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Poetry Center Prizes
First Book Competition & Open Competition

In each category, $1,000 and publication in the CSU Poetry Series is offered for the best full-length volume of original poetry submitted between November 1, 2007 and February 15, 2008 (postmark deadline).

The 2008 First Book Competition will be judged by Robert Hill Long (please see Eligibility below).

The 2008 Open Book Competition Winner will be selected by a committe, headed by Michael Dumanis, with Kazim Ali, Mary Biddinger, and Sarah Gridley.


MANUSCRIPT REQUIREMENTS:

• ms. should contain a minimum of 48 pages of poetry
• ms. pages should be numbered and a table of contents included
• include one cover page with title, your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address
• your name should not appear anywhere else on the ms.
• include a second cover page containing only title
• clearly indicate on the outside of the mailing envelope and on each cover page “First Book” or “Open Competition” (see Eligibility)
• do not include a cover letter or biographical information
• include an acknowledgements page, listing any previously published books or poems, if applicable

MULTIPLE & SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS:

• send multiple submissions in the same envelope, marked “Multiple,” $ 25.00 per ms.
• simultaneous submissions acceptable, please inform us if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere

ELIGIBILITY:

• mss. are eligible for the First Book competition if the author has not published or commited to publish a collection of his or her poetry in a book of 48 or more pages with a press run of at least 500 copies
• entry to the Open Competition is limited to authors who have published a full-length poetry collection
• intimate friends, relatives, current and former students of the First Book judge (students in an academic degreeconferring program or its equivalent) are not eligible to enter the 2008 First Book contest
• manuscripts that have been previously published in their entirety, including self-published, are not eligible
• translations are not eligible
• there are no restrictions on style or content

MAIL ENTRIES TO:
Cleveland State University
Poetry Center Prizes
please specify: First Book or Open Competition
Department of English
2121 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115-2214

READING FEE: $25.00

• check or money order payable to Cleveland State University

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• for notification of ms. receipt, include a self-addressed, stamped postcard (optional)
• manuscripts are not returned
• once submitted, manuscripts cannot be altered; winners will be given the opportunity to make changes before publication
• notification mailed to all entrants summer of 2008
• The CSU Poetry Center reserves the right to consider all finalists for publication

FOR OHIO POETS:

• The CSU Poetry Center also publishes a Cleveland Poets Series, open to poets who reside in the state at the time the manuscript is submitted.
• There is no reading fee for manuscripts submitted to this series, but these submissions are not eligible for the Poetry Center Prize.
• If Ohio poets wish to have a manuscript considered for the Poetry Center Prizes, they must send the $25.00 reading fee and indicate if they are entering the First Book or Open Competition.
• Manuscripts by Ohio poets that are submitted for the Poetry Center Prizes will be considered automatically for the Cleveland Poets Series if they are not selected for the CSU Poetry Series.