Call for Poetry Submissions: The Backwaters Press

Important Update! Change to submission guidelines!

While we've been energized by the high quality work we've received in response to our call for submissions, we have also made an effort to reach out to a number of poets we've always considered to be "Nebraskan." We were surprised to discover that many of these women did not meet our residence guidelines, and as a result felt excluded from the project. As it was always our intention to collect a more expansive representation of what it might mean to be a "Nebraska woman poet," we're revising our guidelines to include women born in Nebraska, currently living in Nebraska, or who have lived in Nebraska at some point in their lives for not less than 5 years. In order to accommodate submissions from this broader base, we're extending our deadline to June 30 of 2011.

The Backwaters Press is now accepting submissions for The Untidy Season: An Anthology of Nebraska Women Poets through June 30 of 2011, for expected publication in Spring of 2012. Contributors must be Nebraskan women, which includes all women born or currently residing in Nebraska. Poets who have previously lived in Nebraska for a period of not less than 5 years, will also be considered. We ask that all submissions include a brief statement describing the author's connection to the state of Nebraska. Poetry submissions need not specifically address Nebraska issues or geography, though both are certainly welcome.

The Backwaters Press, an independent press based in Nebraska, has published numerous award-winning titles, including the anthology Times of Sorrow, Times of Grace (2003) which received two Nebraska book awards. Several poets published by the press have had poems from their books read by Garrison Keillor on The Writer's Almanac.

Please send 3-5 previously unpublished poems (10 pages maximum) to:
theuntidyseason(at)yahoo.com (replace (at) with @) .

Include a cover letter with brief bio and statement describing your connection to Nebraska. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Poems should be submitted both as an attachment (rtf, doc, or docx) and pasted in the body of the e-mail. Electronic submissions are strongly preferred, however, snail mail submissions may be sent to:

The Backwaters Press/The Untidy Season
P.O. Box 8067
Omaha, NE 68108.

Please list name and address of contributor on each page of postal mail submissions, and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your poems and for correspondence. Please include your e-mail address with your postal mail submission.