Submit up to 3 poems per submission. Each poem on a separate page.
No line limit, but poems over 40 lines are rarely shortlisted. Be concise.
Document format: Submit your work in a Word document (.docx), 12pt readable font, double-spaced. No coloured text. Your name must not appear anywhere in the document.
Original and unpublished. Previously published poems, including on personal blogs or social media, are not eligible.
Any style or form — free verse, structured, experimental.
Include a brief note (optional) if the poem requires specific context for a reader unfamiliar with Rwanda.
Poems generated or assisted by AI are automatically rejected.
Judging criteria. Entries are evaluated and selected based on their originality, mastery of language, creativity, adherence to submission rules and guidelines, and their ability to effectively address the theme.
Published work example
Two poems
Poems addressing masculinity, generational expectation, and emotional struggle, drawing on themes of identity and inherited resilience.
A note from our editors: We are especially drawn to poetry rooted in lived experience and handled with vivid imagery and restraint that lets hard themes land on their own.
1,000 to 3,000 words. We strongly prefer stories in the 1,500–3,000 word range.
One story per submission. Submit additional stories in separate submissions.
Original and unpublished only. Simultaneous submissions are fine — notify us promptly if accepted elsewhere.
Document format: Submit your work in a Word document (.docx), 12pt readable font, double-spaced. No coloured text. Your name must not appear anywhere in the document.
Any subject. We are drawn to stories that feel honest rather than safe.
Stories generated or assisted by AI are automatically rejected.
Judging criteria. Entries are evaluated and selected based on their originality, mastery of language, creativity, adherence to submission rules and guidelines, and their ability to effectively address the theme.
Published work example
Inhale
A 1,955-word short story about a young man drawn into addiction and petty scheming while running his sick mother's hardware store, and the fallout that costs him his family and friendship.
A note from our editors: We look for a story that could only have been written by this writer, at this moment. Craft over plot.
800 to 3,000 words. Personal essays, critical essays and cultural commentary all welcome.
Must have a clear argument or point of view. We don’t publish descriptive writing that presents without perspective.
Original and unpublished. Academic essays submitted to journals are not eligible.
No footnotes. Write for a general educated reader, not a specialist audience.
Judging criteria. Entries are evaluated and selected based on their originality, mastery of language, creativity, adherence to submission rules and guidelines, and their ability to effectively address the theme;.
Essays generated or assisted by AI are automatically rejected.
Judging criteria. Entries are evaluated and selected based on their originality, mastery of language, creativity, adherence to submission rules and guidelines, and their ability to effectively address the theme.
Published work example
More Than a Lady
A personal essay reflecting on growing up under double standards for girls and women, and calling for recognition, dignity, and equality.
A note from our editors: The best essays change how we see something we thought we already understood.
800 to 3,000 words. Memoir, narrative non-fiction, lyric essays.
Factually accurate. Composite characters must be declared in a cover note.
Document format: Submit your work in a Word document (.docx), 12pt readable font, double-spaced. No coloured text. Your name must not appear anywhere in the document.
Scenes over summary. We want to be in the room with you.
Consider the people in your story. Living subjects in sensitive material should have consented or be anonymised.
Essays generated or assisted by AI are automatically rejected.
Judging criteria. Entries are evaluated and selected based on their originality, mastery of language, creativity, adherence to submission rules and guidelines, and their ability to effectively address the theme.
Published work example
More Than a Lady
A personal essay reflecting on growing up under double standards for girls and women, and calling for recognition, dignity, and equality.
A note from our editors: True stories carry a weight that fiction can’t replicate. We want your truth, told with craft.
500 to 1,500 words for early readers. Middle grade up to 2,500 words.
Age-appropriate content only. Specify the target age group on the first page of the document.
Document format: Submit your work in a Word document (.docx), 12pt readable font, double-spaced. No coloured text. Your name must not appear anywhere in the document.
Rooted in Rwandan experience preferred — characters, settings, folklore, language, and values.
Illustrations not required for submission.
Stories generated or assisted by AI are automatically rejected.
Judging criteria. Entries are evaluated and selected based on their originality, mastery of language, creativity, adherence to submission rules and guidelines, and their ability to effectively address the theme.
Published work example
Thanks to Children
A 1500-word children's story for ages 9–13, rooted in Rwandan oral tradition, where a friendship between two kids heals the bitter feud between their mothers.
A note from our editors: Rwandan children deserve stories that see them and their world.
We receive it
You’ll get an automatic confirmation within seconds.
Blind review
Our editors read anonymously. Your name never appears during selection.
We notify you
Accept or decline within 6 to 8 weeks. We respond to every submission.
Light editing
If accepted, we work with you on any edits. Nothing changed without your approval.
Published
Your piece goes live in the next Umukarago issue for readers worldwide. You retain the copyright.
Do you pay contributors?
Not currently. Umukarago is run entirely by volunteers. No one on our editorial team is paid. We built this magazine because we believed Rwandan literature needed a home, not because we had funding to do so. What we offer instead: careful editorial attention from editors who are writers themselves, a permanent home for your work online, a growing readership, and the credibility of being published in a curated literary magazine.
What do I actually gain from being published here?
Your work is edited by writers who care about your voice, then published permanently on a growing platform. You retain full copyright; Umukarago publishes your work, not owns it. You become part of Umukarago's record, a body of Rwandan literature. You can list the publication on your CV, grant applications, and residency submissions. And you join a community of writers who take the craft seriously.
Can I submit if I’ve never published before?
Absolutely. We actively encourage first-time writers.
Do I need to be Rwandan?
Umukarago is primarily for Rwandan writers, Rwanda-based writers, and writers of Rwandan heritage. If you are unsure, submit anyway with a brief note.
Can I submit in Kinyarwanda or French?
No. We only accept work in English.
What if my submission is rejected?
Please submit again. Rejection is not a judgement of your writing. Many published writers were rejected first.
Can I submit more than one piece?
Yes, but in separate genres. For poetry, you may include up to 3 poems in one submission.
Do you offer feedback on rejected work?
Not routinely. However, if your work reaches our final round, we may include a brief note with your response.
Every writer in Umukarago sent a first draft they were nervous about. Send yours.
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