May Poetry Contests

May 1 Deadlines

5/1/11	Crucible Writers' Competition	Prizes: $150, $100, and publication	Fee: none
e-mail only		crucible@barton.edu	Judge:
			Notify: October
Poems: Open to all writers. All entries must be completely original, must never have been published, must be in manuscript form, and must not be involved in other competitions. The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript. Writers should send with their entries a short biographical sketch. Permission to publish the material is implied by submission. Entries submitted without the above information will not be considered. Fiction 8,000 words max; poetry five poems. The first prizes for poetry and fiction are $150, and the second prizes are $100. The Sam Ragan Poetry Prize is open to all poets. The rules stated above apply also to competition for this prize. One prize of $150 is awarded. All work submitted for publication is automatically considered for the prizes, and the same guidelines apply. All entries should be submitted electronically.
http://www.barton.edu/academics/english/crucible.htm

5/1/11	Robert Dana Prize	Prizes: $2,000, publication, and reading tour of Florida	Fee: $25 to Anhinga Press
Robert Dana Prize for Poetry P.O. Box 10595 Tallahassee, FL 32302		(850) 442-1408 info@anhinga.org	Judge: TBA
			Notify: November
Book manuscript: Open to poets trying to publish a first or second book of poetry. Previous publication of self-published books and chapbooks do not make a poet ineligible. Entries must be original poetry in English; however, a few translations in a manuscript are acceptable. Poems previously published in journals and anthologies should be accompanied by an acknowledgments page. Authors may submit multiple manuscripts if each one is accompanied by a separate reading fee. Previously submitted manuscripts and manuscripts under consideration by other publishers are also eligible. Should your manuscript be accepted by another press, please notify us as soon as possible. Once we have received a manuscript, we cannot accept alterations or additions to it. Please check your manuscript carefully before you mail it. Each submission must be accompanied by a $25 reading fee, checks payable to Anhinga Press. Do not put your name on your manuscript. Instead, make two title pages—one with the manuscript title, your name, address and phone number, and a second title page with only the manuscript's title. Manuscripts must be 48-80 pages, excluding front matter. They may be single- or double-spaced, and all pages must be numbered. Please do not staple or bind your manuscript. Include a #10 SASE for notification of contest results. Manuscripts received prior to February 15 or postmarked after May 1 will be recycled and the entry fee returned. Manuscripts will not be returned.
http://www.anhinga.org/books/contest.cfm

5/1/11	Fugue's Prose & Poetry Contest	Prizes: $750 and publication	Fee: $15 to Fugue
e-mail only			Judge: Dorianne Laux
			Notify:
Poems: Poetry submissions should not exceed 3 poems or 5 pages. See website to enter. Pay entry fee online.
http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/fugue/contest.html

5/1/11	Sow's Ear Press Chapbook Competition	Prizes: $1,000, 25 copies, distribution to subscribers	Fee: $27 to Sow's Ear Poetry Review
Robert G. Lesman, Managing Editor P.O. Box 127 Millwood, VA 22646			Judge: TBA
			Notify:
Chapbook manuscript: Open to adults. Send 22-26 pages of poetry plus a title page and a table of contents, all without your name. On a separate sheet list chapbook title, your name, address, phone number, e-mail address if available, and publication credits for submitted poems, if any. No length limit on poems, but no more than one poem on a page. Send in March or April, by May 1. Simultaneous submission is allowed, but if your chapbook is accepted elsewhere, you must withdraw promptly from our competition. Poems previously published are acceptable if you hold publication rights. Send SASE or e-mail address for notification. Entries will not be returned. Entry fee includes subscription.
http://sows-ear.kitenet.net/competition.html#chapbook

5/1/12	Zone 3 Press First Book Award for Poetry	Prizes: $1,000 and publication	Fee: $20 to Zone 3
Blas Falconer, Acquisitions Editor Zone 3 Press First Book Award for Poetry Austin Peay State University P.O. Box 4565 Clarksville, Tennessee 37044		Blas Falconer at falconerb@apsu.edu or Susan Wallace at wallacess@apsu	Judge: TBA
			Notify:
Book manuscript: Biennial. Poetry manuscripts of 48-80 pages. Two title pages: one with name, address, phone number and one with title only. Acknowledgments page may be included. $20 reading fee made payable to Zone 3 Press. Reading fee includes a one-year subscription to Zone 3 Magazine. Anyone who has not published a full-length collection of poems (48 pages or more) is eligible; those with chapbooks may participate. In order to ensure the integrity of this award, current and former students and faculty of APSU are not eligible to enter. In addition, Zone 3 Press will not accept manuscripts from contestants who have previously studied with, or have a personal relationship with the announced judge. Zone 3 Press is committed to providing an ethically responsible competition; as such, the editors reserve the right to reject manuscripts that display any form of ethical impropriety. Winner will be notified by e-mail or telephone. Please include SASP for confirmation of receipt. Please use a standard postcard—small index cards will not be accepted by the post office. For contest results, please include a SASE. All manuscripts other than the winning one will be recycled.
http://www1.apsu.edu/zone3/contest/index.html

May 2 Deadlines

5/2/11	Richard Peterson Poetry Prize	Prizes: $2,000 and paid publication	Fee: $20 to Crab Orchard Review
Crab Orchard Review Contest Department of English Mail Code 4503 Southern Illinois University Carbondale 1000 Faner Drive Carbondale, IL 62901-4503		Queries received via e-mail will be deleted unread.	Judge:
			Notify:
3 poems: One winner and two finalists will be chosen in each category. The winners will be published and finalists announced in the Winter/Spring issue. Entries must be previously unpublished, original work written in English by a United States citizen or permanent resident. Simultaneous submissions are considered, but an entry is ineligible to win if accepted for publication elsewhere. Name, address, telephone number, and/or e-mail address should appear only on a cover page for the entry, which should also include the title of the work (or, in the case of poetry, the titles of the poems) and the genre of the entry--either "Poetry," "Fiction," or "Literary Nonfiction." The author's name should not appear on any subsequent page. Late entries will be returned unread. Enclose a #10 SASE for notification of winners. Manuscripts will be recycled upon the decision of the final judges and notification of the winners. Poetry entries should consist of 3 poems; 100 line limit per poem. Prose entry length: up to 6000 words for fiction and up to 6500 words for literary nonfiction. One poetry entry, story, or essay per entry; a writer may send up to three entries in one genre or a total of three entries if entering all competitions. Each fee entitles entrant to one issue of Crab Orchard Review. Please indicate your choice and enclose complete address information for subscriptions. Please indicate on the outside of the envelope if an entry is "POETRY," "FICTION," or "LITERARY NONFICTION."
http://www.siu.edu/~crborchd/dyer.html

5/2/11	Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize	Prizes: $2,000 and publication	Fee: $20 to Wick Poetry Center
Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize 301 Satterfield Hall Kent State University P. O. Box 5190 Kent, OH 44242-0001		(330) 672-2067	Judge: Edward Hirsch
			Notify: late summer
Book manuscript: The competition is open to poets writing in English who have not yet published a full-length collection of poems (a volume of 50 or more pages published in an edition of 500 or more copies). $20 reading fee. Checks should be made payable to the Wick Poetry Center. Submissions must consist of 50 to 70 pages of poetry, typed on one side only, with no more than one poem included on a page. Only clean, legible copies are acceptable. The poet's name is not to appear on the manuscript. Two title pages should be included. The first must include the poet's name, address, e-mail, telephone number, and the title of the manuscript; the second should list the title of the manuscript only. Entries are judged anonymously. * The manuscript may be submitted simultaneously to other publishers, but the poet must notify the Wick Poetry Center immediately if the manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere. All manuscripts will be recycled after judging. For notice that the manuscript has been received, enclose SASP. For notice of winner, enclose SASE. The winner will be announced late in the summer of 2011. Manuscripts must be postmarked between February 1, 2011, and May 2, 2011. No late entries will be read.
http://dept.kent.edu/wick/Competitions/FirstBook.html

5/2/11	Writer's Digest Writing Competitions	Prizes: $3,000 and trip, more ($30,000 total)	Fee: $15 to Writer's Digest
80th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition 4700 East Galbraith Road Cincinnati,OH 45236		For additional questions, contact Writer's Digest Competitions at (715) 445-4612 x13430 or writing-competition@fwmedia.com	Judge:
			Notify: October 20
Poems, etc. see website. *Late Deadline: May 20, 2011.* Add $5 per manuscript or poem to Entry Fee(s) on all entries submitted between May 3 and May 20. Entry form required. Enter by mail or online.
http://www.writersdigest.com/annual

May 9 Deadlines

5/9/11	Templar Poetry Pamphlet and Collection Competition	Prizes: £500 (x3) and publication	Fee: £18/£20 to Templar Poetry
Templar Poetry Pamphlet & Collection Competition 2008 PO BOX 7082 Bakewell,Derbyshire DE45 9AF UNITED KINGDOM			Judge: Alexander McMillen
			Notify:
3 poems: Short collections of poetry of between 18 and 24 pages are invited, containing poems of any length or style, provided each page contains no more than forty lines. Can submit online.
http://www.templarpoetry.co.uk/Competitions.html

May 15 Deadlines

5/15/10	Blue Lynx Prize	Prizes: $2,000 and publication	Fee: $25 to Lynx House Press
Lynx House Press The Blue Lynx Prize in Poetry P.O.Box 940 Spokane, Washington 99210		Christopher Howell, Editor 509-624-4894 christopher.howell@mail.ewu.edu	Judge: TBA
			Notify: July
Book manuscript: Send book-length manuscript (at least 48 pages) of poems, SASE for notification, and $25 reading fee. All U.S. authors, regardless of publication history, are eligible. Manuscripts must contain page numbers and table contents. There is no maximum page-count and poems may have been previously published in journals, anthologies, or limited edition volumes. Judging is anonymous.No manuscripts or fees will be returned. Please do not send cash. Poems included may not have appeared in full-length, single-author collections. N.B. No winner named yet for 2010—as of March 2011.
http://lynxhousepress.org/

5/15/11	Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize	Prizes: $25,000	Fee: $25 to The Academy of American Poets
The Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize The Academy of American Poets 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901 New York, NY 10038		Awards Coordinator awards@poets.org (212) 274-0343 x15	Judges: Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, D.A. Powell, and Martha Ronk
			Notify: fall
Published book: Books must be submitted in the year after their publication. Open to any book of original poetry, in English, published in the United States during the previous year in a standard edition by a living American citizen. A standard edition is 40 pages or more in length and 500 or more copies. Self-published books are not eligible. Publishers may submit as many titles as they wish. The publisher should send four copies of each book to the Academy, postmarked between March 15 and May 15. A $25 entry fee and entry form are required for each title submitted. Finalists will be notified and announced to the press in fall. The winner will be announced in November. The Academy of American Poets will award the winning poet $25,000. Books will not be returned.
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/108

5/15/11	Slapering Hol Press Chapbook Competition	Prizes: $1,000, publication, ten books, and a reading (possible second award of $250)	Fee: $15 to The Hudson Valley Writers' Center
Slapering Hol Press Chapbook Competition The Hudson Valley Writers' Center 300 Riverside Drive Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591			Judge:
			Notify: September
Chapbook manuscript: This competition is open to poets who have not published a book or chapbook, though individual poems may have already appeared in magazines or anthologies. Entrants should submit a collection of poems, or one long poem, limited to 16-20 pages, in 12-pt Times New Roman. Manuscripts should include a title page (title only), and a separate cover sheet with the title of the work, the author's name, address, phone number, a bio, and acknowledgements. Manuscripts will not be returned. Enclose SASE for results only. Enclose an 8x10 envelope with $1.82 in postage for a previous winning chapbook.
http://www.writerscenter.org/

May 18 Deadlines

5/18/11	New Letters Poetry Prize	Prizes: $1,500 and publication	Fee: $15 to New Letters
New Letters Literary Awards UMKC, University House 5101 Rockhill Rd. Kansas City, MO 64110-2499			Judge:
			Notify: mid-August
6 poems: Submit by regular post or online. Simultaneous submissions of unpublished entries are accepted with notification upon acceptance elsewhere. $15 for first entry; $10 for every entry after. Entry fee includes a one-year subscription to New Letters. Make checks payable to New Letters. Two cover sheets: the first with complete name, address, e-mail address, phone number, category, and title(s); and the second with category and title only. Your personal information should not appear anywhere else on the entry. Include SASP for notification of receipt and entry number. Optional SASE for list of winners. All entries considered for publication. Poetry entries may contain up to six poems. They need not be related. Manuscripts will not be returned. No substitutions. No refunds for withdrawn material.
http://www.newletters.org/awards.asp

May 30 Deadlines

5/30/11	*Poetry International Priz*e	Prizes: $1,000 and publication	Fee: $15 to Poetry International
Poetry International San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182-6020			Judge: TBA
			Notify:
5 poems: The prize is for the best original poem, and the winner will receive $1,000 and publication in Poetry International. In addition, three finalists will be published in that same issue and five honorable mentions will be designated and considered for publication. Only previously unpublished work will be considered for the contest, which will be judged by Ilya Kaminsky. Please include your name, phone number, and email on the cover sheet of your submission only, as well as an SASE and a check for $15. That reading fee will cover up to five poems, but you can include additional poems for $3 each.
http://poetryinternational.sdsu.edu/Contests.htm

May 31 Deadlines

5/31/10	Black River Chapbook Competition	Prizes: $500 and 25 copies	Fee: $15 to Dzanc Books,
online only		editors@blacklawrencepress.com	Judge: Black Lawrence Press editors
			Notify: July 31
Chapbook manuscript: for an unpublished chapbook of poems or short stories. Black Lawrence Press now accepts electronic submissions rather than hard copies for our contests. Please include the following in your electronic submission: cover letter with brief bio and contact information including e-mail address(es); .rtf, .doc, or .pdf attachment including title page,acknowledgments page, table of contents, and manuscript with numbered pages. E-mail your submission to editors@blacklawrencepress.com. Please submit your $15 entry fee via PayPal.
http://www.blacklawrence.com/chapbook.html

5/31/12	The Bridport Prize	Prizes: £11,000 in prizes & publication	Fee: £6 to Bridport Arts Centre
The Bridport Prize PO Box 6910 DORSET DT6 9BQ United Kingdom			Judge: Carol Ann Duffy
			Notify: November 8
Poems: Max 42 lines. The Bridport Prize is one of the top open writing competitions. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published. The top 26 stories and poems will be published in the Bridport Prize anthology. Prizes for poems: 1st £3000, 2nd £1000, 3rd £500; 10 supplementary prizes. Top 5 poems submitted to the Forward Prize. The 10 winning poems will also be submitted to the Editor of Poetry Review. Postal entries from overseas can only be paid by credit/debit card. Overseas cheques, money orders or drafts will not be accepted. Enter online at website—entries must be received by deadline.
http://www.bridportprize.org.uk/

5/31/11	The Conneticut Poetry Award	Prizes: $400, $200, $100, and publication	Fee: $15 to Connecticut Poetry Society
The Connecticut Poetry Award CPS PO Box 270554 West Hartford, CT 06127			Judge:
			Notify:
Poems: Any form, 80 line limit. Include two copies of each poem: one with complete contact information and one with NO contact information. Simultaneous submissions permitted if notified immediately. SASE for results only (no poems will be returned). Winning poems must be e-mailed following notification. Fee $15 for up to 3 poems. Please make out check to Connecticut Poetry Society. Prize poems will be published in Connecticut River Review.
http://ct-poetry-society.org/contests.htm

5/31/10	The Field Poetry Prize	Prizes: $1,000 and publication	Fee: $25 to Oberlin College Press
FIELD Poetry Prize Oberlin College Press 50 N. Professor Street Oberlin, OH 44074			Judge: David Young and David Walker, editors of FIELD
			Notify: August
Book Manuscript: The winning manuscript, a book-length collection of poems, is published by Oberlin College Press in the FIELD Poetry Series. The winning author also receives an award of $1000. The contest is open to all poets—those who have published in book form as well as those who have not. Previously unpublished manuscripts of poetry in English between 50 and 80 pages in length will be considered. Entries must be postmarked during May only. The reading fee is $25, which includes a year's subscription to FIELD. Checks should be payable to Oberlin College Press. Manuscripts will not be returned. Include an SASP if you wish to be notified that your manuscript arrived at our office. Include an SASE if you wish to receive notice of the results.
http://www.oberlin.edu/ocpress/prize.htm

5/31/10	New England Poetry Club Contests	Prizes: $1,000 and less	Fee: $10 to New England Poetry Club
NEPC Contest Coordinator, P.O. Box 190076, Boston, MA 02119		contests@nepoetryclub.org	Judge:
			Notify:
Poems: Non-members may enter by paying $10 for up to 3 entries and $3 per additional entry. Only one poem per contest. Lots of contests; see site. Judges are well-known poets and sometimes are winners of previous NEPC contests. Mark the name or names of the contest(s) entered on the envelope before mailing; check addres for specific contests.
www.nepoetryclub.org/contests.htm

5/31/12	River Styx Poetry Contest	Prizes: $1,500 and publication	Fee: $20 to River Styx
River Styx Poetry Contest 3547 Olive Street, Suite 107 St. Louis, MO 63103			Judge:
			Notify: September
3 poems: Send up to three poems, not more than 14 pages. All entrants will be notified by SASE. $20 reading fee incudes a one-year subscription (3 issues) Include name and address on cover letter only. Winner published in Fall issue. All poems considered for publication.
http://www.riverstyx.org/contests/index.php

5/31/10	Wag's Revue Contest	Prizes: $1,000, $500, $100, and publication	Fee: $20
enter online			Judge:
			Notify: June 21
Poems: All submissions are considered for publication. There is no limit to the number of entries an author may submit, but each entry must be accompanied with its own submission fee of $20. Submissions of poetry may include multiple poems but should not exceed 10 pages. Fiction and essay submissions should not exceed 10,000 words. All submissions should be previously unpublished. Wag’s Revue asks for first serial rights to all published work; all other rights revert to the author upon publication. Please make sure to remove your name and any contact info from the document you upload so that we may judge every entry anonymously.
http://www.wagsrevue.com/submit.php

5/31/11	War Poetry Contest	Prizes: $2,000, $1,200, $600, (12) $100, and publication	Fee: $15 to Winning Writers
Winning Writers 351 Pleasant Street, PMB 222 Northampton, MA 01060-3961		Jendi Reiter and Adam Cohen, Editors adam@winningwriters.com	Judge: Jendi Reiter
			Notify: November 15
3 poems: On the theme of war, up to 500 lines in total. We recommend online submission with payment by credit card or PayPal. To enter by mail, please attach a cover sheet to your entry. It should include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address (if you have one) and the titles of your poems. Please omit your name from the poems themselves. Entries should be typed or printed by computer. We prefer white, letter-size paper and plain fonts like Times New Roman or Courier. The 12-point font size is ideal. If you want your entry returned to you after the contest, please note that on your cover sheet and include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) with your submission. Please clip everything together (no staples).
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/war/wa_guidelines.php