The Wasafiri New Writing Prize launched

£300 will be awarded to the winner of each category and their work will be published in Wasafiri.

Renowned worldwide for featuring some of the best and brightest new talent, Wasafiri is launching a New Writing Prize as part of its 25th birthday celebrations. In the words of acclaimed author Jackie Kay, ‘Wasafiri holds it all together, the past and the future. It is vigorous, searching and stimulating’. Since Wasafiri was first published in 1984, it has consistently aimed to shift the contours of established literary canons and remapped the borders of international contemporary writing, creating new imaginative spaces and publishing some of the most promising new literary voices.

The competition is open to anyone worldwide who has not published a complete book. We are looking for creative submissions in one of three categories: Poetry, Fiction or Life Writing. Simply incorporate the theme of ‘25’ somewhere in your piece, fill in the entry form and send it to us with your entry fee of UK Sterling £5.00.

The closing date is 30 June 2009. Entrants who are visually impaired or who are prevented from typing through disability can enter stories on audio CD. How to enter For more information about Wasafiri visit our website at www.wasafiri.org Judges Susheila Nasta (Chair) Editor of Wasafiri and Professor of Modern Literature at the Open University Margaret Busby Writer, editor, critic and broadcaster, former publisher and founder of Allison and Busby Mimi Khalvati Award-winning poet, Wasafiri Board member and founder of the Poetry School Blake Morrison Writer, poet and Professor of Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London.