Poda-Poda Stories has officially opened submissions for its next themed issue, inviting African writers and those across the diaspora to respond to the theme “Omission.”
With a submission deadline set for March 30, 2026, the call is open to writers at all stages of their careers, spanning fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
This issue will feature Nigerian journalist and cultural critic Ayodeji Rotinwa as the nonfiction guest editor.
The editorial team is particularly interested in works that interrogate absence in its many forms—whether through concealment, memory, language, or structure. From white lies to deliberate silences, the theme encourages writers to explore what is left unsaid, hidden, or erased.
Submission Categories and Guidelines
Writers can submit across three primary genres:
Poetry
- Up to 3 poems
- Maximum of 5 pages in total
- Submitted as a single document
Fiction (Short Story)
- 1,000 to 2,500 words
Nonfiction (Essays/Life Writing)
- 900 to 2,500 words
- Book and film reviews are not accepted for this themed issue
Who Can Submit
The call is open to:
- Writers who identify as African
- Writers of African descent in the diaspora
How To Submit
All submissions must be original and unpublished, including on personal blogs or websites. The magazine has also explicitly stated that AI-generated or plagiarized work will not be considered.
Manuscripts should follow standard formatting: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, with numbered pages, and submitted as Word documents (with limited exceptions for poetry).
To ensure a blind review process, writers are instructed not to include their names within the manuscript.
There is no submission fee for this issue, although the editors note that a cap may be introduced if submissions exceed review capacity. Writers are allowed to submit work simultaneously to other publications, provided they notify the editorial team if their piece is accepted elsewhere.
Accepted works will be published in June 2026.
Don’t miss the deadline!
