NEWLY published authors are invited to take part in the yearly South African Literary Awards that celebrate the nation's cultural practitioners, their talents and legacy.

NEWLY published authors are invited to take part in the yearly South African Literary Awards that celebrate the nation's cultural practitioners, their talents and legacy.

A new category, First-time Published Author, has been added following a new nation-building partnership with the National Arts Council (NAC).

South African writers are invited to submit their work, in any genre, for "First-time Published Author" in any of South Africa's 11 official languages. The closing date of submissions is January 29.

The other categories are:

lNational Poet Laureate Prize, currently held by KW Kgositsile;

lPosthumous Literary Award;

lLiterary Journalism Award;

lSello K Duiker Memorial Literary Award;

lNadine Gordimer Short-story Award for Writing in African Languages;

lLiterary Translators Award; and

lThe Poetry Award.

Other partners of the SA Literary Awards, which honour living literary practitioners and legends, are the national Arts and Culture Ministry, wRite Associates, Sowetan and Nutrend Publishers and the NAC. Sowetan has made the awards a part of the youth and community development portfolio of the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation.

Since its inception in 2005, the awards have honoured 56 literary icons, 43 of whom were honoured between 2005 and 2007.

Samples of their work appear in the commemorative compilation titled Band of Troubadours.

Some of the writers who have been honoured are Es'kia Mphahlele, Noni Jabavu, Ellen Khuzwayo, Nadine Gordimer, Denis Brutus, James Matthews, TN Maumela, Miriam Tlali, ES Madima, Modikoe Dikobe, Ephraim Lesoro, Toek Blignaut, DBZ Ntuli, Lauretta Ngcobo, Ronnie Govender, Andre Brink, Peter Abrahams, Lewis Nkosi, Don Mattera, Karel Schoeman, Gladys Thomas, Wally Serote, Oswald Mtshali, Mafika Gwala, Sipho Sepamla, Sindiwe Magona, Athol Fugard, Max Marhanele, Victor Dlamini, Bongani Madondo, Felix Thuketana, Otty Nxumalo Stephen Gray, Njabulo Ndebele, Miriam Makeba, Chris van Wyk, DM Modise, Adam Small and Dora Taylor.

The South African Literary Awards 2009 ceremony will be held on March 27, 2010.

For more information contact the wRite associates at info@writeassociates.co.za or call 011-791-3585 or 011-791-4102 or fax 086-605- 3642.