The winner of the Spring 2006 Chapbook Contest was Matthew Hittinger for Pear Slip.

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Spire Press Annual Full-length Poetry Contest.

This contest is now closed.

Congratulations to the winner of the 2007 Full-length Poetry Award:

Christina Olson Before I Came Home Naked

General Contest Information

The Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) community of independent literary publishers believe that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. Intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree (1) to conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; (2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines—defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and (3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.

All Spire contests are judged anonymously. While student readers are sometimes employed, at least one permanent editor reads through all manuscripts. If a guest judge is not announced, the final decision will be determined by the publisher. In the event that the guest judge or publisher has a conflict of interest stemming from the recognition of a finalist’s manuscript as the product of a student, friend, or financial contributor (in excess of $50), a neutral party will be contracted as a new judge and announced with the winner. Recognition of previously published authors is not considered a conflict of interest in absence of a personal relationship. Previous publication will not be considered in judging, but may be considered in later publication decisions.

It is necessary to charge a fee for contest entries due to the difficult funding and sales environment faced by poetry publishers. Contest fees rarely cover the costs of publication and all of our staff is composed of unpaid volunteers. That said, if you are a low-income writer, defined by the eligibility guidelines of the Federal Food Stamp Program or other significant hardship, contest entry fees may be waved with permission by emailing editor@spirepress.org or contacting the editor by mail.