The 2013 Emerging Writer's Contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish a book. The winner in each genre will be awarded $1,000.
The contest is currently OPEN!
Please submit your work now at our online submission manager.
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Since 1971, Ploughshares has been committed to promoting the work of up-and-coming writers. In the spirit of the magazine’s founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest will recognize work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Literary work first published in Ploughshares has been cited in the Pushcart Prize volumes more frequently than any other literary journal and is regularly featured in Best American anthologies. The magazine has an international readership and is widely distributed throughout the United States.
You can read some of the winning submissions from past years here.
Eligibility:
We define an “emerging writer” as someone who has yet to publish a book, including chapbooks, eBooks, and self-published works, in any of the content genres: creative nonfiction, poetry, or fiction. No book should be forthcoming before April 15th, 2014, the date when the Winter issue will be off the stands.
If you are currently affiliated with Ploughshares or Emerson College, as a reader, student, staff member, or faculty member, please do not submit. Also, if you might have such a relationship with Emerson before April 15th, 2014—for example, if there is a chance that you will be attending the Emerson MFA program in the coming year—please do not submit.
Contest Rules:
- Entries will be accepted via our online Submission Manager ONLY between February 1 and April 2. The Submission Manager will open to entries at noon EST on February 1, and will close to entries at noon EST on April 2.
- Sorry, no entries via email or mailed in hard copy will be considered for the contest.
- Submitted work must be original and previously unpublished in any form.
- Fiction and nonfiction entries should be under 6,000 words.
- Poetry entries should contain 3-5 pages of poetry. For poetry, we will be reading both for the strongest individual poem and the general level of work, and may choose to publish only some of the winner's submitted poems.
- Writers are allowed to submit only one entry to the contest, per year.
Entry Fee & Subscription Options:
- The entry fee for the contest of $24, payable by Visa or MasterCard through the online Submission Manager, includes a 1-year subscription to Ploughshares (beginning with the Spring 2013 issue and ending with the Winter 2013-14 issue). Current subscribers (through the Winter 2013-14 issue) may submit for free.
- Select the type of entry/the type of subscription you would like to receive from the "genre" drop-down menu on the submission form.
Emerging Writer, regular rate, print subscription
U.S. print subscription.Emerging Writer, regular rate, digital subscription
U.S. and international digital subscriptions. Files (.mobi, .epub, PDF) delivered by email.Emerging Writer, current subscriber (through Winter 2013-14)
Subscribers current through the Winter 2013-14 issue.
Don't know when your subscription expires? Contact pshares@pshares.orgEmerging Writer, Canada/Mexico, print subscription (add $10)
International print subscriptions in Canada/Mexico.
This $10 surcharge covers the additional cost of shipping.Emerging Writer, other international, print subscription (add $30)
All other international print subscriptions.
This $30 surcharge covers the additional cost of shipping.Publication:
The winning story, essay, and poems will be published in the staff-edited Winter 2013-14 issue of Ploughshares, and each writer will receive $1000.
Go to the online Submission Manager
