Guidelines
Eligibility
The Prairie Schooner Book Prize Series welcomes manuscripts from all living writers, including non-US citizens, writing in English. Both unpublished and published writers are welcome to submit manuscripts. Writers may enter both contests. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but we ask that you notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted for publication somewhere else. No past or present paid employee of Prairie Schooner or the University of Nebraska Press or current faculty or student at the University of Nebraska will be eligible for the prizes.
Manuscript
We prefer that fiction manuscripts be at least 150 pages long and poetry manuscripts at least 50 pages long. Stories and poems previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion. Novels are not considered; one novella along with stories will be considered (please don't send single novellas or a collection of novellas).
Xeroxed copies are acceptable. Please do not bind manuscripts with anything other than a binder clip or rubber band. The author's name should not appear on the manuscript. All entries will be read anonymously.
Please send two cover pages: one listing only the title of the manuscript, and the other listing the author's name, address, telephone number, and email address.
An acknowledgements page listing the publication histories of individual stories or poems may be included, if desired.
No application forms are necessary.
Entry Fee
A $25 processing fee must accompany each submission, payable to Prairie Schooner.
Prizes
Winners will receive $3000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press.
Notification
Please include a self-addressed postage-paid postcard for confirmation of manuscript receipt. Please use a standard postcard -- small index cards will not be accepted by the post-office.
A stamped, self-addressed business size envelope must accompany the submission for notification of results.
No manuscripts will be returned. All non-winning manuscripts will be recycled.
Winners will be announced on this website on or before July 15th, 2011. Results will be mailed shortly thereafter.
Address and Deadlines
Manuscripts should be mailed with a postmark between January 15th and March 15th, 2011 to:
Prairie Schooner Prize Series
Attn: Fiction or Poetry
123 Andrews Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0334Any questions, please send an email to jengelhardt2@unl.edu
For information on submitting to the magazine, please see our submission guidelines.