Frequently Asked Questions

I'm pretty sure my manuscript is going to blow your mind--should I send it?

Yes.

Will my book be published if I win? What are the publication terms?

The author of the winning manuscript is offered a publication contract that includes $1,000 in prize monies and 25 complimentary author's copies. We also work hard to get our books reviewed.

How will my book be distributed?

The book will be distributed via Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Can I email my manuscript to you? Or where should I send a hard copy?

We do not accept manuscripts via email or traditional post. All manuscripts should be submitted using our online submission manager--it does a really good job of keeping things organized, and it saves paper.

When I submit online, should I include a cover sheet with contact info on the first page of the manuscript?

We read blind, so there should be no identifying information on the manuscript itself except for its title. The online submission manager will prompt you for your contact information, and there will be a field where you can choose to include details such as those you might usually include in a cover letter.

If I submit through regular mail, what should I include on the cover sheet?

We do not accept submissions via traditional post. Please use Submittable.

The final judge taught a writing workshop I was in once. Can I still submit my work?

We take contest ethics seriously and intend to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Our evaluation system is designed to make it impossible for any reader to know who wrote any manuscript that he or she is evaluating, but a previous teacher or mentor may recognize the writing of a former student. We have asked our judges to alert us if such a scenario occurs, and if it does we will remove the manuscript from consideration and refund the author's entry fee. If you have had more than a passing acquaintence with the final judge or any of the New American Press staff, please contact us prior to submitting. If at any point we determine that either a manuscript cannot be read without bias or its publication may suggest unfairness in the judging process, we will remove it from consideration and refund the author's entry fee.

Can I submit a manuscript that includes previously published work?

Yes. Some or all of the manuscript may have been published previously, though not in the same form that it is being submitted to New American Press. This means that a collection may include pieces, some or all, that have appeared previously at several magazines and journals before being collected and submitted to New American Press as a single collection.

What if I previously self-published the whole manuscript?

This is a gray area, so you'll have to email us. The contest intends to introduce new work to readers, but if your self-published book didn't get much attention yet, you can probably still submit it for consideration. Shoot us a line.

Can I give you a Visa or Mastercard number for the entry fee?

Submittable loves credit cards.

Will you publish runners-up? Is there a second-place prize?

There is no prize for second place. Authors who make it to the finalist pool, though, are often solicited to submit work to MAYDAY Magazine.

What if I have other questions?

Please email further questions to David Bowen.