If you've written your first full-length (48 pages or more) poetry manuscript and are considering submitting it to contests, this page might be of use to you. Here is a partial list of first-book and first / second book contests for poetry manuscripts that are open to poets writing in English.

Some caveats:

The URLs provided below were accurate when I entered the information, but they might not be so now.



Be sure to read the guidelines carefully for changes in

status . It may no longer be a first-book contest.



restrictions. I've tried to identify any limitations and restrictions, such as the contest is offered only in certain years or requires that the poet be from a certain area. That said, a publisher may have since changed or added restrictions.



Most, if not all, of the contests below charge a submission fee.





















Copper Nickel, 1st or 2nd book contest, , 1st or 2nd book contest, [2016 is the inaugural year for this prize.] The Jake Adam York Prize [2016 is the inaugural year for this prize.]





























New Rivers Press, 1st or 2nd book contest, , 1st or 2nd book contest, MVP (Many Voices Project) Competition

* 2015 winner: Carol Kapaun Ratchenski, A Beautiful Hell

* 2014 winner: unknown (unable to find who won)

* 2013 winner: Julie Gard, Home Studies

* 2012 winner: Brandon Krieg, Invasives * 2015 winner: Carol Kapaun Ratchenski,* 2014 winner: unknown (unable to find who won)* 2013 winner: Julie Gard,* 2012 winner: Brandon Krieg,





Pavement Saw Press, 1st or 2nd book contest, , 1st or 2nd book contest, Transcontinental Poetry Award This contest appears to be defunct. ]

* 2014 winner: n/a (contest suspended for 2014)

* 2013 winner: unknown (unable to find who won)

* 2012 winner: Ethan Saul Bull, Shut Off the Flowers * 2014 winner: n/a (contest suspended for 2014)* 2013 winner: unknown (unable to find who won)* 2012 winner: Ethan Saul Bull,













Poetry Foundation, 1st book contest, , 1st book contest, Emily Dickinson Poetry Prize , limited to poets who are at least 40 yrs old and American citizens; contest is not offered every year

* 2017 winner: Kristen Tracy, Half-Hazard * 2012 winner: Hailey Leithauser, Swoop * 2012 winner: Hailey Leithauser,

































U of Massachusetts Press, 1st book contest, , 1st book contest, Juniper Prize for Poetry ; consideration of 1st-books occurs only during odd-numbered years (2013, 2015, 2017, etc.) for winners named in even-numbered years (2014, 2016, 2018, etc.)

* 2015 winner: n/a

* 2014 winner: David Kutz-Marks, Violin Playing Herself in a Mirror

* 2013 winner: n/a

* 2012 winner: Brandon Dean Lamson, Starship Tahiti * 2015 winner: n/a* 2014 winner: David Kutz-Marks,* 2013 winner: n/a* 2012 winner: Brandon Dean Lamson,





* 2015 winners: Laura Vena,and Andrew Wessels,* 2014 winner: Leif Haven * 2013 winner: Jane Lewty,* 2012 winner: Scott McFarland,* 2015 winner: Susan Azar Porterfield,* 2014 winner: Sarah Estes,* 2013 winner: Laura Donnelly,* 2012 winner: Susan Laughter Meyers * 2015 winner: Leora Fridman,* 2014 winner: Siwar Masannat * 2013 winner: Chloe Honum * 2012 winner: Rebecca Gayle Howell