Barbara Stevens Poetry Book Manuscript Competition 2026 — National Federation of State Poetry Societies (Book Publication)
National Federation of State Poetry Societies
Annual book-manuscript competition of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies: the winning collection is published by the NFSPS Press.
publicSeo.openCall.benefits
The winning manuscript is published by the NFSPS Press and available at the NFSPS annual convention and elsewhere by July 2027; the winner is invited to read from the book at the convention and receives a travel stipend to attend. The reading is recorded and posted on YouTube. A different judge each year (past judges include Chris Abani, Ellen Bass, Edward Hirsch, Dianne Seuss).
publicSeo.openCall.eligibility
Open to all poets writing in English, except previous Stevens Competition winners. Original, single-author manuscript of 48–80 pages of poetry (title page and table of contents not counted); may contain previously published poems but not whole previously published chapbooks. Blind judging — no author identification in the manuscript. Simultaneous submissions allowed.
Dates & details
- Deadline
- midnight PST
- Programme dates
- Book published by July 2027; reading at the NFSPS convention
- Results
- By 31 January 2027
- Costs to the artist
- Entry fee only; submission online