Penned in Rage Literary Journal
Call for Submissions Open
Send Us Your Stories, Essays & Art
May 1st- Midnight June 15th
Find and rate us at Chill Subs Penned in Rage Literary Journal - Chill Subs
Magazine's Masthead
Editor-in-Chief
Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto
Email: echinua (at) yahoo (dot) com
Website: https://www.chinuaezenwa-ohaeto.com/
Copy Editor
Bridgette James
Email: ellaswriting@mail.com
Website: ellaspoems.com | Creative Writing
Mission Statement
Penned in Rage Journal amplifies voices from marginalized and underrepresented communities.
The Journal is part of the Ella's Poems Project, launched in January 2022. This project uses creative writing activities to achieve these objectives:
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The main focus of this project is to promote a love for reading in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Ella’s Poems targets young people in the African continent, between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five - who are active online - in a bid to create a writers' hub on Facebook. Many creatives have found this sort of networking has not only helped them improve their writing skills but more importantly they'd been able to discover local writing opportunities.
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Ella’s Poem’s Project also celebrates the work of African creatives, such as their art, poems, stories and novels, irrespective of one’s social status.
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Many of the creatives who have benefited from this initiative have never written a poem or story in English before. So, our free writing competitions and published books, positively impact their lives.
To Be Published in June's Edition of the Journal
A Collaborative Coincidence by Colin James
Theophany by Marvinci Bobbylex-Oduali
It’s Not Over Until Ralia Loves Me by Musa Bin Imran
The Sparrow That Rejected Her Song by Obiotika Toochukwu
What Do They See When They Look at Me? by Peter Ezeh
Nobody is Asking You to Be a Superhuman by Thabani Denzel Nkosi
Not Our Kind by Chidebelu Emmanuel Nnazoba
The Witness by Chidebelu Emmanuel Nnazoba
Latest Edition of Journal
The Annual Bridgette James Poetry Competition: Theme: OUTSIDER. Find out more about the long and shortlisted contestants in the just-concluded Annual Bridgette James Poetry Competition. Go to page
What I do remember is running from bullies on horseback,
or hearing the engine roar from their motorcycles.
-‘Horseback’ 2026, by Ethan Bramwell
Ten (10) Fabulous Prizes Are Up For Grabs (Results Posted in MAY)
The 2026 Annual Bridgette James Poetry Competition Has Closed
Prizes:
Paid Via a Money Courier, Such as TapTap, PayPal, Remitly or Western Union into the Winner’s Bank Account.
First Place - $100 USD + Publication in Anthology: Winner Appears on Blurb.
Example: Soil Unfurling from Stem
Prize Winners & Ella's Poems Project - Charitable Awards
First Prize: $100 USD
Runner-Up:$20 USD
Third Place: $15 USD
Fourth Place: $10 USD
Fifth Place: $10 USD
Winner: The Ezenwa-Ohaeto Prize for the Best African Traditional Poem - $20 USD
Runner-Up: The Ezenwa-Ohaeto Prize for the Best African Traditional Poem - &10 USD
Youngest Submitter: $10 USD
Commended Poem: $10 USD
Commended Poem: $10 USD
Commended Poem: $10 USD
Bridgette James's Favourite Poem: $20 USD
Winner Declared LIVE on ZOOM: Sunday, May 31st 2026. Zoom Link Will Be Sent to Subscribers Via Email.
Disclaimer:
The best entries have been offered a contract and included in a winners' anthology to be published on Amazon.
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SUBMIT a 40-line Poem, or a 1000-word Flash Fiction or Essay - Only One Submission Allowed Per Person Each Quarter, Thank You.
We Do Not Pay for Submissions.
Submit Free of Charge: Underrepresented writers from anywhere may submit a poem or flash fiction for consideration.
Response Time - Up to 6 Weeks
Editorial Feedback on Poems (To receive feedback on your submission or any other poem/s): £2.00
Please Address Your Submission to Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto, The Editor of Penned in Rage.
About Penned in Rage Journal
Penned in Rage magazine is focused on publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, flash fiction, experimental prose and hybrid works, written by underrepresented writers particularly creatives from the LGBTQ+ community in sub-Saharan Africa.
Each quarter a submission is chosen as the featured piece. The journal aims to create a community of subscribed readers who enjoy contemporary creative writing styles. Penned in Rage invites submissions from underrepresented and marginalised writers.
Submissions: Open in January, May (for the poetry competition; submissions from the slush pile will be considered for their suitability for the journal too) and October each year.
The 'unthemed' submission window will reopen Friday 01 MAY 2026 for the fifth online edition of Penned in Rage Literary Journal.
CLOSES 15 JUNE 2026.
Submissions: You may submit a 40-line poem in your African language (plus its translation) or a 40-line poem in English for consideration. Styles accepted: traditional poems, free verse, haiku, Fibonacci, prose et cetera preferred over meters. Maximum lines 40. Flash Story - maximum 1000 words; Fiction, Nonfiction and Non-academic essays accepted. We do not publish metered poetry of any shape or form, neither do we accept anything that offends other social groups. We only consider submissions sent through our online submission portal https://www.ellaspoems.com/#subscribe-to-penned-in-rage-journal or by email. Please provide a brief 30-word third-person bio to accompany your submission. Only one poem not exceeding 40 lines and/or one story of not above 500 words will be considered.
Simultaneous Submissions & Withdrawals: We accept simultaneous submissions, but we must be immediately notified if a piece is accepted elsewhere. If you wish to withdraw your submission, please email me directly at pennedinrage@outlook.com with the title/s of the work(s) you are withdrawing.
Previously Published Work: Except for submissions to be considered for Creative of the Month, we will not publish pieces which have appeared elsewhere, including social media sites.
Publishing Rights: We ask for first time worldwide rights for accepted pieces. Following publication, all rights revert back to the author.
Payment: Penned in Rage Journal was borne out of a small, self-funded project. At this time, we are not able to offer payment to our contributors for published works; however, the PDF version of the journal is widely circulated to subscribers and promoted on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
How is the journal published?
Triannual Online Publication - Downloadable PDF: January 31st, June 30th, October 31st
Why We Struggle With Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa
1. Socioeconomic Factors- unaffordability of books -
Earnings and outgoings spent on essentials instead e.g.- grocery shopping, utilities, bills, transportation, healthcare.
The absence of a love for reading has also negatively impacted on creative pieces, leading to a disproportionate amount of formal or metered poetry being produced and published in the continent.
Contributor Payment Notice
I value and appreciate every creative voice that contributes to my publications. At present, I am unable to offer financial compensation for submissions. All contributions are on a voluntary basis - except where work was solicited for $10 USD - and I aim to provide a platform for your work to reach a wider audience.
About the Editor-in-Chief of Penned in Rage
I’m pleased to announce that head judge for the 2026 poetry competition is Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto. Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto is a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he is also a teaching assistant. He holds a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature. Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto is the author of a collection of poems: The Naming (University of Nebraska Press, 2025) and the chapbook: The Teenager Who Became My Mother. https://www.chinuaezenwa-ohaeto.com/
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Get featured on Bridgette’s Writing School Facebook page. Please send an email, subject header: Paid Feature to pennedinrage@outlook.com Please DO NOT Pay until you’ve received a confirmation that your book will be advertised on social media. Packages – A 2-day package: (two) days advertisement - £5.00 (Pounds Stirling) A 5-day package (five) days advertisement - £20.00 (Pounds Stirling).
Submit a Poetry Manuscript to be Edited or Reviewed - £10.00 (up to 20 poems); £20.00 (up to 40 poems). Email: pennedinrage@outlook.com
Soil Unfurling from Stem is a multi-author collection of nature poems from sub-Saharan Africa. Contributors include Dr Kayode Adesimi Robbin-Coker an English Language and Literature graduate of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Dr Jive Lubbungu from Zambia, Chukwuebuka Freedom Onyishi, the current Winner of the 2025 Coalition of African Literature, a Nonprofit organisation in Nigeria and fifteen-year-old Namibian secondary school student, Utaara Tjozongoro.
We're a small but thriving community of readers. Join us by submitting work.
