There’s something about December, the way it arrives with the scent of harmattan and the hum of anticipation, the nights that grow louder and the streets that shimmer with IJGBs. For young Africans, it’s more than just the end of the year; it’s a season of return, reconnection, revelry, and sure enough, romance. Africa’s December is unlike any other, marked by vibrant chaos, gridlocked traffic, and an endless stream of parties fueled by excitement, nostalgia, and unrestrained desire. It’s in this charged atmosphere that Love in Detty December was born.
Love in Detty December is Noisy Streetss’ annual storytelling series that celebrates love during this festive season. It started with a simple idea: to explore what it means to fall in—or out of—love in a time known for glittering lights, endless parties, and the emotional intensities that December often stirs, a literary love letter to the festive season, a space to explore the intensity, joy, and often beautiful messiness of love at its most heightened moment.
In the first call for submission for Noisy Streetss’ Love in Detty December, I opened with a quote from one of my favourite writers, Louis de Bernières, who described love as a temporary madness. That release unpacked the layered, often chaotic love lives of young Nigerians during the festive season. The second edition was equally compelling. We received an overwhelming number of submissions that explored the enchantment and unpredictability of modern relationships in December. From this rich collection, we selected ten standout stories by ten remarkable writers, which led to a significant milestone for us: publishing our first print anthology, titled A Man and A Woman and Other Stories.
For the third edition of Love in Detty December, we invite young Nigerians and African writers to share stories about love during the enchanting December season. We’re seeking stories that explore the full spectrum of romance, from deep, transformative connections to fleeting infatuations, from traditional relationships to unconventional expressions of love. We want to know: what does it mean to be young, and in love in December in Africa? We welcome submissions across fiction, non-fiction, as long as they align with the theme and follow our submission guidelines. We’re looking for stories that speak true to our experience as Africans. We’re drawn to work that disrupts the familiar, offering unexpected ways of seeing and feeling, while building a visceral link between creator and audience. Don’t play it safe. Be creative, daring, unruly. Build a world only you could imagine and let it spill out, unfiltered.
Before you submit your story, please review the following:
Eligibility: We welcome submissions from African writers of all experience levels, from anywhere in the world, so long as the story is rooted in Africa, features African settings or characters, and captures an authentic African experience.
Submission Window: From September 1, 2025 to October 10, 2025
Genre(s): Fiction and Nonfiction
Language & Style: All submissions must be in English, with consistent verb tense and proper grammar throughout. However, use of local & tribal languages/lingo/slangs, and dialect in the story is acceptable. Capitalise proper nouns and ensure factual accuracy—your attention to detail matters.
Word Count: We accept short fiction and creative non-fiction between 3,500 and 4,000 words. Please respect these limits.
Be Original: We only accept original, unpublished work. Plagiarism or AI-generated content will be immediately rejected, no exceptions.
Format Requirements
- Submissions should be in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx).
- Include the title, your full name, email address, social media profile URLs or handles (Instagram, Facebook and X/Twitter)and exact word count in the document header.
How to Submit
- Complete the submission form
- Our editorial board will carefully review all entries. Selected pieces will undergo a collaborative editorial process, and chosen writers will receive financial compensation and be published in our second print anthology.
- The submission form can be form can be found above and here.
- If you are having any issues with the form, please email contact@noisystreetss.com.
Live Readings & Launch Event
- Select stories will be featured at our December launch event, with live readings from the authors.
About Noisy Streetss
Noisy Streetss is a publishing company with a mission to promote authentic African storytelling. As a dynamic publishing company, we have a various number of products all with a mission to promote African stories.
This is so impactful and very good for everyone to read
The prize was not stated. I want to know how much is to given to the writer that passed the criteria.
I will participate
Love in detty december