Ghanaian writer Joshua Addo, who writes under the pseudonym H. Griot, has won the 2026 New Voices Fiction Contest organised by Creatives Project Ghana with his short story Outside the Photograph. His entry took the top position in a competition celebrating emerging literary talent and storytelling rooted in Ghanaian experiences.
The winning story was praised by jury member Boakye D. Alpha for the way it connects the protagonist’s physical journey to the changes unfolding across the country, while capturing the textures of Ghana through the perspective of a returnee.
The story is well written, and I particularly like how the protagonist’s physical journey mirrors the movement and changes happening across the country,” Alpha said. “It captures the theme in a way that feels natural. There is also a great display of Ghanaianness here—the way it engages with the country’s textures from the eyes of a returnee.
The contest’s 2026 theme, 'A Country in Motion', invited writers to engage with Ghana as a changing society, exploring its people, places, cultures and lived experiences through fiction.
An excerpt:
I used to believe that Adele wrote her song "A Million Years Ago" just for me. Because at one point in my life, every part of that song perfectly reflected the architecture of my life. They say if you keep dreaming about a place you used to be in your life, like your childhood home or former school, then your fie abeyifuo — those old hags of the hearth — are trying to hold your destiny hostage. I've often wondered how true that is, because after I left home to study in Manchester, I lost count of the number of times I dreamt about home.
H. Griot is a Ghanaian writer whose work explores memory, identity, culture and the moments that shape people’s lives. Drawing inspiration from Ghanaian life, folklore, music and everyday experiences, he combines familiar worlds with elements of imagination. His writing spans African fantasy, short fiction, poetry and reflective personal narratives. For him, writing is both a way of making sense of the world and an opportunity to create spaces in which readers can recognise aspects of themselves. Away from writing, his interests include reading, cooking and photography, alongside dreaming up new stories.
Ahobaa-Kwofie Abigail placed second with A Song Of Thousand Parts, while Pearl Adjavon took third place with In and Out of Accra. The other shortlisted finalists were Papa Mmireku Ohene-Agyekum, with Beneath The Embrace Of A Baobab Tree; Ruby Excel, with Fusion; and Eric Nii Okai Dormon, with I Won't Stay. The three were recognised as shortlisted writers without an additional ranking.
Griot’s first-place award includes a cash prize of GH₵1,500, a GH₵1,000 City Reads book voucher and three months of free access to NewComma Pro. He will also receive a featured interview, a featured reading, publication in an anthology, mentorship with an established writer, workshops, a certificate of recognition and promotional features across platforms.
The second-place award for Ahobaa-Kwofie Abigail includes GH₵1,000 in cash, a GH₵700 City Reads book voucher and the same three-month NewComma Pro access, alongside publication, mentorship, workshops and other recognition opportunities. Pearl Adjavon’s third-place package includes a GH₵500 City Reads book voucher, three months of free NewComma Pro access, anthology publication, a featured reading, mentorship, workshops, a certificate and promotional opportunities.
The other shortlisted writers are also set to benefit from featured readings, anthology publication, workshops, certificates of recognition and promotional features. Writers on the longlist are eligible for publication in a special edition of HummingBird Journal, alongside featured readings, workshops and certificates.
Through the New Voices Fiction Contest, Creatives Project Ghana seeks to identify emerging writers and provide opportunities for their work to reach wider audiences. The initiative combines recognition with practical support intended to help writers develop their craft and build their literary profiles.