Miles Morland Foundation 2023 Writing Scholarship for African Writers (Up to £18,000)

Published: 24 Jul 2023

It can be difficult for writers, before they become established, to write while simultaneously earning a living. To help meet this need the MMF annually awards a small number of Morland Writing Scholarships, with the aim being to allow each Scholar the time to produce the first draft of a completed book. 

At the end of each month scholars must send the Foundation 10,000 new words that they will have written over the course of the month. Scholars are also asked to donate to the MMF 20% of whatever they subsequently receive from what they write during the period of their Scholarship. This includes revenues as a result of film rights, serialisations or other ancillary revenues arising from the book written during the Scholarship period. These funds will be used to support other promising writers. The 20% return obligation should be considered a debt of honour rather than a legally binding obligation.

Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship

Benefits of Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship

 Scholars writing fiction will receive a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over the course of twelve months. At the discretion of the Foundation, Scholars writing non-fiction may receive a grant of up to £27,000, paid over a period  of up to eighteen months.

Requirements for Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship

Qualifications:

• To qualify for the Scholarship a candidate must submit an excerpt from a piece of work of between 2,000 – 5,000 words, written in English that has been published and offered for sale, you must send clear evidence that the piece you upload as part of your application has been both published AND offered for sale.
• This will be evaluated by a panel of readers and judges set up by the MMF.
• The work submitted will be judged purely on literary merit.
• It is not the purpose of the Scholarships to support academic or scientific research, or works of special interest such as religious or political writings.
• Submissions or proposals of this nature do not qualify.

Requirement:

• The only condition imposed on the Scholars during the year of their Scholarship is that they must write.
• They will be asked to submit by email at least 10,000 new words every month until they have finished their book, or their Scholarship term has ended.
• If the first draft of the book is completed before the year is up, payments will continue while the Scholar edits and refines their work.

Selection Process

The Scholars may elect to start at any time between January and June in the year following the Scholarship Award. Their payments and the 10,000 word monthly submission requirement will start at the same time. The Foundation may exercise its discretion to offer non-fiction writers a longer Scholarship period of up to 18 months.

Application Documents

• A submission of between 2,000 to 5,000 words as a Word document of work that has been published and offered for sale. Please send proof of publication.
• Proof of publication and proof of sale.
• A description of between 400 – 1,000 words about the new book you intend to write. 
•  A scan of an official document showing that you, or both of your parents, were born in Africa.
•  A brief bio of between 200 – 300 words.
•  Please tell us how you heard about the Morland Writing Scholarships

Application Deadline

How to Apply