The Mad Poets Society publishes an annual literary journal, The Mad Poets Review. You need not be a member to submit work.
Our primary purpose is to promote thought-provoking, moving poetry and encourage beginning poets. We don't care if you have a 'name' or a publishing history if your poetry is well-crafted. We are anxious for work with 'joie de vivre' that startles and inspires. No restrictions on subject, form or style. Just because our name is MAD Poets Review, that does not mean we want mad ramblings masquerading under the guise of poetry.
MPR has published thousands of poets including former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Gerald Stern, Naomi Shihab Nye, Louis McKee, Daniel Hoffman, Elaine Terranova, BZ Nidith, Molly Russakoff, WD Ehrhart, Sue Walker, Nathalie Anderson, Alicia Askenase, Tom Devaney, Jennifer MacPherson, Henry Braun, Harry Humes, Paul Martin, Margaret Holley, Greg Djanikian, Leonard Gontarek, Aaren Y. Perry, Daniel Moore, Jim Cory as well as other renowned poets.
Our reading periods for all categories is July 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011. No submissions will be accepted outside of the reading period. If you are interested in submitting, please review the guidelines for each submission category and follow them exactly. Outside of our submission period you can find guidelines on our website: www.madpoetssociety.com. All submissions should be made in ONE FILE.
Magazine submissions
Size limit: 6 poems
Magazine reading period for 2011 will be July 1 through December 31, 2011. Magazine will come out in 2012.1. Submit 1 copy of up to 6 poems, one poem per page. All themes and styles of poetry are welcome. All rights revert to the author after publication.
2. All submission material should be in ONE electronic file. Acceptable file types include: .doc, .rtf, .pdf, .txt, .wpf, .odt.
3. There is no fee for submission to the magazine. You do not have to be a member of Mad Poets Society to submit to the magazine.
4. No line limit, but due to space limitations, long lines may have to be adjusted (with the author’s permission and input on line break, if necessary).
5. You may submit the same poems to the contest and the magazine. (To clarify: Editors do not read the contest entries. Judges do not read the magazine submissions.) If you send poetry to the contest only, they are not being considered by the editors for publication in the magazine, they are only being considered for the contest. If you want the editors to review the poems, you must send them to the magazine as well.
6. Include 2-3 sentences about yourself for the bio notes section.
7. If the poem has previously been published, write the information about prior publication directly on the poem.
8. Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Notify us upon publication of a poem by email: madpoets@comcast.net so we can remove it from consideration.
Contest submissions - $10.00
Size limit: 6 poems
Contest reading period is July 1st - December 31st.1. 6 poems per entry. Multiple entries OK (must pay separate entry fee). All themes and styles of poetry are welcome. Each poem should be on a separate page.
2. All submission material (all poems & cover page) should be in ONE electronic file. Acceptable file types include: .doc, .rtf, .pdf, .txt, .wpf, .odt.
3. No line limit, but poem may not exceed 1 page. (Due to space limitations, any poem that has two columns on one page will not be able to be published; and long lines may have to be adjusted (with the author’s permission and input on line break, if necessary).
4. Submit poems with no author identification. Entries will be disqualified if contact info appears on the poems. Poems are judged anonymously. Judges will receive copy with no identification. (Judge(s) to be announced.)
5. Include with your submission a cover page including all author information: name, address, phone, email. Email address is important - since we will either call you or email you with the news.
6. Previously UNPUBLISHED work only for the contest.
7. NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS for the contest.
8. Include 2-3 sentences about yourself for the bio notes section.
8. You may submit the same poems to the contest and the magazine. However, the Editor & MPR staff do not review the poetry for inclusion in the magazine, the poems are sorted and sent directly to the Judge(s). (To clarify: if you send poetry to the contest only, they are not being considered by the editors for publication in the magazine. Editors do not read the contest entries. Judges do not read the magazine submissions.)
10. No changes/revisions can be made after you enter the poems into the contest.
11. Once you enter the contest we cannot remove the entries from the judge’s consideration (you cannot withdraw the entries).
12. Winners will be published in the Mad Poets Review. All rights revert to the author after publication.
Joie De Vivre Poetry Book Award - $16.00
Size limit: 56-60 pages
Reading period for the Book Award is July 1st to March 1, 2012. Submit approximately 56-60 pages of poetry.REMOVE ALL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION FROM THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT THAT YOU ARE UPLOADING.
One page = maximum 38 lines, including spaces between lines. This is NOT a chapbook, the book will have a spine.
2. All submission material should be in ONE electronic file. Acceptable file types include: .doc, .rtf, .pdf, .txt, .wpf, .odt.
3. Manuscripts too short or too long will be disqualified.
4. All manuscripts may be screened by Editor and Assistant Editors of MPR (depending on the preference of the judge).
5. Do not count title page, dedication page, bio or acknowledgment page in the page length. The page limit refers to 56-60 actual pages of poetry.
6. Do not send illustrations photos or other graphics.
7. No names are to appear on any poems or on the actual manuscript. The only thing on the title page should be the title of the manuscript.
8. Manuscripts must be paginated.
9. Poems previously published in journals must be listed on the acknowledgements page.
10. Include a cover page with your (1) TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT on first line; (2) Name; (3) Address; (4) Phone number; (5) Email Address.
11. Manuscripts as a whole must be previously unpublished. Individual poems can be published, but must previous publication information must appear on acknowledgment page.
12. No corrections can be made after submission.
13. Each poem should be on a separate page.
14. Winners will be notified. Please do not call for results.
15. Finalists will receive Joie DeVivre Spirit Awards; and Certificates and cash prizes. Name of Grand Prize Winner and finalists will be published in the Mad Poets Review in 2012. (Number of finalists is at the discretion of the Judge.)
16. All entrants will receive a coupon for $50 off publication of your manuscript should you decide at any point to use Infinity Publishing. Infinity Publishing will be publishing the winner and donating the “publishing package” worth $499, including assigning ISBN, listing book with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Baker & Taylor, Books in Print and on the Infinity website, Buy Books on the Web. Winner can reorder copies directly from Infinity Publishing.