BOA Editions, Ltd. Submission Policy

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT ACCEPT ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS AT ANY TIME.

The spring reading period for unsolicited manuscripts for both the American Poets Continuum Series and the American Reader Series (literary fiction of the highest caliber and works of prose about poetry and poetics) is now Closed. Dates for the next open submission period will be posted on this website when they are determined.

The reading period for the The Lannan Translations Selection Series is now open:

Submissions for the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize contest will be accepted August 1- November 30. Click [Here] for more information.

During open submission periods, please adhere to the general submission guidelines for each series, as follows:

American Poets Continuum Series Submission Guidelines

(Open to poets who have published at least one full-length poetry book)

You must be a U.S. Citizen or resident to submit to this series
Submit only one book-length, complete manuscript at a time. If two manuscripts are sent, both will be returned.
Manuscript should be 1 1/2 or double spaced.
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient return postage.
Send the manuscript Attn: Poetry Submission.
Simultaneous submissions are okay. Please state so in the cover letter.
Include a cover letter. Do not include a résumé or vitae.
Include title, publisher, and publication year of previous full-length poetry collections you have published.
Allow a minimum of four to five months for reply.

A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize Eligibility and Submission Guidelines

Entrant must be a citizen or legal resident of the United States.
Poets, who are at least 18 years of age, who have yet to publish a full-length-book collection of poetry.
Translations are not eligible.
Individual poems from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines, journals, anthologies, chapbooks of 32 pages or less, or self-published books of 46 pages or less, but must be submitted in manuscript form. Published books in other genres do not disqualify contestants from entering this contest.
Employees, volunteers and board members of BOA Editions, Ltd., or their partners or spouses, or their immediate families, or immediate family of the judge are not eligible.
As per the Publishing Contest Ethics, as advanced by the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), any person who has studied poetry in a formal program with the Final Judge -- through a college, university, community program, residency, or private tutorial, within the last two years -- is not eligible to submit a manuscript to this contest.

Send one copy of the manuscript, our entry form, and the $25 entry fee, to BOA Editions, Ltd., between August 1, and November 30, 2007, at the address listed below. Make check or money orders payable to BOA Editions. Do not pay by credit card.

For more information regarding the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize, including Manuscript Format and FAQ, click [here].

American Reader Series Submission Guidelines

As of April 2007, BOA is now publishing literary fiction through its American Reader Series. While aesthetic quality is subjective, the fiction that BOA publishes will be written by authors more concerned with the artfulness of their writing than the twists and turns of plot (i.e. the majority of genre writing such as mystery, science fiction, horror, etc.). As with our poetry, the first criterion for publishing any book will be its artistic excellence. Our strongest current interest is in short story collections (and short-short story collections), although we are willing to consider novels. We strongly advise you to read our first published fiction collection [I Carry A Hammer In My Pocket For Occasions Such As These] by Anthony Tognazzini to get a sense of our aesthetic taste for fiction.

The American Reader Series will also remain a venue for works of prose about poetry and poetics.

Submit only one book-length, complete manuscript at a time. Page count is open, but 300 pages should be considered the high end.
Manuscript should be double spaced.
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient return postage.
Send the manuscript Attn: Fiction Submission.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Note simultaneous submissions in your cover letter and notify BOA immediately should your submission be accepted elsewhere.
Include a cover letter with relevent publishing history.
In the case of literary fiction, include a brief synopsis or description of the work. Do not send a query. Send the complete manuscript.
Allow a minimum of four to five months for reply.

Lannan Translations Selection Series Submission Guidelines

Submit only one book-length, complete manuscript at a time. If two manuscripts are sent, both will be returned.
Manuscript should be 1 1/2 or double spaced.
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient return postage.
Send the manuscript Attn: Poetry Submission.
Simultaneous submissions are okay. Please state so in the cover letter.
Include a cover letter. Do not include a résumé or vitae.
Include title, publisher, and publication year of previous full-length poetry collections you have published.
Allow a minimum of four to five months for reply.

For information regarding the Lannan Translations Selection Series, click [here].