Guidelines for our General Submissions.

1. We accept flash fiction, short stories, non-fiction/essays, poetry, performed spoken word poems, and monologues.

2. Simultaneous submissions are not accepted, and if later on, you desire to publish your literary piece on another platform (when it’s already up on ours), we ask that you reference The AprilCentaur Network as the original publisher and reach out to us before it’s published elsewhere.

3. Please pay special attention to the following guidelines:

  • Flash Fiction: Not more than 1,000 words.

  • Short Stories: Not more than 3,000 words.

  • Non-fiction/essays: Not more than 1,800 words.

  • Poetry: Not more than five pages or five poems.

  • Monologues: Not more than 2 minutes run time.

  • Spoken word poems: Not more than 3 minutes run time.

  • There are no special formatting rules. Just make sure your work is readable and easily accessible to our editors.

  • We accept all themes and genres, including speculative fiction or fantasy, but you stand a better chance if your work envelopes and chronicles the realities of Africans and the African worldview.

  • Please send an email to theaprilcentaurprize@gmail.com with the subject line tagged as General Submissions. Add:

    • A picture of yourself as free or formal as you want to be represented.

    • A biography not more than 100 words. (Your biography should include your social media handles (X, I.G., etc.)

4. By submitting your work, you give our Editors permission to slightly edit your work and suggest a change of title. If any of these is done, you will be duly informed.

5. We will not publish works that are plagiarized, sexist, shaming other religions, overly sexualized, or showing tendencies of supremacist ideas on sensitive issues.

6. If your work is not acknowledged 15 days after you send it, please send a follow-up mail.

7. If your work is accepted, you will be informed via mail.

8. Considerations:

  • If we’ve recently published your prose or poetry, please wait three months before submitting again. However, you can send an essay, monologue, or spoken word poem during this waiting period.

  • We seek pieces that surprise us, ambitious pieces seeking to awe with precision, effort, and careful skill. Please be considerate in your approach and share work you’re immensely proud of.

  • General submissions are open all year, but there’s a limit of 2 publications posted per week on the website.

Questions are highly welcome. You can attach them to your emails.