Submission Guidelines

General

• Submissions Open
• Open to poets of all backgrounds and experience levels
• We are committed to uplifting diversity and strongly encourage submissions from marginalized voices
• Manuscripts must be original and unpublished as a full manuscript
• Multiple submissions are welcome, but please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere 

Manuscript Requirements

• 70-90 pages of poetry
• Poetry must be in English (we welcome the textural use of other languages, provided that the majority of the manuscript is in English and the meaning of the poems remains clear).
• 12-point readable font (Times New Roman, Garamond, or similar)
• Single, 1.5, or double-spaced
• Each poem starts on a new page
• No line limit on individual poems
• 10 micro poem maximum (140 characters or less)
• Any poetic form is welcome
• Please do not include your name or any other personally identifiable information in the body of your manuscript.  Submissions should be anonymized to ensure a fair review process. 

Previously published work

• Individual poems may have been published in journals, online, or social media, but at least 50% of the manuscript should be unpublished as a collection
• Please include the titles of previously published poems and where they were published in the body of your submission email (if applicable). 

Style & Theme

• We crave poetry that is emotionally charged, fearless, and speaks truth to the human experience.
• We value powerful poetic storytelling with evocative metaphors, vivid imagery, and unique wordplay.  We desire poetry that feels intimate, as if the author is sharing secrets with their audience.
• We appreciate innovative forms but prioritize emotional depth over experimentation.
• We welcome free verse and formal verse poetry.
• Optional: include cover letter at the start of your manuscript that summarizes your collection and the themes you explore.

Submission Fees

• $10 submission fee to support our new small press and the poets we publish
• $5 optional tip for an expedited 1 month response time

Accepted Poets Will Receive

• Publication of their collection with Arcana Poetry Press
• A complimentary copy of their poetry book
• A publication advance and royalties on sales
• Promotion on our website, social media, and other marketing channels
• Authors retain copyright ownership of their work

Response Time

• We will review and respond to submissions on a rolling basis
• You can expect to receive a response within 3-6 months
• We will personally notify each poet of our decision via email, whether or not their manuscript is selected 
• If your full manuscript is not selected for publication, we may still consider individual poems for our anthology series and will reach out to discuss further. 

How to Submit

• Use https://pay.arcanapoetrypress.com/Full-Length to pay submission fee
• Include your name, email address, and manuscript title in Payment Notes
• Add a $5 tip for an expedited response
• Email submissions@arcanapoetrypress.com
• Subject line: Manuscript Submission
• Attach manuscript as a .docx or pdf file
• Add your name, manuscript title, author bio (50-100 words), and Instagram handle (if applicable) in the body of your email

General

• Submissions Open: April 1st- June 1st 2025
• Open to poets of all backgrounds and experience levels
• We are committed to uplifting diversity and strongly encourage submissions from marginalized voices
• Manuscripts must be original and unpublished as a full chapbook
• Multiple submissions are welcome, but please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere 

Manuscript Requirements

• 20-30 pages of poetry
• Poetry must be in English (we welcome the textural use of other languages, provided that the majority of the manuscript is in English and the meaning of the poems remains clear).
• 12-point readable font (Times New Roman, Garamond, or similar)
• Single, 1.5, or double-spaced
• Each poem starts on a new page
• No line limit on individual poems
• 5 micro poem maximum (140 characters or less)
• Any poetic form is welcome
• Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information in the body of your manuscript.  Submissions should be anonymized to ensure a fair review process. 

Previously published work

• Individual poems may have been published in journals, online, or social media, but at least 50% of the manuscript should be unpublished as a collection
• Please include the titles of previously published poems and where they were published in the body of your submission email (if applicable)

Theme and Style

• Theme: "Echoes Of Your Haunted Heart"
• We would love if this line or a variation of this line is featured in one of your poems, but this is not required for submission or selection
• This theme is intentionally broad and open to interpretation. We want poets to explore it in a way that feels true to their work.
• We crave poetry that is emotionally charged, fearless, and speaks truth to the human experience
• We value powerful poetic storytelling with evocative metaphors, vivid imagery, and unique wordplay. We desire poetry that feels intimate, as if the author is sharing secrets with their audience
• We appreciate innovative forms but prioritize emotional depth over experimentation 
• We welcome free verse and formal verse poetry
• Optional: include cover letter at the start of your manuscript that summarizes your collection and the themes you explore. 

Entry Fees

• $2 submission fee to support our new small press and the poets we publish
• $5 optional tip for an expedited 2-week response time
• Multiple chapbook submissions require a $5 reading fee per additional manuscript

3 Winners Will Receive

• Publication of their chapbook with Arcana Poetry Press
• A complimentary copy of their chapbook
• $50 advance plus 10% royalties
• Promotion on our website and social media
• Authors retain copyright ownership of their work

Response Time

• We will review and respond to submissions on a rolling basis through June 30th, 2025
• We will personally notify each poet of our decision via email, whether or not their manuscript is selected 
• 3 Winners will be notified within 5 weeks after the submission window closes
• If your chapbook manuscript is not selected for publication, we may still consider individual poems for our anthology series and will reach out to discuss further. 

How to Submit

• Use https://pay.arcanapoetrypress.com/Chapbook to pay submission fee
• Add $5 tip for expedited response
• Include your name, email address, and manuscript title in Payment Notes
• Email submissions@arcanapoetrypress.com
• Subject Line: Chapbook Contest Submission
• Attach manuscript as a .docx or pdf file
• Add your name, manuscript title, author bio (50-100 words), and Instagram handle (if applicable) in the body of your email

General

• Submissions Open April 1st - July 1st
• Open to poets of all backgrounds and experience levels
• We are committed to uplifting diversity and strongly encourage submissions from marginalized voices
• Poems must be original and unpublished
• Poems previously shared on social media are accepted
• Multiple submissions are welcome, but please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere 

Submission Requirements

• 1-5 poems
• Each poem must fit on one page (8.5x11 standard letter)
• Each poem starts on a new page
• Poetry must be in English (we welcome the textural use of other languages, provided that the majority of the poem is in English and the meaning of the poem remains clear).
• 12-point readable font (Times New Roman, Garamond, or similar)
• Single, 1.5 or double-spaced
• Any poetic form is welcome
• Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information in the body of your submission document.  Submissions should be anonymized to ensure a fair review process. 

Theme and Style

• Theme: "Roots & Ruin"
• This anthology will be a poetic excavation of the past and present, of the bloodlines that shape us, the homes we have left behind, and the ruins we carry within us. It will celebrate resilience, honor grief, and embrace the contradictions of belonging and loss. 
• Concepts to explore: Heritage & Ancestry, Migration & Displacement, Identity & Transformation, Love & Loss, Ruin as Beauty, Myth & Memory
• We crave poetry that is emotionally charged, fearless, and speaks truth to the human experience
• We value powerful poetic storytelling with evocative metaphors, vivid imagery, and unique wordplay. We desire poetry that feels intimate, as if the author is sharing secrets with their audience
• We appreciate innovative forms but prioritize emotional depth over experimentation 
• We welcome free verse and formal verse poetry

Entry Fees

• Free to submit
• $5 optional tip for an expedited 1-week response time

Selected Poets will Receive

• Publication of their poem(s) with Arcana Poetry Press
• A complimentary copy of the anthology
• Promotion on our website and social media
• Authors retain copyright ownership of their work

Response Time

• We will review and respond to submissions on a rolling basis through July 31st, 2025
• We will personally notify each poet of our decision via email, whether or not their poem(s) is selected

How to Submit

• Use  https://pay.arcanapoetrypress.com/Anthology for an expedited 1-week response
• Include your name and email address in Payment Notes
• Email submissions@arcanapoetrypress.com
• Subject Line: Anthology Submission
• Attach poems as a .docx or pdf file
• Add your name, author bio (50-100 words), and Instagram handle (if applicable) in the body of your email