About the Call for Contributions

This call is for an anthology in the very early stages of development that seeks to bring together a variety of Moroccan writers into a compelling book for an international audience.

Morocco has an underground community of English readers and writers often overlooked because of the prioritization of French and Arabic literature and non-literary work. The result is not just these stories remaining invisible to the general public in Morocco and English readers, but also a lack of opportunity for writers to develop their craft, professionalize in their writing career, and share their work.

This call aims to bring those Moroccan writers together and their work into one piece so we can amplify each other’s stories. It hopes in doing so voices overlooked in the English reading world can be heard and space can be opened for a community of writers to develop.

The anthology aims to identify, encourage, nurture, and create space for aspiring young Moroccan writers who are able to write in a captivating way on issues and lived experiences that are meaningful to them.

 

Who is Eligible to contribute?

• Aspiring writers based in Morocco writing in English.
• Of Moroccan nationality and/or heritage.
• Between the ages of 18 and 35.
• Writers with a track record in writing. You may not be published, but you must demonstrate a history of writing in some way.

What contributions are we looking for?

• Essays
• Memoir
• Autobiographical
• Narrative non-fiction
• Pieces with Moroccan historical themes
• Opinion pieces on passion issues

What pieces we cannot consider?

• Poetry.
• Short-stories.
• Fiction.
• Flash fiction.
• Political essays or pieces that offer political commentary or analysis on governmental (of any country) policy etc.
• Pieces originally written in other languages. The piece must be originally written in English.

Submission Details

• Final submissions will need to be between 2000 and 4000 words.
• Submissions should be original pieces not published previously anywhere including self-published in print or online.
• Contributor will retain copyright, but a publishing contract will need to be signed if the piece is selected
• This is currently unpaid, but this may change depending on any future publishing deal
• The anthology will be edited by Saeida Rouass.

Next Steps for Contributors

Email Saeida Rouass, by August 30, at Saeida.rouass@gmail.com including the below information:

• Full name and location in Morocco.
• Gender and Age
• 200-word bio describing yourself and writing to date.
• 200-word description of the piece you would like to contribute including topic, genre and why it is important to you.
• A sample of your writing in English no more than 500 words: the sample can be any genre including poetry, fiction, etc.