Writing My City!
In the coming months, libraries will be running workshops to aid you in honing your writing skills. All of this will culminate on the 15th of June when you will be able to submit your piece for consideration at participating libraries. The finalists’ pieces will then be included in the #WritingmyCity anthology which will be launched at Open Book Festival 2019!
Entry Requirements:
- 1500 words or less
- Work should focus on an aspect of Cape Town
- Languages: English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans
- Prose, poetry or non-fiction will be considered
- Work from all ages will be considered
The facilitator at each participating library will collect the submissions, which will be sent to the Head: Professional Services & Programmes at LIS Head Office in Berkley Road. Three library judges will consider all the submissions and submit all the entries with merit to Open Book. Open Book will appoint a 4 person judging panel to make the final selection of 40 contributions.
The split will be as follows:
- Minimum of 20 from unpublished writers
- Maximum of 10 from published writers
- Maximum of 10 from librarians
This project is made possible by the amazing people who work at the public libraries, as well as through the support of the City of Cape Town.
Get in touch with participating libraries (below) to find out the details of their workshop programmes. Please also do get in touch if you are interested in facilitating a workshop at a library near you.
Area North:
Central Library Linda.Ntaka@capetown.gov.za
Edgemead Library Lorraine.mathewson@gmail.com
Athlone Library Soraya.samuels@capetown.gov.za
Langa Library Sandile.bukani@capetown.gov.za
Pinelands Library Rosalind.Hendricks@capetown.gov.za
Area East:
Suider-strand Library Nombongo.nkwenkwezi@capetown.gov.za
Macassar Library Glen.etson@capetown.gov.za
Kuils River Library Wilhelmina.whitman@capetown.gov.za
Melton Rose Library Eleanore.Pietersen@capetown.gov.za
Mfuleni Library Nolubabalo.Memani@capetown.gov.za
Eerste River Library Rene.Jashim@capetown.gov.za
Khayelitsha Library Vuyokazi.Raninjambatwa@capetown.gov.za
Kulani Library Catherine.ben@capetown.gov.za
Masakhane Library Nomonde.Sotashe@capetown.gov.za
Moses Mabhida Library Mbulelo.Zumana@capetown.gov.za
Harare Library Ncebakazi.mawu@capetown.gov.za
Kuyasa Library Lulama.Langeni@capetown.gov.za
Area Central:
Bellville Library Christelle.connor@capetown.gov.za
Hanover Park Library Bernadette.daniels@capetown.gov.za
Manenberg Library Nomnqopiso.lisa@capetown.gov.za
Area South:
Tokai Library Natasha.marinus@capetown.gov.za
Wynberg Library Nadia.Ismail@capetown.gov.za
Fish Hoek Library Rika.smit@capetown.gov.za
Masiphumelele Library vuyokaszi.tatana@capetown.gov.za
Retreat Library Sharon.adams@capetown.gov.za

If you would like any additional information about the festival, please get in touch with Frankie.
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Open Book Festival is organised in partnership with The Fugard Theatre, The District 6 Museum, The A4 Arts Foundation, The Townhouse Hotel, Novus Holdings, The French Institute of South Africa, The Embassy of Sweden, the Dutch Foundation for Literature and the HCI Foundation and sponsored by Leopard’s Leap, Open Society Foundation, City of Cape Town, Pan Macmillan, NB Publishers, Jonathan Ball, Penguin Random House, African Centre for Cities, UCT Creative Writing Department, University of Stellenbosch English Department and the Windham Campbell Prizes
How do I submit a story
Hi Monique
You can submit your piece at your closest participating library.
I will be away from Cape Town on June 15. Is it still possible to submit a story? Also, do you have to participate in a workshop to submit?
Attending the workshops is not a requirement to submit a story. If you are going to be away on the submission date, please get in touch with your closest participating library to discuss how best to submit your work.
I will send my piece at the Central library, Tuesday the 7 of May.
Hi Lulama. The date for submissions is 15 June, but Central Library will be running workshops in May.
Is there anyway to submit my story via email or some other way? Due to the fact that I will be out of Cape Town for a couple of months?
Hi Jose. We can organise for you to submit it via email. Please drop me a mail frankie@openbookfestival.co.za
can I submit if im based at Johannesburg.
You are able to. Please drop me a mail – frankie@openbookfestival.co.za – and I will put you in touch with the right person to speak to
Hi
I need to enter the #WritingmyCity and I reside in Retreat. Please provide details of workshop programmes which I can attend. I have sent an email to enquire about Retreat workshops at library but the listed email address it does not go through, please see below:
Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:
Sharon.adams@capetown.gov.za
The email address you entered couldn’t be found. Please check the recipient’s email address and try to resend the message. If the problem continues, please contact your helpdesk.
Diagnostic information for administrators:
Generating server: CBD-CIVIC-EMB01.capetown.gov.za
Sharon.adams@capetown.gov.za
Remote Server returned ‘550 5.1.1 RESOLVER.ADR.RecipNotFound; not found’
Regards,
Ms. Lesego Kgatla
076 542 2266
079 357 4350
lesego.kgatla@gmail.com
Hi Lesego – I think we have chatted already.
I am a young adult staying in the Karoo, can such inititives be extended to our areas aswell.
Hi there. If you are keen to submit something, please drop me an email and I will put you in touch with the right person to send your piece to. frankie@openbookfestival.co.za
is there a cut off date?
The cut off was the 15th June.
Has the ‘Writing my city’ project materialised? I submitted an entry but heard nothing further.
Hi Jeanne – I have just responded to your other post.
Has the ‘Writing my city’ project materialised? I submitted an entry but heard nothing further.
Having trouble posting this.
Hi Jeanne. We have contacted the people whose pieces have been included in the collection.
Hard luck to us people who did get our piece right to be selected, better luck next time.