THE 2025 KIMBILIO NATIONAL FICTION PRIZE

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Welcome to the 2025 Kimbilio National Fiction Prize!
 

We are excited to announce that applications for the Kimbilio National Fiction Prize are now open for submissions. Published by Four Way Books, The Kimbilio National Fiction Prize is a celebration and affirmation of the best in contemporary fiction. The competition is open to writers of the African Diaspora and we  look forward to publishing the fourth prize in this series in Spring 2027.


 The final selection for the 2025 contest will be made by literary award winning author Jacinda Townsend.


Manuscript Requirements
 

  • Entries may be novels, novellas, or short stories. Combinations of novellas and short stories are also welcome.
  • The fiction must be previously unpublished.
  • You should submit the full-length manuscript.
  • At this time we are only accepting manuscripts written in English.
  • The first page of the manuscript should be a single cover page with the title of the manuscript only. All manuscripts are screened anonymously. Submittable provides fields to fill in your contact information: name, address, telephone number, and email address. Manuscripts that contain any identifying information about the author will be disqualified and not read by our judges.
  • Please use standard manuscript formatting (double-spaced, 1/4-inch margins, etc.) in Times New Roman or Helvetica.
  • Simultaneous submissions to other publishers or contests are permitted, as long as you notify Kimbilio promptly if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
  • The online Submittable system automatically confirms receipt of your manuscript.  Please check your spam folder before contacting us or re-submitting.
  • At the end of the judging period, approximately mid-September, you will receive a notice through the Submittable site about the judges' decision.
  • All manuscripts must arrive through the Submittable Portal. No exceptions.

Deadline

  • All entries must be certified by Submittable by midnight (EST) of May 15, 2025.

Reading Fee

  • A reading fee of $15 (U.S.) must accompany each submission. All fees go to the Kimbilio Gift Fund and are used to support costs related to the prize. 
  • Your manuscript is not considered accepted until your reading fee is submitted at this link. Please retain your PayPal receipt for your records.



 

We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.
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