ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
‘Online with Vimbai’ is an online editing and coaching programme designed by former Chair of the Caine Prize, Dr. Delia Jarrett-Macauley, in which a selection of promising writers from the continent would receive one-on-one editorial expertise and coaching to help them polish an original short story to publication standard. It is hoped that future years may see the scheme expand to a team of editors, so that as many writers as possible can benefit from the programme. The word Vimbai means ‘trust’ in Shona, a language spoken in Zimbabwe. The programme is currently at pilot stage and details for selection and applications to be part of future cohorts to be announced soon.
VIMBAI SHIRE - PROJECT MANAGER
Vimbai Shire is an independent editor and founder of Beyond White Space Ltd, a publishing services company that provides training, editorial and design expertise and project management to publishers, businesses, institutions and individuals. In addition, she has edited, copy-edited and/or proofread hundreds of titles, many of which include short-form fiction and non-fiction by African writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Brian Chikwava, Aminatta Forna, Billy Kahora and the late Binyavanga Wainaina, among others. Recent editorial projects of note have included work with Leila Aboulela on her novel Bird Summons, copy-editing Lemn Sissay’s memoir My Name is Why and early edits on Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s highly acclaimed new novel, The First Woman. Currently, alongside selected editorial projects, Vimbai is a mentor and skills coach to nineteen young apprentices who are part of the UK’s first L.3 Publishing Apprenticeship programme, a scheme to which she also provides strategic content development and delivery.
PARTICIPATING WRITERS 2020
RAFEEAT ALIYU
Rafeeat Aliyu is a horror and speculative fiction writer based in Abuja, Nigeria. Her short stories have been published in Strange Horizons, FIYAH, Nightmare and Omenana magazines among others. Rafeeat is a Clarion West Graduate (2018). You can learn more about her on her website rafeeataliyu.com.
TJ BENSON
TJ Benson is a Nigerian writer and portrait photographer whose work has appeared in several online journals like Jalada Africa, Expound and Bakwa magazine: in print magazines like Harvard’s Transition Magazine, Saraba’s ‘Transitions’ issue, Catapult and more recently Gay Magazine a partnership between Roxane Gay and Medium. He was the first runner up for the 2016 Short Story Day Africa Prize themed ‘Migration’ and a two time writer-in-residence at the Ebedi Writers Residency Nigeria. His collection of short stories titled ‘We Won’t Fade Into Darkness’ was shortlisted for the Saraba Manuscript Prize in 2016 before being published by Parresia House in September 2018 and has appeared on many best debut lists. ‘The Madhouse’ is his second book. He tweets @tjbenson_ and you can follow his work on tj-benson.com.
AMINATA J SOW
Aminata J is a Senegalese-American Trans writer based in Brooklyn, New York. Their work seeks the Queer spaces to be found in African-futurism and fantasy. They've published short fiction in Strange Horizons and FIYAH magazines. You can find them on Twitter.