Submissions

We accept submissions from writers in midlife or later who are seeking to publish a debut or second collection of poems.

 

The open reading period for our first publication will run from May 1 through July 31, 2026. Submissions will be reviewed in the summer of 2026, and all poets will receive word from us by the end of October. The selected manuscript will be announced in the fall and published by early 2027.

 

The poet chosen for publication will receive 25 author copies and an honorarium of $1,500. We will also promote the work widely and collaborate with you to develop a marketing plan.

 

While your manuscript is under review, we may select individual poems for potential inclusion in our online anthology. If we are interested in publishing any of your work, we will reach out to discuss details. Participation in the anthology is entirely optional, and you may decline if you prefer.

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Submissions are accepted through Duosoma.

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Manuscripts will be accepted for a fee of $15. Submissions guidelines: 

• Writers must fit within the Fifth Stanza niche of being in mid-life or later (40 and older) and must not have published more than one full-length collection of poems. (Chapbook publications are fine.) 

• Manuscripts must be the original work of one author

• Work should be in English and in no part generated using AI

• Individual poems may have been published but not the manuscript in its entirety. In fact, it would be great to know if you have had some success submitting poems to literary magazines, so please include an acknowledgements page, if applicable. If you are unpublished, we are still interested in reading your manuscript.

• Ideal manuscript length is 48-100 pages of poems

• Submissions should include a table of contents and page numbers and follow standard MS Word formatting with margins of at least 1" and 10-, 11-, or 12-pt. font.

• Simultaneous submissions are encouraged, but please let us know if your manuscript has been accepted elsewhere by sending us a note in Duosoma. 

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Questions about submissions can be directed to info@fifthstanzapress.com.