The Idaho Prize is an annual, national competition offering $1,000 plus publication by Lost Horse Press for a book-length poetry manuscript. Manuscripts are accepted for review before May 15 of each year, and on 15 August, a winner is announced. In addition to announcements in national publications, the winning book and author will be featured on the Lost Horse Press website, along with a list of the finalists, as well as in the catalog of our distributor, the University of Washington Press.

Submission Guidelines

  • Contest Deadline: Entries must be postmarked or submitted online (http://losthorsepress.submittable.com/submit) by May 15th, 2013.
  • Winners will be announced on August 15th
  • $1,000 cash prize, plus publication by Lost Horse Press
  • Entry fee: $25 check or money order for hardcopy submissions; $27.50 PayPal payment with Submittable.com submission
  • The Judge for the Idaho Prize for Poetry 2013 is poet and publisher, Sam Hamill

To submit a hardcopy:

Mail manuscripts of 48 or more pages of poetry, no more than one poem per page, no smaller than 12 point type in an easily readable font. Poems may have appeared in journals and chapbooks, but not in full-length, single-author collections.

Name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and title of poetry collection may appear on the cover letter only. The goal is “blind” judging. Author’s name should not appear anywhere in manuscript except the cover letter.

No restriction on content, style, or subject—we’re looking for the best manuscript.

All checks or money orders for entry fee—$25—should be made payable to Lost Horse Press. Submissions without a reading fee enclosed will not be considered. A $50 fee will be charged for returned checks.

Include SASE (number #10 business envelope) with sufficient postage for notification of finalists and winner. Manuscripts will be recycled. We are sorry but manuscripts cannot be returned.

If manuscripts arrive postage due, they will be returned.

Use white, lightweight paper. Quality paper won’t impress readers the way a quality manuscript will.

Typed and printed on one side of the paper only. No handwriting should appear anywhere on the manuscript.

Entries submitted by e-mail or fax are not permitted and will be disqualified.

Send submissions to:  The Idaho Prize, Lost Horse Press, 105 Lost Horse Lane, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864.

Visit the website for details: http://www.losthorsepress.org/the-idaho-prize/