Kinsman Quarterly is conducting a global competition in search of unique, contemporary poetry for the upcoming collection, SLAM! Poetry slams are traditionally live competitions, featuring poets who perform works that are created on the spot, and we hope to receive submissions with that sense of spontaneity. Winners receive up to $300 in cash prizes and publication in the poetry series. Poets can submit original, unpublished works in English up to 10 pages. We are looking for captivating rhythm and form, along with hard-hitting themes of culture, resilience, passion, and justice. Poets are encouraged to deviate from predictable patterns of rhyme and to explore free verse and playfulness with language. Entry fee is $5.99. Submit before May 31, 2024.

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NEW YORK RESIDENTS APPLY HERE. ALL OTHER CONTESTANTS CONTINUE BELOW. 

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Selected finalists will be featured in the Kinsman Quarterly, its social media sites, printed promotions, and the 2024 collection. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however submissions should be withdrawn if accepted elsewhere. To ensure that we are able to register the unpublished work, winning contestants and finalists are asked to wait a full year after winning announcements before they republish the work themselves or with another organization. Copyrights of the individual submissions remain with the authors and artists, and copyrights for the SLAM! collection as a whole are reserved to Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.

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Those Eligible

• individuals 18 years or older

• individuals are ideally of underrepresented communities; BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, retired, etc. (but non-exclusive)

• individuals are able to receive cash prizes through Paypal (transfer through other platforms not allowed) and receive Amazon gift cards as finalists (non-transferable).

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By submitting an original, unpublished work, contestants authorize work to be published in the Kinsman Quarterly, its annual SLAM! anthology, within its promotional announcements, and social media outlets.

Contest Guidelines

• Each entry should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity. If a work is found to be plagiarized, the offending contestant will be liable for all costs related to the plagiarism, including legal liabilities and the return of any winnings. 

• Employees and directors of Kinsman Quarterly and Kinsman Avenue Publishing are ineligible to enter Kinsman Quarterly contests.

• Submissions must be received by the extended date May 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

• Submissions can be 1 or multiple poems up to 10 pages and should fit comfortably within 1 of 4 themes; culture, resilience, passion, or justice. Poets are encouraged to deviate from predictable patterns of rhyme and to explore free verse and playfulness with language.

• Participants may submit more than one entry. 

• Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, the work can be resubmitted as a revision. 

Formatting Guidelines

• All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced. 

• Do not attach images or use fancy fonts.

• Text files should be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf formats. (NOT a .txt file).

• Multipage submissions must include page numbers (not mandatory for title pages).

• Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text. 

• Entries that do not adhere to guidelines, unfortunately, will not be considered. 

Available Prizes

• Grand Prize = $300 cash prize and publication in the SLAM! collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 

• 1st Runner Up = $200 cash prize and publication in the SLAM! collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 

• 2nd Runner Up = $100 cash prize and publication in the SLAM! collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 

• 3rd Runner Up = $50 cash prize and publication in the SLAM! collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 

• Top 6 Finalists receive a $25 Amazon gift card and publication in the SLAM! collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 

• 6 Honorary Mentions to receive publication in the SLAM! collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 

Note that cash prizes will be received within 30 days of the author's signed confirmation to accept the win and publish with Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.. Kinsman Quarterly reserves the right to extend competition deadline (therefore also the announcements and prize distribution) by 30 days of which extension was already made for May 31st.