Submissions are open for the MAYDAY Poetry Micro Chapbook Contest and the deadline is July 31! MAYDAY is excited about poetry that surprises us, that isn’t afraid to break traditional forms, that is expansive and bold. We love innovative, strong writing that trusts the reader and is true to its author regardless of genre. Send us a manuscript filled with poems that have achieved a balance of both craft and story so seamlessly that we cannot look away. We are committed to featuring a diverse range of content and authors, including LGBTQ+, BIPOC and international voices.
- Winner receives $1000 prize.
- Submission period is May 1-July 31.
- The micro chapbook will be published at MAYDAY along with an interview with the winning poet.
- To submit, please send 8-12 pages of poetry. Please also include a title page and dedication/epigraph.
- Manuscripts should be a single Word or PDF document. Please use the title of your micro chapbook as your document name.
- Individual poems from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished.
- In your cover letter, please include your name, contact information, a brief third-person bio, and a list of acknowledgments for previously published chapbook poems.
- MAYDAY poetry editors will select the winning manuscript. Manuscripts centered around a unifying theme will be given preference.
- The early bird submission fee is $10 (May 1-June 15).
- The regular submission fee is $15 (June 16-July 31).
- Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Please let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere while under our consideration.
- All rights revert to the author after publication.