Accepting submissions for The Orison Poetry Prize, judged by C. Dale Young, from Nov. 1 – Feb. 15! Scroll down for details.

* * *

Orison Books seeks to publish spiritually-engaged poetry, fiction, and non-fiction of exceptional literary merit. In our view, spiritual writing has little to do with subject matter. Rather, the kind of work we seek to publish has a transcendent aesthetic effect on the reader, and reading it can itself be a spiritual experience. Such work is not merely about spiritual contemplation, but itself leads the reader into profound contemplation. It is not merely about the sublime, but itself has a sublime effect on the reader. It is not merely about the mystery of being, but itself heightens the reader’s sense of the mystery underlying the fabric of our daily lives.

We seek to be broad, inclusive, and open to perspectives spanning the spectrums of spiritual and religious thought, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

We are interested in work originally written in English and work in English translation from any language. We are interested in all genres, including mixed or multiple genre works, or works that simply defy genre classification. We will also consider single- or multiple-genre anthology proposals.

Our titles will be released in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats. When possible, we will offer a small advance against royalties for books accepted for publication through our open submission periods, and a cash prize as well as a standard royalties contract for books selected as contest winners. If you believe your work, or the work of an author you represent as an agent, might be a good fit for Orison Books, please consult the guidelines below.

Starting in 2016, we will release The Orison Anthology annually, a collection of the best spiritual writing in all genres published in periodicals in the preceding year. Editors of periodicals may submit work for consideration. See guidelines below.

Poetry

The Orison Poetry Prize

Each year from November 1 – February 15 we accept submissions of full-length (60-100 pp.) poetry manuscripts (original English work only; no translations) for consideration for The Orison Poetry Prize. All manuscripts will be read “blind” (all identifying information will be removed from the manuscripts). Finalists will be selected by the editorial staff at Orison Books, and the winner will be selected by a different prominent writer acting as contest judge each year. Current or former students of the judge, or anyone with a close personal relationship with the judge, are not eligible to submit. In the event that the judge does not select a winner from among the finalists, the Editor will select a winner. The editors also reserve the right to select no finalists, in which case all entry fees will be refunded to contest entrants. All finalist manuscripts will be considered for publication under a standard royalties contract. 

Winner receives a $1,500 cash prize; publication in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats; and a standard royalties contract.

Entry Fee: $25 (online payment for electronic submissions; checks made out to Orison Books for postal submissions)
2015 Judge: C. Dale Young
Entry Period: November 1, 2014 – February 15, 2015
Electronic submissions (strongly encouraged): follow the Submittable link below
Postal submissions: (include a check for the $25 entry fee, payable to Orison Books) The Orison Poetry Prize, P.O. Box 8385, Asheville, NC 28814

About the judge: C. Dale Young is the author of The Day Underneath the Day (TriQuarterly Books, 2001), The Second Person (Four Way Books, 2007), Torn (Four Way Books, 2011) and The Halo (Four Way Books, forthcoming). He served as Poetry Editor at New England Review for 19 years, and he has received the Grolier Prize, the Tennessee Williams Scholarship in Poetry from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, both the Stanley P. Young Fellowship and Amanda Davis Fellowship from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. He practices medicine full-time and teaches in the Warren Wilson low-residency M.F.A. Program for Writers.

Open Reading Period

Poetry manuscript submissions are accepted from April 15 – July 15 every year. When possible, Orison Books offers a small advance against royalties for books selected for publication. Send an author biography and complete manuscript.

Fiction

Fiction manuscript submissions are accepted year-round. We consider all types of fiction, including novels, short stories, flash fiction, and novellas. When possible, Orison Books offers a small advance against royalties for books selected for publication. Send an author biography and complete manuscript.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction manuscript submissions are accepted year-round. We consider all types of non-fiction, including essay, memoir, literary criticism, etc. When possible, Orison Books offers a small advance against royalties for books selected for publication. Send an author biography and complete manuscript.

Anthology Proposals

Single- or multiple-genre anthology proposals are accepted year-round. Send a one-page description of the anthology, biographical information for the editor(s), and 30 pages of sample content.

The Orison Anthology

Editors of literary periodicals (print or digital) may submit work in a single genre or in multiple genres to be considered for inclusion in The Orison Anthology. The work must have appeared in the periodical during the 2015 calendar year.

Deadline: January 15, 2016.
Single genre submissions: Submit up to 6 poems, or 2 works of prose (any genre). If the work is not easily classified, submit up to 25 pages of text. Include the authors’ names and biographies, the name of your periodical, and the issue number(s) in which the work appeared.
Multiple genre submissions: submit up to 3 poems and a work of prose (any genre). If the work is not easily classified, submit up to 25 pages of text. Include the authors’ names and biographies, the name of your periodical, and the issue number(s) in which the work appeared.

Accepting submissions for The Orison Poetry Prize, judged by C. Dale Young, from Nov. 1 – Feb. 15! Scroll down for details.

* * *

Orison Books seeks to publish spiritually-engaged poetry, fiction, and non-fiction of exceptional literary merit. In our view, spiritual writing has little to do with subject matter. Rather, the kind of work we seek to publish has a transcendent aesthetic effect on the reader, and reading it can itself be a spiritual experience. Such work is not merely about spiritual contemplation, but itself leads the reader into profound contemplation. It is not merely about the sublime, but itself has a sublime effect on the reader. It is not merely about the mystery of being, but itself heightens the reader’s sense of the mystery underlying the fabric of our daily lives.

We seek to be broad, inclusive, and open to perspectives spanning the spectrums of spiritual and religious thought, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

We are interested in work originally written in English and work in English translation from any language. We are interested in all genres, including mixed or multiple genre works, or works that simply defy genre classification. We will also consider single- or multiple-genre anthology proposals.

Our titles will be released in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats. When possible, we will offer a small advance against royalties for books accepted for publication through our open submission periods, and a cash prize as well as a standard royalties contract for books selected as contest winners. If you believe your work, or the work of an author you represent as an agent, might be a good fit for Orison Books, please consult the guidelines below.

Starting in 2016, we will release The Orison Anthology annually, a collection of the best spiritual writing in all genres published in periodicals in the preceding year. Editors of periodicals may submit work for consideration. See guidelines below.

Poetry

The Orison Poetry Prize

Each year from November 1 – February 15 we accept submissions of full-length (60-100 pp.) poetry manuscripts (original English work only; no translations) for consideration for The Orison Poetry Prize. All manuscripts will be read “blind” (all identifying information will be removed from the manuscripts). Finalists will be selected by the editorial staff at Orison Books, and the winner will be selected by a different prominent writer acting as contest judge each year. Current or former students of the judge, or anyone with a close personal relationship with the judge, are not eligible to submit. In the event that the judge does not select a winner from among the finalists, the Editor will select a winner. The editors also reserve the right to select no finalists, in which case all entry fees will be refunded to contest entrants. All finalist manuscripts will be considered for publication under a standard royalties contract. 

Winner receives a $1,500 cash prize; publication in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats; and a standard royalties contract.

Entry Fee: $25 (online payment for electronic submissions; checks made out to Orison Books for postal submissions)
2015 Judge: C. Dale Young
Entry Period: November 1, 2014 – February 15, 2015
Electronic submissions (strongly encouraged): follow the Submittable link below
Postal submissions: (include a check for the $25 entry fee, payable to Orison Books) The Orison Poetry Prize, P.O. Box 8385, Asheville, NC 28814

About the judge: C. Dale Young is the author of The Day Underneath the Day (TriQuarterly Books, 2001), The Second Person (Four Way Books, 2007), Torn (Four Way Books, 2011) and The Halo (Four Way Books, forthcoming). He served as Poetry Editor at New England Review for 19 years, and he has received the Grolier Prize, the Tennessee Williams Scholarship in Poetry from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, both the Stanley P. Young Fellowship and Amanda Davis Fellowship from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. He practices medicine full-time and teaches in the Warren Wilson low-residency M.F.A. Program for Writers.

Open Reading Period

Poetry manuscript submissions are accepted from April 15 – July 15 every year. When possible, Orison Books offers a small advance against royalties for books selected for publication. Send an author biography and complete manuscript.

Fiction

Fiction manuscript submissions are accepted year-round. We consider all types of fiction, including novels, short stories, flash fiction, and novellas. When possible, Orison Books offers a small advance against royalties for books selected for publication. Send an author biography and complete manuscript.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction manuscript submissions are accepted year-round. We consider all types of non-fiction, including essay, memoir, literary criticism, etc. When possible, Orison Books offers a small advance against royalties for books selected for publication. Send an author biography and complete manuscript.

Anthology Proposals

Single- or multiple-genre anthology proposals are accepted year-round. Send a one-page description of the anthology, biographical information for the editor(s), and 30 pages of sample content.

The Orison Anthology

Editors of literary periodicals (print or digital) may submit work in a single genre or in multiple genres to be considered for inclusion in The Orison Anthology. The work must have appeared in the periodical during the 2015 calendar year.

Deadline: January 15, 2016.
Single genre submissions: Submit up to 6 poems, or 2 works of prose (any genre). If the work is not easily classified, submit up to 25 pages of text. Include the authors’ names and biographies, the name of your periodical, and the issue number(s) in which the work appeared.
Multiple genre submissions: submit up to 3 poems and a work of prose (any genre). If the work is not easily classified, submit up to 25 pages of text. Include the authors’ names and biographies, the name of your periodical, and the issue number(s) in which the work appeared.

>via: http://orisonbooks.com/submission-guidelines/