FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
about The Morland Writing
Scholarships:

Is there an official application form?
No.

 

When will applications be accepted?
Applications will be accepted between 30th June and 31st October 2016. We will acknowledge receipt but, unless we have a query, you won’t hear from us again unless you reach the shortlist. The awards will be announced in early December.

 

In what format should the application be sent?
Excerpts from your previously published work must be sent as a complete Word document. Anything sent not in Word, will not be accepted. If you want to accompany the Word document with a scan of your book or the magazine in which you were published to establish the published status of your work that can be helpful. 

 

What does being “previously published” mean?
It must have appeared in a printed book, journal or magazine that has been offered for sale. Publication in a book, magazine or blog that is free and not offered for sale is not eligible. Please note that an excerpt from an airline, college, association, or similar free magazine is not acceptable. Being published on Kindle is acceptable; it is the only on-line medium that is. Other forms of on-line appearance are not acceptable. Please give us sufficient detail of where the published work has appeared to allow it to be verified without effort on our part. We have limited resources and are unable to contact publishers on your behalf. 

 

Might the judges make an exception for an unpublished author who shows promise?
No. If you do not meet the requirements set out in the previous paragraph please do not submit an entry. Good luck with getting your work published in future years when we will be happy to receive a submission from you.

 

I understand that I or both my parents must have been born in Africa for me to be eligible for a scholarship. Is where I currently live important?
Defining who is “African” is difficult. The Scholarships are meant to help African – not European or American – authors, or people of African origin who have emigrated to other continents. This is why both your parents must have been born in Africa if you yourself were not. We have introduced one exception to this. If you were not born in Africa and only one of your parents was born there you will qualify if you can show documentary proof that you are, at the time of application, a full-time resident of Africa (defined as having spent at least nine of the previous twelve months in Africa).

 

How long should the submitted excerpt be?
2,000 – 5,000 words. Please note it should be a single submission from one piece of published work. Please do not send two or more submissions.

 

To what address should excerpts be sent?
They should be sent by e-mail to scholarships@milesmorlandfoundation.com Please do not submit anything in hard copy or by terrestrial post.

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What will the judges be looking for in awarding the Scholarships?
The purpose of the Scholarships is to promote literature and good writing. Submissions, including non-fiction submissions, will be judged solely on literary merit. Before you submit an entry ask yourself, or ask an objective friend, “does my entry show literary merit?” If the answer is “no” please do not make a submission.

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Do proposed works have to be about Africa or set in Africa?
No, but please note that works which relate to Africa are likely to be preferred by the judges.

 

What else should accompany my submission other than an example of my previously published work?
A scan of the information page of your passport or other official document evidencing your place of birth.

 

When will the winners of the scholarships be announced?
The short-list will be published in November and the winners announced in December 2016. At that time we will send an e-mail to unsuccessful candidates, thanking them for their submission and informing them of the judges’ decision. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted in November and asked to supply us with further information regarding their personal circumstances as well as their writing plans.

 

For the book proposal, do the judges need to see a short synopsis or a longer description?
You will be expected to submit a proposal of up to 1,000 words of the work you intend to write. The judges give close scrutiny to these proposals.

 

Is a book that is finished but under review with a publisher eligible for consideration?
No. The scholarship is intended to enable you to write a completely new work, not to finish a work in progress. A “new work” is one which you have not yet begun writing.

 

Is a collection of poetry or a play or film-script a suitable submission as an example of previously published work?
No, examples of published work must be in prose.

 

Is there an age restriction for applicants?
No.

 

Should I submit anything else with my excerpt such as a CV or a letter?
Please tell us in a biography of 200 – 300 words something about yourself and your background. Please do not submit a job application type CV or résumé.

 

Do I need to prove my African birth place? If so, how?
See above regarding the necessity to submit a scan of your passport or other official document. If you qualify because both of your parents were born in Africa, please attach evidence of this (preferably the information page of their passports). If you qualify because you were not born in Africa but only one of your parents was, then you will have to show easily verified evidence that you have lived in Africa for at least nine of the past twelve months. If both of your parents were born in Africa the residence requirement is waived.