Dinaane Debut Fiction Award

でぃなーね・でびゅー・ふぃくしょんしょう

Literary award targeting unpublished debut novels/novellas from Southern Africa. Winners receive prize money and a publishing contract.

Debut Novel AwardUnpublished Fiction (Novel / Novella)Southern African Literature

Established: 2004
Organizer: Jacana Literary Foundation (JLF) / Jacana Media
Category: General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Selection Method: Open call
Target: Newcomer
Frequency: 1 per year
Status: Active

Description

Dinaane Debut Fiction Award (formerly European Union Literary Award) solicits unpublished debut novels (full-length or mid-length) from permanent residents and citizens of South Africa and Southern African countries. Hosted by Jacana Literary Foundation and Jacana Media, winners receive prize money (R35,000) and a publishing contract with Jacana Media. Additionally, promising manuscripts are awarded the Kraak Writing Grant (R25,000). Entries are primarily English-based, but multilingual expressions are welcome.

Prize

Main Prize: Winners are awarded R35,000 (South African Rand) and a publishing contract with Jacana Media. Additionally, promising manuscripts receive the Kraak Writing Grant (R25,000).
Cash Prize: 35,000 ZAR

Kraak Writing Grant (R25,000)
Publishing contract with Jacana Media (winner's benefit)

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Application intake (open call) and eligibility check	Jacana Literary Foundation / Designated judging team / Readers (composed via selection)	—	Publication of guidelines on official site, eligibility check after deadline
First round (manuscript review and preliminary selection)	Judging panel (JLF staff or external readers/editors)	—	Announcement of longlist or shortlist (varies by year)
Final selection (shortlist to winner determination)	Final judging panel (writers, editors, etc.)	—	Winners announced via Jacana's official statement and press

Application intake (open call) and eligibility check

Judges Jacana Literary Foundation / Designated judging team / Readers (composed via selection)

Announcement Publication of guidelines on official site, eligibility check after deadline

First round (manuscript review and preliminary selection)

Judges Judging panel (JLF staff or external readers/editors)

Announcement Announcement of longlist or shortlist (varies by year)

Final selection (shortlist to winner determination)

Judges Final judging panel (writers, editors, etc.)

Announcement Winners announced via Jacana's official statement and press

Criteria

Must be debut and unpublished fiction (no prior commercially published fiction)
Narrative strength, writing quality, originality, regional relevance (capturing Southern African context)
Primarily English-based expression as standard, but multilingual expressions welcomed
Publication-ready polish and future potential

Application Tips

Dos

Submit debut and unpublished fiction (novel/novella)
Check eligibility requirements (residency qualifications, prior publication status, etc.) in advance
If self-published, prove no print or commercial distribution (online publication only is eligible)
Base primarily on English while leveraging multilingual expressions and regional characteristics
Submit manuscripts edited to a high level of completion

Don''ts

Do not apply if you have previously formally published fiction works
Do not apply in ineligible forms (non-qualifying residents or previously published works)
Do not send unproofread or unpolished manuscripts as is

From Judges

Emphasis on unique voice and storytelling. Entries leveraging Southern African context or multilingualism tend to be highly evaluated
Ensure completion (structure, style, character depiction) before applying
Originality and clarity of the author's perspective are key