Genre: Poetry

Vern Rutsala Book Prize

Cloudbank Books
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
October 31, 2025
A prize of $1,000, publication by Cloudbank Books, and 50 author copies is given annually for a collection of poetry, flash fiction, or a combination of the two. Submit a manuscript of 60 to 90 pages with a $25 entry fee by October 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Open Season Awards

Malahat Review
Entry Fee: 
$22
Deadline: 
November 1, 2025
Three prizes of $2,000 Canadian (approximately $1,455) each and publication in Malahat Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of no more than 100 lines each or a short story or essay of up to 2,500 words with a $30 Canadian (approximately $22) entry fee by the early-bird deadline of September 30 or a $45 Canadian (approximately $33) entry fee by November 1. All entry fees include a subscription to Malahat Review. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Humor Story Contest

TulipTree Publishing
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
October 17, 2025
A prize of $1,000 and publication in the Fall/Winter issue of TulipTree Review is given annually for a humorous poem, story, or essay. Submit a poem of up to five pages or a work of prose of no more than 10,000 words with a $20 entry fee by October 17. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Jessie Bryce Niles Chapbook Contest

Comstock Review
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
October 31, 2025
A prize of $1,000, publication by Comstock Review, and 50 author copies will be given biennially for a poetry chapbook. Georgia A. Popoff will judge. Submit a manuscript of 25 to 34 pages with a $30 entry fee, which includes a copy of the winning chapbook, by October 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Barbara Stevens Poetry Book Manuscript Competition

National Federation of State Poetry Societies
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
October 15, 2025
A prize of $1,000, publication by National Federation of State Poetry Societies Press, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner also receives an invitation to read at the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) convention with a travel stipend of $300. Chris Abani will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 80 pages with a $25 entry fee ($20 for NFSPS members) by October 15. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Juniper Prizes

University of Massachusetts Press
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
September 30, 2025
Five prizes of $1,000 each and publication by University of Massachusetts Press are given annually for a debut poetry collection, a poetry collection by an author who has previously published a book, a short story collection, a novel, and a book of creative nonfiction. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 60 to 95 pages, a story collection or novel of 55,000 to 75,000 words, or a memoir, book of narrative nonfiction, biography, or essay collection of 50,000 to 70,000 words with a $30 entry fee by September 30. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Minds on Fire Open Book Prize

Conduit Books & Ephemera
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
November 3, 2025
A prize of $1,500, publication by Conduit Books & Ephemera, and 15 author copies is given annually for a book of poetry. The editors will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 90 pages with a $25 entry fee by November 3. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Cullman Center Fellowships

New York Public Library
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
September 26, 2025
Fifteen fellowships are given annually to artists, academics, and creative writers, including poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and translators, whose work will benefit directly from access to the research collections at the New York Public Library. The fellows each receive $90,000, an office at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library’s main branch in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan, and full access to the library’s collections from September 2026 through May 2027. Fellows are required to work on their projects at the Cullman Center for the duration of the fellowship. Writers currently enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program are ineligible. Using only the online submission system, submit a writing sample of up to 4,500 words, a project proposal of no more than 1,500 words, a curriculum vitae, and three reference letters by September 26. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
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Vassar Miller Prize

University of North Texas Press
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
October 31, 2025
A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of North Texas Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Karen An-hwei Lee will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 50 to 80 pages with a $25 entry fee by October 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Garrett Hongo and Edward Hirsch

Caption: 

In this Poets House event, Garrett Hongo reads from his fourth poetry collection, Ocean of Clouds (Knopf, 2025), and Edward Hirsch reads from his new memoir, My Childhood in Pieces: A Stand-Up Comedy, a Skokie Elegy (Knopf, 2025), followed by a conversation between the authors about their friendship and humor.

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