Akikiro is an online literary magazine publishing short fiction and poetry of high quality in English. We welcome submissions from established and emerging writers from all over the world. Our focus is on works with an African or Afro-Caribbean theme.

For fiction, we want stories where something happens. We are not interested in bland commentary on a passage in time, the type of storytelling beloved of writing prizes that often leaves us wondering, “what was that all about?” Our stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. A conundrum presents and is resolved. We love wit, humor, plot twists, surprises, pacey and edgy dialogue, authentic voice, and innovation in style and prose.

For poetry, we want good, old-fashioned rhyming. Rhyme, rhyme and rhyme again. Poetry might mean micro-prose (without rhyme or, sometimes, reason) to some but not to us. Give us the type of rhyming that rendered classical poetry so memorable. Make us cry or laugh but do it please in verse.