BLR’s first Annual Contest

Nonfiction and Long Poems/Poem Series will open on May 1, 2014 & flash fiction and poetry will open on July 1, 2014.

Submissions through Submittable only.

This year we are honored to have as our guest judges:

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum (Longish Poems/Poem Series)
Sharman Apt Russell (Nonfiction)
Katherine E. Young (Poetry)
Stefanie Freele (Flash Fiction)

Winners in each genre will receive a $100 prize and publication in BLR Anthology Volume II, to be released in early 2015. One runner-up from each genre will receive publication and two free copies of the anthology, and finalists will receive notation in the anthology and be considered for publication either online or in print.

Please submit your entry fee and your work to Blue Lyra Review Submittable (link available after May 1 2014). You have the option to purchase the 2013 Anthology for a small additional six dollars. The $9 fee covers all categories, for any one entry. For example, the entry fee covers one 5,000 word nonfiction essay; one long poem of 2-6 pages or a series of strongly linked smaller poems up to 6 pages; three flash fiction pieces (each under 1000 words; or three poems (1-2 pages each).

You may submit multiple entries. We accept only unpublished work. We allow simultaneous submissions, but we ask that you notify us promptly of publication elsewhere. Please keep the blind reading & judging in place. What does this mean? To avoid being disqualified, do not send us an email about your withdrawal but go into your Submittable account and withdraw the piece, or if it is one poem or flash fiction piece from a group of submissions, then add a note that one of the pieces has been withdrawn. 

No extensions to the deadline. We firmly stand by this.

Blue Lyra Review announces the following contests: 

(1) The Blue Lyra Longish Poem Prize – one poem of 2-6 pages, or 2-6 pages of strongly linked shorter poems. Judge: Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, author of Ghost Gear. $9 per entry, $15 with anthology. May 1 – June 30.
(2) The Living Earth Creative Nonfiction Prize – 5000 word maximum and no theme so long as it has something remotely to do with this Earth (which means anything). Judge: Sharman Apt Russell, author of Standing in the Light: My Life as a Pantheist and Diary of a Citizen Scientist. Guidelines online & Submittable link. Prize: $100 per category. $9 per entry, $15 with anthology. May 1 – June 30.
(3) Blue Lyra Flash Fiction Prize  – 1000 word max. Judge: Stefanie Freele, author of Surrounded by Water. $9 per entry, $15 with anthology. July 1 – Aug 31.
(4) Blue Lyra Poetry Prize  – 65 line max. Judge: Katherine E. Young, author of Day of the Border Guards. Guidelines online & Submittable link. Prize: $100 per category. $9/3 entries, $15 with anthology. $9 per entry, $15 with anthology. July 1 – Aug 31.

Winners will be announced in November-December 2014. Submissions through Submittable only.

Entries ONLY accepted during the above dates. Others may be included for publication in either the print or online editions.

Our readers (who we are super grateful for) include:

Ann Beman
Michelle Brafman
Brittany D. Clark
Risa Denenberg
Donelle Dreese
Anthony Frame
Iris Graville
Sara Henning
Brett Elizabeth Jenkins
Hart L’Ecuyer
Kelly Miller
Lauren Michele Plitkins
Nichole L. Reber
Nomi Stone
Annaliese Wagner

While we read “blind,” please note our policy on Conflicts of Interest: Students, faculty, staff, associates or administrators currently affiliated with the judges are ineligible for consideration or publication in that category.  

Blue Lyra Review adheres to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.  You can find the CLMP Code of Ethics and our Contest Procedures here, and email any questions to bluelyrapress@gmail.com.