Press 53 Award for Poetry
Press 53 is proud to announce the Press 53 Award for Poetry, to be awarded annually to an outstanding, unpublished collection of poems. This contest is open to any writer, regardless of his or her publication history, provided the manuscript is written in English and the author lives in the United States. The winner of this contest will receive publication by Press 53, a $1,000 cash advance, travel expenses and lodging for a special reading and book signing party in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and ten copies of the book; all prizes will be awarded upon publication.
April 1, 2015—July 31, 2015. Submissions will close at midnight Eastern time.
A shortlist of finalists will be announced no later than October 1, 2015.
The winner of the Press 53 Award for Poetry will be announced no later than November 1, 2015, on the Press 53 website, and via email, Facebook, and Twitter.
The author of the winning manuscript will receive a cash advance of $1,000, publication of the manuscript in April 2016 under a standard Press 53 book contract, and 10 copies of the completed book with an option to purchase unlimited copies at a discount for as long as the book is in print. The prize also includes travel expenses to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for a book launch party and reading in April 2016.
ONLINE: Press 53 will take electronic submissions via Submittable, your online submissions manager.
By MAIL: Send two printed copies of your manuscript. Include one cover sheet with the title of your entry and your contact information, and mail to Press 53, 560 N. Trade Street, Suite 103, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
Reading fee: A reading fee of $30 must be paid for each entry. Reading fees are nonrefundable. Pay through Submittable if submitting online, or include a check or money order payable to Press 53 along with your mailed submission.
Judging: Press 53 Poetry Series Editor Tom Lombardo will be the only judge of the contest; the contest will be judged solely on the strength of the poems as a collection, and the winning collection will be published as a Tom Lombardo Poetry Selection by Press 53.
Eligibility: The competition is open to manuscripts written in the English language from writers at all levels who live in the United States. Authors and editors who work for Press 53 or have published a book with Press 53 are not eligible to enter.
1.Manuscripts should be no less than 60 pages and no more than 120 pages in length. We do not favor one length over the other. We are only concerned with the quality of the poems.
2.The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript; the title of the manuscript and author’s contact information should be on a separate cover letter. Once our finalists are announced, Tom Lombardo will reread the finalist manuscripts and select the collection he believes is the best and Press 53 will publish it as a Tom Lombardo Poetry Selection.
3.Manuscript pages should be numbered.
4.Include a table of contents. NOTE: An acknowledgments page is not necessary.
5.Use a standard, easy-to-read font such as 12-point Times New Roman, Garamond, Minion, etc.
6.Poems previously published in journals, magazines or anthologies, and poems that have won awards, may be included in the manuscript. NOTE: Poems previously published in a chapbook cannot exceed 25% of the overall content of the manuscript.
7.Previously published collections are not eligible, including self-published collections available as ebooks or in print.
8.Authors may submit more than one manuscript to the competition for consideration. Each submission will require a separate reading fee.
9.Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please withdraw your manuscript if it is accepted by another publisher. Withdrawal can be completed via Submittable, or if mailed, by email to Kevin Morgan Watson at Press 53. Reading fees are not refundable.
10.Confirmation of receipt will be sent via e-mail by Submittable immediately after submission. If entering by mail, you will receive an email notifying you that your entry has been registered. An announcement of our shortlist and winner will be sent to all entrants via email and posted on the Press 53 website, Facebook and Twitter on the dates indicated above.
If you have any questions or concerns other than technical issues with the submissions manager, please contact Kevin Morgan Watson, Publisher.
Submissions for the Press 53 Award for Poetry will open April 1, 2015 and will close at midnight Eastern Standard Time on July 31, 2015. Press 53 reserves the right to extend the deadline.
Publication by Press 53 of winning poetry collection.
Travel expenses to Press 53 headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for a reading/book launch party weekend in April 2016.
Enter online or by mail. Details below.
Send two copies of your manuscript, a cover letter, and check or money order for $30 payable to Press 53 and mail to:
>via: http://www.press53.com/Award_for_Poetry.html