The American Poetry Review /Honickman First Book Prize in Poetry - 2008

Judge: Tony Hoagland

The prize of $3,000, with an introduction by the judge and distribution of the winning book by Copper Canyon Press through Consortium, will be awarded in 2008 with publication of the book in the same year. The author will receive a standard book publishing contract, with royalties paid in addition to the $3,000 prize.

The prize is open to any writer in English who is a U.S. citizen and who has not published a book-length collection of poems with an ISBN assigned to it. Poems previously published in periodicals or limited-edition chapbooks may be included in the manuscript, but the manuscript itself must not have been published as a book-length work exceeding 25 pages. Translations are not eligible nor are works written by multiple authors. The editors of The American Poetry Review will screen manuscripts for the judge.

Please note:

Manuscripts cannot be returned.

Manuscripts must be postmarked between August 1 and October 31, 2007. Please use first class mail. Do not use Federal Express, Overnight Mail, or UPS or any other service that requires a signature.

The winning author and all other entrants will be notified by February 15, 2008. An announcement of the winner will appear in the March/April issue of The American Poetry Review.

You may simultaneously submit your manuscript elsewhere, but please notify us immediately if it is accepted for publication. Submission of more than one manuscript is permissible; each must be under separate cover with a fee, a return postcard, and a notification envelope.

The winning author will have time to revise the manuscript after acceptance, but please send no revisions during the reading period.

To be considered for the prize, send:

1. A clearly typed poetry manuscript of 48 pages or more, single-spaced, paginated, with a table of contents and acknowledgments. A good copy is acceptable.
2. Two title pages: one with your name, address, phone number, and the book title; a second title page should contain the title only. Your name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript except the first title page.
3. An entry fee of $25 by check or money order, payable to The American Poetry Review.
4. A self-addressed stamped envelope for notification of contest results.
5. A self-addressed stamped postcard for notification of receipt of the manuscript. Your manuscript identification number will be included on this card when it is returned to you. If no postcard is included in your entry, you will not be notified of its receipt.

Send your submission to:

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