2025 Guidelines
The fifth annual Wolfson Poetry Chapbook Prize is an award for a chapbook-length manuscript (maximum 40 pages, minimum 25 pages) of original poems in English with a required submission fee of $15. The winning poet receives $500 in prize money, plus 50 copies. Winning manuscripts are published by Wolfson Press at Indiana University South Bend. Although the contest judge selects only one winner annually, we may offer to publish a small number of select finalists in addition to the prize winner. The contest judge is Nancy Botkin, author (most recently) of The Next Infinity (Broadstone Books 2019) and The Honeycomb (Winner of the Steel Toe Books 2022 Chapbook Award). Previous winners are Steven Ostrowski, Renee Agatep, Triin Paja, and Julia B. Levine. Finalists whose chapbooks we have published include John Surowiecki and Jim Daniels.
Schedule
- The contest opens October 1, 2024.
- The submissions window closes March 17, 2025.
- Results will be announced in July 2025.
- The winning manuscript will be published in 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
- Persons eligible: Authors writing in English, regardless of nationality, residence, or publication history may submit to the competition.
- Persons not eligible: In keeping with well-established ethical standards, no current or former Wolfson Press staff member, board member, or volunteer may enter the competition. Also ineligible are former or current Indiana University students and employees, friends, family, and students of the director of the press, and friends, family, and students of the contest judge.
- Young and early-career poets are encouraged to participate in the competition. The contest isn’t designed with any particular type of poet or style of poetry in mind.
- Only previously unpublished collections are eligible, but individual works within the larger manuscript may have been published previously in magazines, journals, or multi-author anthologies.
- Although previous publication of individual poems in anthologies is fine, no poem shall have appeared in an author’s previous (including self-published) book or pamphlet. (Please query if you have doubts: wolfson@iu.edu .)
Privacy and Anti-Discrimination Statement
- Wolfson Press will use your contact information to stay in touch with you on matters regarding the competition and its publishing activities. Your information will not be sold or passed on to any other individual, business, entity, or agency.
- Wolfson Press does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
[Note: for the 42 Miles Press Poetry Award, click here.]
Previous prize-winning volumes include:
Persons of Interest by Steven Ostrowski
Ohio Radio by Renee Agatep
Sleeping in a Field by Triin Paja (forthcoming)
Lullaby for the Sixth Extinction by Julia B. Levine (forthcoming)
2024 Finalists and Semifinalists
2023 Finalists and Semifinalists
2022 Finalists and Semifinalists
2021 Finalists and Semifinalists
