The Opportunity
Lucky Jefferson is excited to announce our final national open call dedicated exclusively to poetry and prose.
We have never charged a submission fee and we never will. We believe writers deserve real opportunities without financial barriers or hoops to jump through. That has always been part of who we are.
This year we are keeping it simple. One poem or one micro prose piece per submitter. And for the first time, we are opening our judging process to the community. Four Community Judges will be selected to help shape what gets published. Each judge receives a $50 honorarium.
Going forward, our contests will explore new genres, forms, and themes.
Your contest recap:
• For starters, it’s free to enter or submit.
• You’ll have 1 month to submit any original and unpublished poetry and prose you want.
• Up to 10 finalists will receive publication in Lucky Jefferson‘s digital 365 Collection.
• Two of those finalists (one poetry and one prose) will each receive $200 and publication.
This year we’re letting the community decide. Meet our four Community Judges soon.
How to Submit
No Frills Submission Guide
• Anyone over the age of 10 is welcome to submit.
• Send your best poem or prose piece (include 1 piece in your submission).
• Poems should be < 14 lines. Prose should be < 1000 words.
• You will be asked to share your name, email address, current mailing address, and a short bio (third-person, 50 words max) in the submission form.
• Only original and previously unpublished work. And please, no soulless AI-generated pieces. Head here for even more details.
Everyone Wins..Kinda
Selected Poetry Winner: will receive $200 and publication in The 365 Collection (digital), and eligibility for social media press.
Selected Prose Winner: will receive $200 and publication in The 365 Collection (digital), and eligibility for social media press.
Top 10 Finalists: will receive publication in The 365 Collection (digital) and eligibility for social media press.
While we plan to publish up to 10 writers in this contest, we reserve the right to publish more than the number listed.
Your Rights
We ask for exclusive first worldwide print and electronic rights for up to three months from the date of publication and non-exclusive rights to include published works in our archive indefinitely.
Basically, we’d like to be the first to publish your submission, and after three months, you’re free to redistribute it how you’d like. Nevertheless, it’ll be a part of our collection forever.
If your work is forthcoming in a manuscript or published somewhere else (online or print) after publication in Lucky Jefferson, you agree to give credit to your family at Lucky Jefferson.
Representation Matters
Lucky Jefferson is a women- and people-of-color-led organization and welcomes all to share their words with us.
Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and historically underrepresented writers are encouraged to submit as we continue to prioritize these communities in our ongoing work.
Avoid This
We will not tolerate any work that promotes harmful stereotypes and perspectives including: racism, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, xenophobia, antisemitism, and ableism.
We also kindly request that you refrain from sending us any sexually explicit pieces or works highlighting extreme violence.
Submissions Open: Aug 3, 2026 – Sept 6, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CT
Finalists Announced: October 2026
Winners Announced: TBD
For questions and additional info, visit our FAQ page.