The Opportunity
Lucky Jefferson is excited to announce its first (ever) Poetry and Prose Summer contest!
Why are we doing this? We believe writers deserve opportunities like this (and so much more) and one core part of our mission includes being the difference. Many contests charge fees to enter or make writers and artists jump through hoops with no real return. We want to change that.
Let’s break things down:
• For starters, it’s free to enter or submit.
• You’ll have 2 months to submit any original and unpublished poetry and prose you want.
• 20 finalists will receive publication in Lucky Jefferson‘s digital 365 Collection.
• Two finalists from that group (one poetry and one prose) will each receive $100, publication, and a swag box.
Meet Morgan Christie, this year’s judge.
Morgan Christie’s work has appeared in Room, Hawai’i Review, Sport Literate, and elsewhere. She is the author of four poetry chapbooks and her first full-length short story manuscript ‘These Bodies’ (Tolsun Books, 2020) and was nominated for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in fiction. Her poetry chapbook ‘when they come’ was released by Black Sunflowers Press (2021) and is featured in the Forward Arts Foundation’s National Poetry Day exhibit. She is the 2022 Arc Poetry Poem of the Year Winner and her collection ‘People Without Wings’ is the winner of the 2022 Digging Chapbook Series Prize (Digging Press, 2023). Her first essay collection, ‘Boolean Logic’ is the winner of the Howling Bird Nonfiction Book Prize (2023), and her novella ‘Liddle Deaths’ (Stillhouse Press) is due out in 2024.
Artwork designed by Nikita Akula.
We are SO thankful for the anonymous donor making this opportunity possible!
How to Submit
No Frills Submission Guide
• Anyone, over the age of 10 is welcome to submit.
• Send your five best poems or prose pieces (per submission).
• 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• Only original and previously unpublished work.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.
Everyone Wins..Kinda
Selected Poetry Winner: will receive $100, an LJ swag box, publication in The 365 Collection (digital), and eligibility for social media press.
Selected Prose Winner: will receive $100, an LJ swag box, publication in The 365 Collection (digital), and eligibility for social media press.
Top 20 Finalists: will receive publication in The 365 Collection (digital), and eligibility for social media press.
While we plan to publish 20 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, ableism.
We also kindly request that you refrain from sending us any sexually explicit pieces, or works highlighting extreme violence.
Submissions Open: June 1, 2023 – August 1, 2023 @ 11:59 PM CT
Finalists Announced: September 30, 2023 – October 6, 2023
Winners Announced: October 2023
For more info email: submissions@luckyjefferson.com
