A Gift of Story/Encyclopedia of African-American Literature

Dr. Wilfred D. Samuels, General Editor

Entry Guidelines

Deadline: Open

Writer Entry

Entries on writers (poets, novelists, dramatists, etc.) must include the following:

(1) brief biographical information
(2) summary of writer's career, including publication(s) and significance of major work(s)
(3) brief summary of the major work(s) and its (their) significance to the African American literary tradition
(4) brief discussion of the major theme(s) and style as reflected in each work
(5) critical and other recognition (awards/ honors) received by the writer.

A brief selected bibliography (current and relevant) ends the entry.

Note: Summaries must be brief. Be aware of any individual work (s) that will also be highlighted in the encyclopedia. For example, discussion of Morrison's Beloved should be kept to a minimal in the entry on the author, as Beloved will have a separate entry as well. Langston Hughes will have his own entry, so it is not necessary to dwell on his poetry in the entry on the Harlem Renaissance. Entries must be jargon free.

Work and Topic Entry

Entries must provide a brief summary and discussion of the work: Beloved, "Harlem Renaissance," "A Raisin in the Sun," etc., and its importance. Remember writer entries will also provide relevant biographical and other details; avoid redundancy whenever possible. Offer a brief, concrete critical reading of the work (themes, style, etc.), period, movement, slave narratives, journal (for example, Callaloo and African American Review) and etc., that suggests its overall value and significance. (These should be kept to 500 words.) These entries must also include a brief selected bibliography (current and relevant).

Audience: A Gift of Story will be a reference text for a broad spectrum of readers, from the general reader and high school student, to college undergraduates. It will also be a useful resource for high school and college instructors, as well as anyone interested in developments and contributions in African American literature and culture throughout the twentieth century. Entries will introduce readers to writers, movements, and texts, while encouraging further research through comprehensive, selected bibliographies.

Length: Entries will vary from 500-1500 words. Essays on new and single-work authors are limited to 500-750 words, while essays on major writers such as Hughes, Hurston, Morrison, Walker, and etc. are limited to 2000 words. MLA documentation style must be used.

Word Processing Program: Please use Microsoft Word 6.01 for Windows.

Manuscript Preparation: Please use Modern Language Association (MLA) style for documentation.