Pitch To Us
The mission of Hidden Gele Journal is to radically make available the real and authentic stories of Nigerian Women through tellings and retellings. History has said a lot of untrue things about Nigerian Women, it is time to tell and believe Herstory.
Hidden Gele deeply values the comfort and connection that comes from finding someone who not only understands your journey but has lived it too. That’s why Hidden Gele Journal is dedicated to documenting the true, radical, and deeply human stories of real Nigerian women. We achieve this by publishing the lives, herstory, experiences, and narratives of Nigerian women.
We are also particular about the style in which these stories are written. We don’t just want to read about an event, experience, situation, or feeling—we want to live it. Immerse your readers; put them in the same room as the subject of your piece. Show us vividly, tell it immersively, and don't hesitate to deeply explore and carve out narrative arcs. Please note, we do not publish fiction and poetry.
Categories Guide
NW-Herstory: Through research and exploration, this category uncovers and rewrites the [untold] stories of remarkable Nigerian women from older generations, going beyond societal perceptions to reveal the full extent of their impact and legacy.
Portraits: We are drawn to the stories of Nigerian women whose jobs or occupations are not mainstream or typically expected of women, such as growing flowers locally, being a shoemaker, or driving kẹkẹ napep/okada. Additionally, we seek to highlight women with everyday jobs that sustain communities—like hairdressing, tailoring, selling pepper and tomatoes, or roasting bole. We want to hear about their journeys, how they have found and developed an identity within these roles, what fulfillment these jobs bring them, and whether they experience any dissatisfaction.
See Me: This category invites personal essays that offer deeply explorative and narrated accounts of your life and experiences as a Nigerian Woman. From intimate reflections on self, relationships, and community to candid discussions about grief, health, sexuality, and identity, Hidden Gele invites contributors (Nigerian Women) to immerse readers in their experiences through cinematic and engaging storytelling. We expect each essay to be a journey of self-discovery, growth, and resilience, showcasing the complexities and richness of Nigerian womanhood. Tell us your fears, wonders, curiosities, doubts, passion, desires, and pain. You can also tell the stories of other Nigerian women, but only if you appear as the narrator.
Gen S: We are interested in the rich tapestry of stories passed down through generations of women. We invite Nigerian women to share the unbridled lives of mothers, aunts, great-grandmothers, and grandmothers. From retellings of their experiences to direct accounts of their youthful adventures, we’re interested in the stories your mom told you about herself when she was your age, the events she witnessed, and the lessons she passed down that shape your life today. Does your funny aunty have intriguing anecdotes she’s shared with you? We want to hear them. Did your grandmother share her experiences as a young girl during the civil war? We’re interested. You can accompany these narratives with photographs that make a statement about the story you’re contributing.
Fashion: Nigerian women are natural talents in fashion and style, and we want you to capture that in writing. Tell us how Nigerian women navigate fashion and style, carving out identity, freedom of expression, and safety through beautiful and practical clothing lines. Share your admiration for your favorite Nigerian fashionistas—what do you love about their sense of style? How do you see yourself in their effortless ability to combine clothing and accessories? Additionally, Hidden Gele is interested in the herstory of fashion in Nigeria. Explore how fashion used to be in earlier Nigeria and how it has evolved. Tell us about the timelessness of Nigerian fashion.
Nigerian Feminism: Embrace the radical notion that Nigerian women are whole human beings deserving of dignity, agency, and respect. Hidden Gele invites submissions of facts, thoughts, and opinions on feminism from the Nigerian perspective. Through essays that explore themes such as misogyny, sexism, body autonomy, and sex education, Hidden Gele aims to spark dialogue and reflection on the challenges and triumphs of Nigerian feminism.
Pathfinder: Hidden Gele invites you to explore the desires and aspirations of Nigerian women through in-depth interviews. We’re particularly interested in how Nigerian women are carving unique paths and building inclusive, supportive communities. This often involves journeys of self-discovery that lead to pivotal career and occupation choices. For this category, we seek interviews with Nigerian women founders, creators, public figures, and celebrities. We want to learn how they are navigating their paths, finding fulfillment, and pursuing their visions. Additionally, we’re keen to hear from women running generational family businesses—how they find identity and fulfillment in their roles, or the challenges they face.
Word count is between a minimum of 1,400 words and a maximum of 7,000 words.
You can accompany your submission for all categories with relevant photos.
Kindly pitch your ideas/drafts to hiddengele@gmail.com. The pitch should inform us of your name, where you have written (optional), an analysis of the story you intend to submit, and the category it falls into. We suggest you start with the analysis and statement of category and then round up with your name and where you have written.
If you have written your piece at the time of pitching, kindly attach the draft to your pitch.
In the unlikely event that you do not get a response after two weeks of pitching, please send a reminder mail.
We currently do not offer compensation, but we are committed to making this possible in the near future because we believe that the hard work of writing deserves recognition and reward.
Kindly read our published pieces to get familiar with our expectations.
Thank you.