THE WROLSTAD
CONTEMPORARY POETRY SERIES
Manuscript submissions must be postmarked between October 1 and January 15 each year. We will announce the Series selection in June. The selection will be published the following year.
To honor the life and work of Greta Wrolstad (1981-2005), author of Night is Simply a Shadow(2013) and Notes on Sea & Shore (2010), Tavern Books invites submissions of new poetry collections through The Wrolstad Contemporary Poetry Series.
This series exists to champion exceptional literary works from young women poets through a book publication in The Living Library, the Tavern Books catalog of innovative poets ranging from first-time authors and neglected masters to Pulitzer Prize winners and Nobel Laureates. The Wrolstad Contemporary Poetry Series is open to any woman aged 40 years or younger who is a US citizen, regardless of publication history.
POETS WHOSE BOOKS ARE PUBLISHED THROUGH THE SERIES WILL RECEIVE:
○ A standard royalty contract
○ A working relationship with an editorial staff and publisher
○ Publication of their book in both paperback and hardcover editions
○ National distribution through Small Press Distribution
Submission Guidelines
Eligibility
● The Wrolstad Contemporary Poetry Series is only open to female poets aged 40 years or younger. Entrants must be US citizens.
● Manuscripts must be previously unpublished full-length collections of original poetry written in English (40 pages of text, minimum). Portions of the manuscript may have appeared elsewhere (such as chapbooks and literary journals), but the manuscript as a whole must be previously unpublished.
● Manuscripts may be submitted simultaneously to other publishers. However, we ask that you notify Tavern Books immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
Reading Fee
There is a $25 reading fee. Checks should be made payable to “Tavern Books” with “Wrolstad” written in the memo line. Please, include your check with your submission materials. Reading fees are nonrefundable.
Manuscript Preparation
● Manuscripts should be a minimum of 40 pages of text, typed on one side only, with no more than one poem included on a page. Poems should be single spaced using a standard 12-point serif font (Times, Times New Roman, Garamond). Only typed, legible copies are acceptable. Manuscripts should be held together using a binder clip; please, do not staple or bind your manuscript in any way.
● Include a 1-page cover letter with your name, date of birth, mailing address, phone number, and email address. This cover letter should include the title of your manuscript, your author bio, relevant publication history, and a brief description of your book (optional).
● Include a title page listing the title of your manuscript.
● Include a Table of Contents.
● Include your last name and book title in the header of each manuscript page.
● Number all manuscript pages.
● If applicable, an Acknowledgments page listing previous and forthcoming journal publications for poems may be included in the manuscript.
● Include a self-addressed stamped postcard. We will send this to you acknowledging receipt of your manuscript.
● Include a self-addressed stamped #10 envelope for notification of the Series selection.
● Using 1 envelope, please send 2 copies of your manuscript, check, and all submission materials to: Tavern Books | Union Station | 800 NW 6th Avenue #255 | Portland, Oregon 97209
● Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will not be considered for publication.