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Do you have a child, or do you know any child, who has dreams of becoming a writer? This is a good chance for them to get published. For young budding writers, seeing their work get published is a great thing and can be a big push towards realising their dreams. And children and young people need all the encouragement they can get when it comes to fulfilling their dreams and vision. Young writers have been given an opportunity to showcase their talent and skill by a wonderful initiative of Splendid Literature and Culture Foundation (SCLF). With the aim of producing imaginative children’s stories that will entertain, enlighten and appeal to children of ages 8 to 12 years, and encourage them to read, the foundation has made a call for entries for stories by young Nigerians aged 11 – 12 years. SCLF was founded last year by Mrs Mobolaji Adenubi, the founding president of Women’s Writers Association (WRITA), to discover and publish children/young writers between ages 11 and 21. Adenubi said that one of the reasons she started SCLF was to publish stories which would stimulate the imagination of the readers to help them think in novel ways and to dispel the assumption that Nigerians lack a reading culture. ‘What is more correct is that Nigerian adults and children do not read much literary works. Children consume cartoons. Nigerian adults buy and read the various magazines published weekly and monthly; and new ones that come into the market regularly are sold. So we read! However, there is the bad use of the English Language, the country’s official and commercial language. The inability of the young to write well in English is linked to their lack of reading edifying books in that language,’ she said. With that vision firmly in place, SLCF has called for submissions from young Nigerian writers of children’s literature, aged 11 to 21 years, from all over the country for the Splendid Literature and Culture Foundation Series. The series aims to feature imaginative children’s stories that will entertain, enlighten and appeal to children of ages 8 to 12 years, and encourage them to read. All submissions will be assessed by the Foundation’s judges. Six suitable stories will be selected and published annually. 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. Submission Criteria 1. The young writers should be resident in Nigeria and their stories should have strong Nigerian/African content. 2. All entrants’ works must be original, unaided and unpublished works of fiction in English. Plays and poems are not eligible. 3. The work should be between 3000 – 3500 words, typewritten, double spaced or legibly handwritten on numbered pages. Illegible entries will be disqualified. Submission Procedure 1. Include name, 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. 2. Entries must be submitted under the real name of the entrant. Pseudonyms may not be used. 3. Not more than one entry per entrant will be accepted. 4. Ensure that you attach your entry. 5. Email entries to splendidlcf@gmail.com Or Submit six (6) copies of the entry manuscript at Splendid Literature & Culture Foundation: 31, Alhaji Tokan Street, Alaka Estate, Surulere, Lagos, P.O Box 7328, GPO, Lagos. 7. Submissions should be accompanied by evidence of Nigerian citizenship (photocopy of birth certificate, Nigerian passport or Nigerian ID Card). 8. Any entry that does not meet any of the conditions and the deadline will be disqualified. The deadline for submission is July 31, 2012. Written with reports from The Nation Newspapers.