Who can apply:
- Christian writers of all backgrounds, denominations, and levels of experience.
- We welcome both lifelong Christians and those newly exploring faith. What matters is sincerity, craft, and a desire to illuminate truth.
What we are looking for:
Fiction that is both artistically excellent and spiritually grounded.
Faith-Rooted Storytelling: Stories that engage meaningfully with Christian themes of grace, redemption, forgiveness, spiritual growth, love, justice, mercy, hope, etc. This may be subtle or explicit, but must feel authentic.
Emotional Depth: We value stories that wrestle with real struggles and imperfect people. Christian fiction can be raw, tender, questioning, and still profoundly faithful.
Craft and Literary Quality: We want strong, intentional prose with characters that have depth and complexity. A narrative arc that feels earned with dialogue and imagery that feel alive.
Hope That Rings True: Not simplistic. But hope that is rooted in Christ and shaped by the realities of the world.
A Sense of Wholeness: Even in short forms, each piece should feel complete and satisfying.
Submission Categories
We accept submissions in any of these three forms:
Short Story: 1,500–5,000 words
Complete, standalone narratives that demonstrate emotional resonance, strong craft, and a clear sense of voice.
Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words
Compact, powerful pieces that deliver impact through precision and economy.
Novel or Novella Excerpt: 1,500–5,000 words
Self-contained excerpts that showcase character, world-building, and narrative momentum.
Prize: ₦100,000 cash prize and online publication will be awarded to the winner. A longlist of 7 writers and a shortlist of 3 will also be recognised and published on the Neriv website.
Submission Requirements
Please read the submission guidelines in detail. Any submission that does not meet these guidelines will be automatically disqualified. Submission to Neriv is free.
Language: Submissions must be in English. However, writers may incorporate other languages within their stories, provided that clear translations or contextual interpretations are included.
Submission Document Format: Double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman or equivalent, and standard margins in a Word Document. The Author’s name must not appear anywhere in the manuscript, as judging is blind.
Other Requirements
- Only one submission per category is allowed for each writer. All submissions must be made in a single document.
- Previously published work is not eligible.
- Zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and AI-generated content; all work must be entirely your own.
Timelines
- Call for Submissions: June 5 – July 20
- Review period: July 20th – September 10 (Acceptance and rejections will be sent on an ongoing basis)
- Editorial period: September 10- September 30th (Accepted writers will be notified to make adjustments to their works based on the editors’ review)
- Prize Announcement: October 5th – 10th (The winning, shortlisted, and longlisted pieces will be announced)
- Online Issue Release: December 1 (All selected works will be published on our website)