All reading is done anonymously for The Bartow Prize, The Washington Prize, the Hilary Tham Capital Collection, International Editions, and The Tenth Gate Prize. We cannot guarantee anonymity for the Open Reading Period since the editors may recognize some work, especially from previous years of submission, but we do still remove the names from the process then as well. Editors recuse themselves from discussion of works they recognize.

Please follow our Guidelines for all submissions. Thank you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use my Submittable account?

A: No, The Word Works does not use Submittable because of the extra charges this would incur, and which we don’t wish to pass on to our poetry community. We use the online submission manager recommended by CLMP, designed by Devin Emke.

Q: What does reading “anonymously” mean?

A: No one who reads your work sees any identifying information so that their decisions will be based solely on the literary merit of the work. This includes any reference to prior publication in journals of any of the manuscript’s poems, so please don’t include an acknowledgments page as part of your manuscript.

Q: Does the 48-80 page length you require include front matter, notes, etc.?

A: We prefer that submissions meet our guidelines of 48 to 80 manuscript pages, but we tolerate a manuscript that runs over by a very few pages. Whatever you do, absolutely do not send more than 80 pages of POEMS!

After all, various 60-page manuscripts can become surprisingly different lengths once translated into book form. These guidelines are an attempt to keep us all roughly in the same ballpark, but it’s still a pretty big park.

Q: May I send more than one manuscript?

A: Yes, as long as you submit one entry fee per manuscript.

Q: Will you accept work by more than one author?

A: Our contests are set up for single-author winners. To the Hilary Tham Capital Collection or the Reading Period, however, you may submit collaborations. and work submitted to our International Editions may have been translated by collaborating artists.

Q: May I include illustrations and/or drawings?

A: The books are judged solely on the poetry. Illustrations may make a book ineligible or may need to be excluded from the final product. If you are strongly attached to the images in your manuscript, we may not be the right press for you. 

Q: I have submitted to you before and want to know if I should send my manuscript again.

A: The short answer is yes, there are good reasons to submit again.

On more than one occasion a book has been selected for publication that we had also seen in previous years. One Washington Prize winner was submitted three times (without becoming a finalist) before it was chosen.

For the Washington Prize, if you flag your submission (in the Notes box when you upload) as one that has been submitted before, the prize manager will route your manuscript to new readers. Even if you don’t remind us, it’s not likely that your manuscript will be sent to the same readers.

For the Hilary Tham Capital Collection and the Tenth Gate Prize, we use a new judge each year, so you will always have a fresh chance to be chosen.

In addition, each of our imprints uses a different process for selecting books. Conceivably, you could submit your manuscript to four of our imprints in one year, each providing a new audience and thus a fresh opportunity for publication.

And of course, you may have revised since the manuscript was last seen, and thus any reader/editor will have a new experience.

Q: How does your process of selection work?

A: Each of our six imprints uses a different selection process.

When a Washington Prize manuscript arrives, first readers select what they feel are the best 25% of the manuscripts they receive, and those are passed on to second readers. Second readers again winnow their manuscripts down to the few which become finalists. The panel of five judges receives 10-12 Finalist manuscripts and debates them until they reach an agreement about which single book should win the prize. This judging panel varies each year.

If a reader or judge recognizes the work, they recuse themselves.

For The Tenth Gate Prize, Series Editor Jennifer Barber manages the prize process, assisted by a group of readers. Every manuscript receives at least two readers, and the group discusses until a set of finalists is chosen. The winner is selected by an outside judge.

Similarly, under the direction of Series Editor Brad Richard, a group of readers each year discusses the Hilary Tham Capital Collection submissions. A set of finalists is forwarded to the final judge, who chooses two books for publication.

The Reading Period is when our own editors choose up to five books for publication within the next two years. Editor-in-Chief Nancy White manages this process, working with readers and editors to choose the books that form the foundation for the next year’s list.

For our International Editions, Series Editor Jessica Cuello reviews and also solicits submissions. Poetry translators may submit a  manuscript, assuming they have the permission of the (original language) poet.

Q: Is there a particular school or style of poetry that The Word Works prefers?

A: The Word Works looks for the best manuscript without any restriction to style or subject matter. We publish a wide range of styles and voices, and are open to each voice we encounter. 

Q: When or how will I hear back from you?

A: We prefer to telephone a poet whose book we have chosen for publication. Make sure we are always in possession of your most recent number! If we can’t reach you by phone, we will email. We protect your privacy and never share your contact information for any reason.

When contacting you to say that your manuscript has not (yet) been chosen, we rely on email. Results will also be announced via electronic newsletter and posted here on our website.