SPLIT ROCK PRESS POETRY CHAPBOOK SERIES 

Our reading period is March 15 to May 15, 2026. 

Split Rock Press seeks poetry chapbooks that are deeply rooted in place and meaningfully engage with environment and the evolving relationship between humans and the natural world. We are especially interested in manuscripts that examine ecological, political, and cultural dimensions of place.

Given the current environmental and political realities shaping our communities and ecosystems, this theme is not incidental to our mission—it is central. We are looking for work that grapples with land, water, climate, extraction, conservation, stewardship, displacement, belonging, and the layered histories embedded in landscapes.

Submissions that engage substantially with questions of place and environment are likely to be a strong fit for our poetry chapbook series. We encourage you to read our back issues and books to see if we’re a good home for your work. 

ABOUT OUR CHAPBOOKS

Our poetry chapbooks are perfect-bound and feature striking cover designs. Books are printed using chlorine-free ink on acid-free paper supplied by a Forest Stewardship Council–certified provider. The interior paper contains at least 30% post-consumer recycled material. Each chapbook receives an ISBN and is distributed through our online store, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and is available to order through independent booksellers.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• We only accept submissions via Submittable. 
• There is a $12.00 reading fee.
• Individual poems in a manuscript may have been previously published in magazines, journals, and anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished.
• Co-authored manuscripts are accepted.
• We do not accept translation poetry. 
• Simultaneous submissions are OK, but please notify us immediately by withdrawing your manuscript via Submittable if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.
• No edits or revisions to the manuscript will be considered during the reading period, but the selected author(s) will have an opportunity to make revisions prior to publication.
• If your work is accepted, you agree to give Split Rock Press First North American Serial Rights. All rights revert to the author upon publication, but we ask that Split Rock Press is acknowledged as its place of initial publication.

MANUSCRIPT FORMAT GUIDELINES

• Submissions are read concealed. Identifying information of the author should not be included anywhere on the manuscript, in the name of your file, or in the “title” field in Submittable. Submissions that reveal the author’s identity will be disqualified, and fees will not be refunded.
• Manuscript length should be 15 to 30 pages.
• Include page numbers and start each poem on a new page.
• Manuscripts should use 1 inch margins and a standard font/size, such as 12 pt Times New Roman or Garamond.
• Include a title page and table of contents page. If applicable, indicate which poems have been previously published (title of poem) and by whom (name of publication) in the Acknowledgments page. Title, TOC, and Acknowledgments pages are not included in the page count.
• Title page, table of contents, and acknowledgments page do not count toward page total.
• Do not include images or graphics unless they are an essential part of your manuscript.

ETHICS & FAIRNESS

Split Rock Press is fully committed to fairness. We welcome the work of new, emerging, and established poets. We especially encourage submissions from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, and disabled writers. Submissions are read by several volunteer staff members, including the editor/founder, who makes the final decision. Authors should refrain from submitting if they are current or former colleagues, students, or close friends of the editorial team.

We endorse and abide by the Code of Ethics developed by the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP): 

CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. We believe that intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree to:

1. Conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors;
2. To provide clear and specific contest guidelines — defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and
3. To make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.

TIMELINE

This is an open reading period, not a contest, and we expect to publish one or more titles from this submission window. All authors will be notified of their status within six months of the close of the reading period, and final selections will be announced by late summer 2026. Publication is scheduled for 2027–2028.

COMPENSATION

Selected authors receive 20 complimentary contributor copies of their chapbook, along with a 50% discount on additional author copies. They will also receive a complimentary copy of the other chapbooks published in the same year. Split Rock Press does not offer royalties or advances. We are happy to work with bookstores local to you to provide discounted copies if you are planning a reading or launch event.