Submissions

FLP is a proud member of the Community of Literary Magazines & Presses [ c l m p ]

Finishing Line Press is the home of :

New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition
Open Chapbook Competition
The Donna Wolf-Palacio Poetry Prize (formerly the Starting Gate Award)
Ritzenhein Emerging Poet Award (awarded by committee)
One Last Word Program (awarded by committee)

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FLP is a traditional publisher. FLP pays in royalty payments. There is no fee for the author.

FLP books are distributed by the Ingram Group.

Finishing Line Press

OPEN CHAPBOOK COMPETITION

A prize of $1,500 and publication by Finishing Line Press is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Manuscripts written in a language other than English are accepted when accompanied by an English translation. Submit a manuscript of 16 to 34 pages, a brief bio, acknowledgments, and a cover letter with a $20 entry fee. Please do not include your name on the manuscript. The bio should be included on the cover letter only.

We do allow hybrid manuscripts in addition to traditional poetry manuscripts: prose poetry or formal verse.

We do allow art to be included with the manuscript. Please follow page count guidelines. One page of art is equal to one page of poetry.

All entries are considered for publication.

Deadline: February 15, 2025

Saba Razvi will judge.

FLP strongly encourages submission via our submittable page: https://finishinglinepress.submittable.com/submit/274786/2025-open-chapbook-competition

These are the complete guidelines.

Finishing Line Press, Open Chapbook Competition, P.O. Box 1626, Georgetown, KY 40324.

Chris Kincaid, Director and Senior Editor. finishingbooks@aol.com finishinglinepress.com

The Open Chapbook Competition will be judged by Saba Syed Razvi: Saba Syed Razvi, PhD is the author of: “In the Crocodile Gardens” (Elgin Award-nominee), “heliophobia” (on the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Award ® for Superior Achievement in Poetry), “Limerence & Lux”, “Of the Divining and the Dead”, and “Beside the Muezzin’s Call & Beyond the Harem’s Veil”, as well as other poetry, fiction, & essays that can be found in journals and anthologies. Having earned her doctorate at the University of Southern California, she is now an Associate Professor of English & Creative Writing at the University of Houston in Victoria, TX.

  Please submit via submittable:  http://finishinglinepress.submittable.com/submit

FINISHING LINE PRESS HAS NO READING FEE IN NOVEMBER

The month of November is our annual reading period. During this month we gladly accept manuscripts, and we do not require a reading fee during this month. We are specifically looking for chapbook manuscripts; however, we will gladly read manuscripts of any length or genre during this period.

To submit online: https://finishinglinepress.submittable.com/submit/98800/november-annual-reading-period

If you prefer submitting via regular post, send your manuscript of any length or genre to:

Finishing Line Press

P O Box 1626

Georgetown, KY 40324

USA

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GENERAL CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

We read manuscripts in November. There is no fee for manuscripts submitted via regular post during the month of November. If you would like to submit outside of the month of November, please see guidelines below:

We read general submissions year round. Please include a $3 reading fee with your manuscript. Submit manuscript of any genre, PLUS bio, acknowledgments, using our online submissions manager:

Please use submittable link: http://finishinglinepress.submittable.com/submit

All manuscripts are selected by editorial process. Response time is 3-6 months.

A self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with the correct postage must accompany all manuscripts. A SASE is needed for any kind of response, even if the writer does not want the material returned.

A good photocopy of the manuscript or a computer printout, rather than the original, should be sent. Finishing Line Press is not responsible for lost manuscripts.

Finishing Line Press is an award-winning small press publisher.

FOR BOOK ORDERS PLEASE EMAIL CHRIS AT flpbookstore@aol.com

Leah Maines, Publisher, leahmaines@aol.com

Christen Kincaid, Director, flpbookstore@aol.com

Kevin Maines, Managing Editor, kevinmaines@aol.com

Ryan Kincaid, Production Manager, finishingbooks@aol.com

Elizabeth Maines, Graphic Design, lmaines0@gmail.com

Maureen Baxter, Editorial Asst., finishingbooks@aol.com

Jackie Steelman, Editorial Asst., XclusivlyU@aol.com (authors send gig info to this email)

Jennifer Winebrenner, Editorial Asst., Flpbookstore@aol.com

Shay McCleavy, Intern, finishingbooks@aol.com

Mimi David, Jeannie Murphy, and Joe Morrison, staff, finishingbooks@aol.com

FLP AUTHORS: If you are seeking permission to reprint individual poems from your collection please contact:

Frederick T. Courtright, President

The Permissions Company, LLC
6101 Old Court Road, #139

Boca Raton, FL 33433

PermDude@gmail.com
www.permissionscompany.com