Ma Kẹkẹ

Translates to “let us write” in Etsako, an Edo language from southern Nigeria

What is
Ma Kẹkẹ?

Ma Kẹkẹ is a periodic publication of Gemspread Publishing in print and digital formats. It aims to promote a healthy literary writing culture with a system of compensation for aspiring and emerging African writers. We believe exceptional creative voices deserve platforms to be heard, platforms like Ma Kẹkẹ that highlight their respective salient socio-political and cultural experiences, ideas, and stories.

Who is Ma Kẹkẹ for?

We are constantly looking for incredible new stories told by talented Africans in the monthly Ma Kẹkẹ competition. We are simply drawn to the unquenchable flames of truth that connect Africans everywhere, as well as the brilliant short pieces that challenge conventional notions of genre, language, and forms of storytelling. The best of these stories are published in the Ma Kẹkẹ magazine to delight readers.

How often do we publish?

Stories published in Ma Kẹkẹ are received through a monthly flash fiction contest. We publish quarterly in March, June, September, and December. For example, winning stories of April to June, as well as the two runners-up from April to June, will be published as a single issue of 9 stories in June.

Only the winning story of each month attracts a cash prize of 30 USD that same month

If you are interested in submitting to Ma Kẹkẹ, see the participation guidelines below

How to Make a Submission

Read carefully

The Ma Kẹkẹ prompt for each month will be announced in the Blog section of this website usually within the first two weeks of the month

Follow the prompt to write a story of exactly 1,000 words (excluding the title)

Follow us on Instagram (@gemspread.publishing), X (@gemspread_pub), TikTok (@gemspread.publishing), and Facebook (@gemspread.publishing). Share this post to your Instagram story and repost on X so we can take note that you met this condition

Multiple submissions will not be acknowledged or read

Only African writers are eligible to participate in Ma Kẹkẹ

Submissions will close 48 hours after the prompt is announced

Only the winner of the month will receive a cash prize of USD 30 as an equivalent amount in their local currency (we use xe.com for forex conversions)

The next two runner-up stories will be included in the published Ma Kẹkẹ issue of the quarter, provided they are of publishable standards

The winning story and runners-up will usually be announced at the end of the month

Winners of the cash prize are not eligible to participate until after one year from the month they emerged winner

To submit your story, click on the Submit Here button below. You will be redirected to a Google form where you will type your story (we will disregard any submission sent via email)

By entering this contest you accept that we can send you educational, promotional, and other reading/writing-related content about Gemspread Publishing via the email you provide at submission

You also certify that the story you submit is your original work and consent that your story, if among the top three, will be published for free in the issue of the quarter you submit in

By submitting your flash fiction to Ma Kẹkẹ, you agree that if your story emerges winner in a particular edition, Gemspread will own the rights to the story after awarding you the winner's prize. This applies to the winning stories alone and not the first and second runners-up or non-winning stories

FAQs

Our Ma Kẹkẹ Issues

Here we explore the various perspectives and voices of contemporary African writers while celebrating the strength and beauty of language. These tales, word for word and paragraph for paragraph, keep us snug in our chairs each month. We dare not keep the incredible creations of these gifted wordsmiths to ourselves; so, here you go. Sit back, grab a glass of wine or juice, and be sure to let us know what you think!

Ma Kẹkẹ Issue 1

November 2023