Submission Guidelines
2008 Black Zinnias First Book Award
Lead judge: Reginald Shepherd
Click here to download entry form or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Black Zinnias to receive the paper version. Entries will be accepted until October 31, 2008. A signed entry form and $25 fee must accompany all manuscripts. Please make check or money order payable to Black Zinnias. Do not send cash. Contestants who submit more than one manuscript must include an entry form and submission fee with each manuscript in a separate envelope. Late manuscripts will not be accepted. Contestants are advised to retain copies of their work, as manuscripts will not be returned. Black Zinnias assumes no responsibility for the loss of manuscripts.
Contestants must be living persons who have neither published, nor committed to publish, a volume of poetry 40 pages or more in length and in an edition of 500 or more copies, either in the U.S. or abroad. Manuscripts will be cataloged, numbered and submitted to the judge without the author’s name and address. Manuscripts must be original poetry, in English, by one poet. There are no restrictions on the style of poetry or subject matter. Translations are not eligible.
Contestants should send two copies of each manuscript. Manuscripts must be between 50 and 100 pages (typed or printed, no handwritten manuscripts), single- or double-spaced, with no more than one poem per page. Contestants who have published poems in magazines or other periodicals may include those in the manuscript submitted along with a page of acknowledgments.
Two title pages must be submitted with each manuscript. One title page should include the manuscript title, the author's name and address; the other should bear the manuscript title alone. The author's name must not appear on any other page of the manuscript. Each manuscript should be fastened with a binder clip; other bindings should not be used.
Contestants may submit manuscripts elsewhere simultaneously, but must notify us immediately if a manuscript becomes committed to another organization or if it has won another prize. A manuscript committed to another press is not eligible for The Black Zinnias First Book Award.
Contestants, who wish Black Zinnias to acknowledge receipt of their manuscripts must enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard.
The judge's decision is expected on or before December 1 2008. Black Zinnias will publish the winning manuscript in paperbound editions within one year of the judge's decision. The decisions of Black Zinnias and the judge are final. All correspondence concerning the contest should be addressed to Black Zinnias. Any correspondence addressed to the judge will be forwarded to Black Zinnias unread by the judge.
The winner will receive $1,000 and 25 copies of the first printing of the book. Additional royalties will be paid based on sales of the book. No royalties will be paid to the author on the copies distributed by CIAL for promotions and reviews. The standard contract of Black Zinnias will govern production, distribution, and royalties for all other copies. Manuscripts that have selections of superior work, may have selected poems published in the Black Zinnias literary journal. The poets will be notified for permission before publication.
The winning poet will have an opportunity to revise before publication.
Mailing Instructions:
Please use regular mail (no signature required), and send all entry components in the same envelope. Mail complete entry, inquiry, or request for printed guidelines (with a self-addressed, stamped envelope) to:
Black Zinnias First Book Award
California Institute of Arts and Letters
c/o Jeff Munnis
535 Pierce Street, #1200
Albany, CA 94706
We are unable to send guidelines by fax. Guidelines requests that are sent without a SASE will be discarded.
Thank you for participating in the 2008 Black Zinnias First Book Award!
Robert Greer Cohn Prose Poetry Award
Submission Deadline: February 15, 2008
(Annual Submission period: October 1 through the following February 15)
Reading fee: $10 (Payable by check to California Institute of Arts and Letters)
Submit two copies of the poem on separate pages. One page must have your contact information and one page the poem only. Appropriate length of poems: 500 words or less, or one page approximately 50 lines single-spaced or less. All poets are welcome to submit whether previously published or not. The poem submitted must not have been previously published. The award winning poem, and poet, will be announced by March 31, 2008 (and March 31 for each subsequent year).
Contact information needed: Name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. Please enclose a SASE for contest results and a SAS postcard for notification of receipt of poem.
Mail submissions (regular mail, no signature required) to:
Robert G. Cohn Prose Poetry Award
California Institute of Arts and Letters
c/o Jeff Munnis
535 Pierce Street, #1200
Albany, CA 94706
Open Submissions for Poetry Manuscripts
CIAL has an open submission policy for poetry manuscripts. Instead of a prize format where one winner is selected, the open submission process makes it possible for more than one manuscript to be selected for publication. Manuscripts are accepted throughout the year and can be recommended for publication at any time. Each submission cycle ends on December 1. Manuscripts will be published within 12 months of their selection date under the Black Zinnias imprint.
Submission Instructions:
Manuscripts postmarked before December 1 are eligible for publication the following year. Include one page with your name, address, telephone number, e-mail, and the title of your manuscript. Send two copies of the manuscript (paper size: 8.5x11, print on one side only, please number the pages). Put your name on the title page, but do not include your name or any identifying marks on the rest of the manuscript pages. Bind the manuscripts with a binder clip (please do not use rubber bands, folders, notebooks or file folders). Make sure you retain copies of your work because manuscripts will not be returned. Include a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope for notification. Include a check or money order for $25 made out to California Institute of Arts and Letters.
Send manuscripts to:
Open Submissions: Poetry
California Institute of Arts and Letters
c/o Jeff Munnis
535 Pierce Street, #1200
Albany, CA 94706
Staff of CIAL and writers participating in Pessoa Press are not eligible for this submission process.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is there a reading fee? There are costs associated with handling submissions. We pay for advertising, mail costs, an honorarium to the guest editor(s) involved in the selection process, and other miscellaneous costs. Reading fees also contribute to the cost of publishing the selected work, which includes marketing the book(s) and submitting the book(s) for review.
- When will we receive notification of the manuscript(s) selected for publication? Notification of acceptance for publication can be made at any time. All selections from the submission period ending December 1 will be made by March of the following year.
- How many manuscripts will be selected? A minimum of one manuscript will be selected for each submission period, but additional manuscripts may be selected for publication.
- When will the manuscripts be published? Approximately nine to 12 months after notification.
- What is the publishing imprint for the manuscripts selected? Titles will be published under the Black Zinnias imprint, the same imprint that publishes a first book award and poetry journal.
- Are simultaneous submissions accepted? Yes, but please notify us immediately if your manuscript has been accepted by another publisher.
- How do you insure fair evaluation of the manuscripts? We receive the manuscripts and number them. One copy is filed at our office. The reviewer(s) receive a numbered copy that does not include the author's name or any identifying marks.
- Can I submit a manuscript if I have previously published a book of poetry? Yes.
- Can I submit a manuscript if I have not previously published a book of poetry? Yes.
- Can I submit a manuscript that has been published previously? No.
- Can I submit material previously published in a chapbook? You may submit a manuscript that includes poems previously published in a chapbook. The poetry previously published in the chapbook may not comprise more than 50% of the submitted manuscript.
- Can I submit my manuscript via fax or e-mail? No.
- Can I revise my manuscript after submission? No.
- Can I submit more than one manuscript? Yes, but you must include an additional reading fee.
- If my manuscript is chosen, can I make changes before publication? Yes, editorial changes can be made.
- Who retains the copyright to my work? The author retains the copyright.
- Does it help to have a long history of publishing work in journals or magazines? Yes and no. No, in that the judge(s) choose based on the merit of the work submitted. Prior publication is not always an indication of quality. However, the submission process, over time, is likely to help improve a poet's work. Most poets have someone they trust to give good a good critical response to their work.