PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES PRIOR TO MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION.
About Alice James Books and our Awards:
Alice James currently accepts poetry manuscript submissions through its annual competitions: the national Alice James Award. The Press welcomes submissions from emerging and established poets and is committed to publishing a broad range of poetic styles and voices.
The Beatrice Hawley Award, now the Alice James Award, was established by the press in 1986. It is a nationally-offered publication award open to poets at any stage of their careers. The winning poet has their book published, promoted, and distributed nationally and receives $2,000.
The winner of the Alice James Award is announced in February.
Alice James Books continues to welcome submission via regular mail. Guidelines for hard copy submissions can be found at our website, www.alicejamesbooks.org. Please note, manuscript fees paid are not refundable.
Alice James Books will be accepting submissions of poetry manuscripts to the 2025 Alice James Award postmarked through October 11th, 2024. The Alice James Award welcomes submissions from emerging as well as established poets. Entrants must reside in the United States.
The winner of the 2025 award will receive $2000, book publication, promotion, and distribution through Consortium. In addition to the winning manuscript, one or more additional manuscripts may be chosen for publication as the Editor’s Choice.
Guidelines for Manuscript Submission:
- Screening for the Alice James Award is blind. Because of this, no contact information is allowed within your manuscript, including within the filename, if electronically submitted. Electronic submissions will have contact information collected via Submittable, which is hidden from our screeners. Hardcopy submissions must include a separate title page, which lists the title of your manuscript and contact information (name, address, e-mail address, and phone number).
- Do not include any preambles, bios, or acknowledgments within your submitted manuscript.
- Manuscripts must have a table of contents.
- No illustrations, photographs, or images should be included.
- Manuscripts must be typed in no smaller than 12-point font, paginated, and 48 – 100 pages in length (single-spaced). We accept double-sided manuscripts.
- Individual poems from the manuscript may have been previously published in magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks of less than 25 pages, but the collection, as a whole, must be unpublished.
- Translations and self-published books are not eligible.
- No multi-authored collections, please.
- MANUSCRIPTS CANNOT BE RETURNED. Please do not send us your only copy.
- If hardcopy: send one copy of your manuscript submission with two copies of the title page (one title page that includes just the title of your manuscript, the second which includes the title and your contact information [your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and an optional biographical note]). Use only binder clips. No staples, folders, or printer-bound copies.
- For notification of winners, include a business-sized SASE.
- If you wish acknowledgment of the receipt of your manuscript, include a stamped addressed postcard. Winners will be announced in March 2025.
- Entry fee for the Alice James Award is $30 for online and hardcopy submissions. Checks or money orders for hardcopy submissions should be made payable to Alice James Books.
- Manuscripts may be submitted online or by regular mail. Mail hard copy entries to: Alice James Books, Alice James Award, Auburn Hall, 60 Pineland Drive, Suite 206, New Gloucester, ME 04260. Online submissions are open until 11:59 PM EST on 10/16.
Checklist for entry:
- One (1) copy of manuscript enclosed (NO CONTACT INFORMATION WITHIN MANUSCRIPT).
- Electronic: Title page that lists only the title of your manuscript (NO CONTACT INFORMATION)
- Hardcopy: Two (2) copies of title page (one page that shows only the title, the second which shows the title and your contact information)
- $30 entry fee