ENTRIES are being invited for 2013 children’s literature competition. Being organized by the Splendid Literature & Culture Foundation, best six unpublished stories by Nigerian writers of children’s literature aged 11-21 years, resident in Nigeria, will be selected and published after the contest.

Submitted stories should entertain and enlighten, with strong Nigerian/African content. The panel of judges constituted by the foundation will assess each entry on the depth, originality and quality of the writing and the story’s appeal to its intended audience. Above all, these stories are to stimulate the imagination of the readers to think and solve problems in novel ways.

All entries must be original, unpublished stories in English. Plays and poems are not eligible. Entrants are not expected to illustrate their stories unless they wish to do so. This will not affect the assessment. Entries must fall within one of the following two categories: For junior writers, it’s an original unpublished story in English for children between the ages of 8 – 12, with length up to 3,000 words. For senior authors, it should be an original unpublished story in English for young adults between the ages of 13 and 17, with length up to 6,000 words.

The best three stories per category will be selected for publication by the Foundation’s panel of Judges. The usual royalty and publication terms will apply to every story published by the Foundation. The publishers reserve the customary rights regarding all publishing decisions. The copyright of each entry will remain vested in the author, unless otherwise agreed in writing between the entrant and the Foundation.

Submissions should be typewritten or legibly handwritten, double spaced on numbered pages. Electronic entries, submitted online, should be in clear and legible fonts. Illegible entries will be disqualified; include a passport photograph, name, residential address, phone number and email address on the title page of the manuscript, with only the full name of entrant on each numbered page of the submission; entries must be submitted under the entrant’s real name. Pseudonyms are not permitted and not more than one entry per entrant will be accepted.

For online submission, entries can be submitted through This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or six copies of the entry manuscript can also be submitted at the foundation office at 31, Alhaji Tokan Street, Alaka Estate, Surulere, Lagos. Submissions should be accompanied by evidence of Nigerian citizenship (photocopied/scanned copy of birth certificate, Nigerian passport or Nigerian ID Card).

The closing date for all entries is August 31.