Submissions for the magazine’s second issue, titled IKENGA, are open.
IKENGA theme and target audience:
- The voice of rebellion, publishing work that defies language, traditions, and politics.
- Celebrate all things bold and different, welcoming marginalised voices and revolutionary perspectives.
- Bonus points for queer fiction, speculative fiction, historical fiction, and murder mysteries/thrillers.
- Only accepts literature-related review
Submit your unpublished work via email to akowdeebooks@gmail.com following the below instructions.
- Use the subject line format: “[CATEGORY] Submission – [Title] – [Name]”. For example, “ESSAY Submission – Our Is Full Of Shining Things – Samuel Jackson”.
- Attach your Word document (.doc or .docx) and name it with the title and genre (e.g., “Fiction King of Matamba Street.docx”).
Word Count:
Fiction & Non-fiction: 1,000-4,000 words
Poetry: Maximum of 2 poems
Review: 2,000 words
Formatting:
- Double-spaced
- 12 point font (Times New Roman, Arial, or Garamond)
- No indented paragraphs for fiction especially prose work
Deadline: 01 August 2024
They accept simultaneous submission, but be sure to inform them if your work is accepted elsewhere before their response.
Aiming for 2-4 weeks with constructive feedback.
AKOWDEE is a tri-annual magazine seeking bold, rebellious voices that push boundaries and defy expectations. They publish fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews that spark dialogue and challenge the status quo.
AKOWDEE wants entries that are bold and daring. Questioning the norms, breaking out of traditions. If you think you have just the piece, be sure to submit!
Visit their website to read more.
Bongiwe T. Maphosa
Bongiwe Maphosa is a writer whose fiction and poetry offers fresh, imaginative perspectives on the human condition. Her work has been published in prominent literary spaces, including Isele Magazine, Akowdee Magazine, the AVBOB Poetry Anthology, Journal of African Youth in Literature (JAY Lit), and more. She was also nominated for the 2025 Best of the Net Anthology. Bongiwe is one of six writers selected for the inaugural Caine Prize Online Editing program and serves as a content writer, peer reviewer, and tier three awards judge for JAYLit. Bridging inner reflection with speculative worlds, she continues to carve out a distinctive voice within contemporary African literature for a growing global audience.
