Submissions and Guidelines
Trio House Press sponsors two annual poetry manuscript awards and one annual creative nonfiction award:
The Trio Award for First or Second Book for emerging poets for a book of poems contributing in an innovative and distinct way to American poetry.
The Louise Bogan Award for poets at any level of publication.
Each award winner receives $1000 and twenty copies of their book, along with assistance in marketing the book.
In 2023, Trio House Press launched its first creative nonfiction manuscript contest:
The Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award.
Award winners receive $1,000 and twenty copies of their book, along with assistance in marketing the book.
Trio House Press offers an open submissions period each year, which may vary from year to year.
2024-25 SUBMISSION PERIODS:
November 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025: Trio Award and Louise Bogan Award
February 1 - May 15, 2025: Aurora Polaris Award
June 1 - June 30, 2025: Open Reading Period
Our submissions fee is $25 per manuscript for all award reading periods. We do not waive submission fees for contests, but do offer a fee-free option during our open reading period for poets with incomes of $50,000 or less per year.
Judges are forwarded unmarked manuscripts for consideration. Relatives, close friends, and current or former students of judges are not eligible for publication.
Our submissions process adheres to and supports all ethical standards and guidelines outlined by the CLMP.
GENERAL GUIDELINES (FOR ALL PERIODS/CONTESTS)
All manuscripts must be written primarily in English, and authors must reside primarily in the United States. We do not publish fiction at this time.
- The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets submitting their first or second book of poetry. Books and chapbooks with ISBN's are considered "books". Writers who have published more than two books in other genres but no books of poetry are still eligible for the Trio Award.
- The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence is open to ALL poets, regardless of publication history.
- The Aurora Polaris Award is open to all writers, regardless of publication history. Aurora Polaris submissions may not be represented by an agent or submitted by an agent.
- Agents may submit poetry or creative nonfiction manuscripts to Trio House Press during the Open Reading period and outside of our contests and open reading periods, but agented manuscripts are not accepted for our contests.
- Translations are only accepted during out Open Reading period, and submissions must identify the rights holder to the work being translated. Submissions where the rights have been acquired by translators are preferred.
- Poetry manuscripts must be 48-120 pages of poetry (excluding title page, table of contents, and all front matter), written in English by a poet residing within the U.S.; creative nonfiction manuscripts must be more than 48 pages long.
- No submissions from those living outside of the United States and/or those unwilling to participate in appearances and readings in the United States.
- Poets and writers must submit their own work; no submissions are accepted that are written by someone who is deceased.
- Reading fees are not waived for contests for any reason, as those funds are used to pay the prize money and the judges. We encourage those who cannot afford the reading fee to send us work during the Open Reading period.
- Submissions generated using AI are prohibited.
- Previously published or self-published books are not eligible for submission.
- Manuscripts should be submitted in one Word or PDF file. Trio Award and Bogan Award entries must be stripped of all information identifying the author.
- Creative nonfiction manuscripts submitted for the Aurora Polaris Award do not need to be stripped of identifying information; nor do any manuscripts submitted during the Open Reading Period.
- Include and upload your cover letter with your bio and contact information in the cover letter option area. Please include links to your webpage, social media, or other online presences.
- Include an acknowledgement page of individual poems or essays or excerpts published within the manuscript. The manuscript as a whole must not be previously published.
- Multiple award submissions are accepted as long as a $25 fee accompanies each award submission.
- Simultaneous submissions are accepted as long as we are notified immediately if your manuscript is chosen elsewhere.
- Relatives and current or former students of judges are not eligible for awards or publication during our contest submissions period.
- No edits can be made to manuscripts after you submit your manuscript. However, if chosen for award or publication, edits can be made prior to final proofs.
- In the unlikely event that, due to unexpected illness or life events, that a judge is unable to select an award winner, a member of the Trio House Press Editorial staff will select the award winner.
- Your submission acknowledges that you understand and agree to all guidelines.
- Entrants will be notified on Submittable of the status of their submissions when finalists are chosen, usually within a month of the closing date of the contest. Finalists and winners will be announced on our website and on social media.
The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence is open to ALL poets, regardless of publication history.
The 2025 Louise Bogan Award will be judged by Randall Mann, the author of Complaint in the Garden (2004), which won the Kenyon Review Prize in Poetry; Breakfast with Thom Gunn (2009), finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry and the California Book Award; Straight Razor (2013), finalist for the Lambda Literary Award; Proprietary (2017) a finalist for the Northern California Book Award and Lambda Literary Award; A Better Life (2021); and Deal: New and Selected Poems (2023). He is also the author of a book of criticism, The Illusion of Intimacy: On Poetry (2019), as well as co-author of the textbook Writing Poems (2007).
- Poetry manuscripts must be under 120 pages of poetry (excluding title page, table of contents, and all front matter), written in English by a poet residing within the U.S.; prose manuscripts must be 80,000 words or fewer.
- No color illustrations or photographs should appear in the manuscript.
- No submissions from those living outside of the United States. Our marketing strategy depends upon authors living in the United States and actively assisting us in promoting their work.
- Poets and writers must submit their own work; no agented submissions are accepted for contests
- Submissions generated using AI are prohibited.
- Translations are not eligible for publication, nor are previously published or self-published books
- Manuscripts must be sent in a single Word or PDF file with no identifying information in the file name.
- Include and upload your cover letter with your bio and contact information in the cover letter option area.
- Do not include any identifying material, including your name, bio, or contact information on your manuscript.
- No edits can be made to manuscripts after you submit your manuscript. However, if chosen for award or publication, edits can be made prior to final proofs.
- Include an acknowledgement page of individual poems published within the manuscript. The manuscript as a whole must not be previously published.
- Multiple award submissions are accepted as long as a $25 fee accompanies each award submission.
- Simultaneous submissions are accepted as long as we are notified immediately if your manuscript is chosen elsewhere.
- Relatives and current or former students of judges are not eligible for awards or publication during our contest submissions period.
- In the unlikely event that, due to unexpected illness or life events, that a judge is unable to select an award winner, a member of the Trio House Press Editorial staff will select the award winner.
- Your submission acknowledges that you understand and agree to all guidelines.
- Notifications about finalists and winners will be sent via Submittable.
The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets who have published one or two poetry books. The 2025 contest will be judged by Sierra DeMulder, an internationally-recognized poet, educator, and podcast host. She is a two-time National Poetry Slam champion, a five-time published author (The Bones Below, New Shoes on a Dead Horse, We Slept Here, Today Means Amen, and Ephemera), and the co-host of Just Break Up, a globally popular advice podcast that has been downloaded more than 4 million times. Sierra lives in upstate New York with her wife and daughter.
Please do not include any identifying information in the uploaded manuscript. Your title page should only display your title and not your name and contact information. Place your name and contact information in your cover letter only.
- The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets with fewer than two poetry books published. Poetry books and chapbooks with ISBN's are considered "books"
- Poetry manuscripts must be under 120 pages of poetry (excluding title page, table of contents, and all front matter), written in English by a poet residing within the U.S.; prose manuscripts must be 80,000 words or fewer.
- No color illustrations or photographs should appear in the manuscript.
- No submissions from those living outside of the United States. Our marketing strategy depends upon authors living in the United States and actively assisting us in promoting their work.
- Poets and writers must submit their own work; no agented submissions are accepted for contests
- Submissions generated using AI are prohibited.
- Translations are not eligible for publication, nor are previously published or self-published books
- Manuscripts must be sent in a single Word or PDF file with no identifying information in the file name.
- Include and upload your cover letter with your bio and contact information in the cover letter option area.
- Do not include any identifying material, including your name, bio, or contact information on your manuscript.
- No edits can be made to manuscripts after you submit your manuscript. However, if chosen for award or publication, edits can be made prior to final proofs.
- Include an acknowledgement page of individual poems published within the manuscript. The manuscript as a whole must not be previously published.
- Multiple award submissions are accepted as long as a $25 fee accompanies each award submission.
- Simultaneous submissions are accepted as long as we are notified immediately if your manuscript is chosen elsewhere.
- Relatives and current or former students of judges are not eligible for awards or publication during our contest submissions period.
- In the unlikely event that, due to unexpected illness or life events, that a judge is unable to select an award winner, a member of the Trio House Press Editorial staff will select the award winner.
- Your submission acknowledges that you understand and agree to all guidelines.
- Notifications about finalists and winners will be sent via Submittable.