“Editing is not just about correcting errors, it’s also about strengthening writing.” — Josiah DeGraaf
The 2025 Rajat Neogy Editorial Fellowship, presented by Alonghouse, continues to uphold its commitment to nurturing bold editorial voices with the release of two powerful chapbooks: RADIANCE and Chronic. Named in honour of Rajat Neogy—the visionary founder of Transition magazine—the Fellowship upholds a legacy rooted in intellectual courage and African literary excellence. It provides emerging and established editors with space to shape meaningful literary conversations while contributing to the wider ecosystem of contemporary writing.
RADIANCE by Sihle Ntuli
RADIANCE features five poets of African origin: Esther Karin Mngodo (Tanzania), Sandra Nadege (Rwanda), Faswillah Nattabi (Uganda), Vuma Phiri (Zambia), and Yasmina Nuny Silva (Guinea-Bissau). Each poet, whether based on the continent or in the diaspora, offers intimate and moving reflections on what radiance means to them. Through their words, they hope readers might discover what the word means to them, too.
Chronic by Yvonne Wabai
This chapbook was born out of a desire to give voice to something many people go through, but few get to talk about: the silence surrounding chronic illness and disability. It is the silence borne when disease flare-ups disrupt lives. The silence borne when doctors focus on symptoms rather than the silence borne when friends who used to check in stop because people give them only complicated answers. The silence borne when society decided only the wealthy deserve care. The writers in Chronic chose to break this silence.
Why the Rajat Neogy Fellowship Matters
While writers receive much-deserved recognition, editors shape the frameworks through which stories are encountered, contextualised, and preserved. The Rajat Neogy Editorial Fellowship recognises and facilitates this by supporting editorial innovation, the Fellowship strengthens the literary ecosystem—particularly across African and diasporic contexts—by:
- Professionalizing Editing: It treats editing as a distinct, essential art form rather than just a technical step.
- Preserving Literary History: It honors Neogy’s legacy of publishing renowned writers like Achebe and Soyinka, fostering a new generation to continue this work.
- Building Editorial Capacity: It strengthens the African publishing landscape by equipping edito rs with the skills to refine and publish local voices.
The key aspects of the Rajat Neogy Fellowship include:
- Legacy and Mentorship: Inspired by Rajat Neogy, who founded the influential Transition magazine in 1961, the fellowship honours a tradition of high-quality literary editing.
- Focus on African Voices: It is specifically for Africans residing on the continent (ages 18–40), aiming to strengthen local literary ecosystems.
- Skill Development: Fellows work with editors on editing manuscripts, managing publication schedules, and curating content, providing practical experience in the publishing industry.
- Impact on Literature: The fellowship ensures that new, diverse, and authentic African narratives are curated, edited, and published to a high standard.
The fellowship ensures that new, diverse, and authentic African narratives are curated, edited, and published to a high standard.
The release of RADIANCE and Chronic is a testament of what becomes possible when editors are given time and institutional backing.
As Alonghouse celebrates these 2025 chapbooks, the organisation also looks toward future cohorts of the Rajat Neogy Editorial Fellowship. Writers, editors, and literary practitioners interested in shaping the next chapter of this legacy are encouraged to follow Alonghouse’s announcements and consider applying when the next call opens.
Readers can download RADIANCE and Chronic via the Alonghouse website or the links below and join in supporting a Fellowship that continues to inspire and nurture a robust community of editors in Africa and its diaspora.
Click here to download RADIANCE and here to download Chronic.
Congratulations to Sihle, Yvonne, and all the talented writers a part of this prestigious platform!
Bongiwe T. Maphosa
Bongiwe Maphosa is a budding author with a passion for storytelling. With her thought-provoking narratives, she takes her readers on a literary adventure. Bongiwe's works on the human condition from a fresh perspective have earned her recognition and publications in the Avbob Poetry Anthology of 2019, The Writer's Club of South Africa 2021, and JAY Lit in 2021. She hopes to cement her place in the literary community.
