June 2nd and nothing! I wonder if this workshop selection is ever free and fair.
Hi.
please are there going to be any announcements online indicating the emails have been sent to the chosen writers?
The list of selected participants is now up on our blog.
Hello. I am a contestant and I awaited an email yesterday, have the emails been sent yet? Are the successful contestants already chosen?
Yes, the participants have been chosen. The list is now up on our blog.
Hello, I am a contestant, I awaited your email yesterday. Have the emails been sent yet? Have the contestants been chosen?
Please check our blog for the list of selected applicants.
Is there an age limit?
No, there isn’t. However, the workshop is for adults and not children.
pls, have the participants been contacted?
Hi. I heard selected people would be notified by 2nd. That date is here. Pls have the notifications been made or is that still yet to happen? And is there going to be a list of those selected put out? If so when?
Yes, they have been selected. The list of participants is now up on our blog.
Excuse me, but have those who have been accepted for the workshop been notified? It was supposed to be yesterday, the 2nd of June.
Yes, they have been notified. The list of selected applicants is now up on our blog.
Is this writers workshop an annual event?
Yes it is.
Hi.. I just came across this page by chance via Google because I have always suspected I would need some level of professional qualifications in writing to be an affiliate of farafina. I took interest in this establishment because I have grown to be addicted to anything written by Chimamanda. I would basically like to know what time, next year, to check back on this blog for the new date since I already missed this year’s workshop. Thanks.
Hi Alex,
We cannot say at this point when the workshop will be open for applications next year. The best way to stay informed on this is by following our blog. You can also follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.
Thanks.
uhmm… my head got swollen when I heard that this was done this year, I would love to participate in that of next year, please is there anything like your contact? need more explanations
Hi Bright. You can learn more about the workshop here: http://kachifo.com/home/farafina-trust/
pls I will like to apply for this year workshop
will u pls notify me?
Dear Mojisola,
Please watch this space for information regarding the next workshop.
Is there going to be one this year?
Hi Nneoma,
Please watch this space and follow us on our social media platforms for announcements and more information.
Hi, will Farafina workshop hold this year? Please, if yes, when can one apply?
Hello, George,
The 2016 workshop is now open. Please see here for how to apply: https://farafinabooks.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/2016-farafina-trust-creative-writing-workshop/