GET READY TO APPLY: Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets
African Poetry Book Fund
Apply on their own site: https://africanpoetrybookfund.submittable.com/submit
This checklist: https://qualifyafrica.com/o/sillerman-first-book-prize-african-poets
Built only from what the listing states. Lines marked (our advice) are ours.
The application takes real work, by our reading.

1. CHECK YOURSELF AGAINST WHAT THEY ASK
[ ] African: born in Africa, or a national or resident of an African country, or with African parents
[ ] a poetry manuscript of at least 50 pages, in English, and no book length collection published before

2. WHAT TO GET READY
It asks for something outside the usual documents; read it below.
In their words: "a manuscript of at least 50 pages, anonymous, with only the title on the cover page, through Submittable"

3. DATES
- Closes 1 December 2026, in 40 days.
- On the date, the listing says: manuscripts are accepted annually between 15 September and 1 December
- Aim to send it by 28 November 2026. Websites slow down near a deadline, and data runs out. (our advice)

A job never asks you to pay to apply. A listing that charges shows the fee above, and it is paid only to the organisation. If anyone asks for money any other way, stop, and tell us: hello@qualifyafrica.com