Submission Schedule

This submission form is open only for proposals of scholarly nonfiction, trade nonfiction, edited anthologies, or edited book series. Submissions to this form of single-author creative works of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction will not be considered. Open calls for submissions are on our Submittable page, and our full submissions schedule is listed on our website.

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TRP is particularly interested in projects that would fit in one of the following areas:

• 20th & 21st Century American Poetry
• Creative Writing Studies
• Environmental Writing
• Gulf Coast Studies
• Hybrid Genres
• Innovative Prose
• Literary Fiction
• Poetics
• Southern Studies
• Texas Studies
  

 If TRP is interested in pursuing your project, it will move on to the peer review and editorial processes.

The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize
Prize: $10,000 + Residency Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center
2025 Judge: TBD


General Guidelines
 

• Submissions are open July 1 – September 30.
• A fee of $28 must be paid at the time of submission.
• Open to any poet writing in English. Translations are not eligible.
• The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize is not a first book prize, though we welcome first books. The Prize is open to poets at any stage of their career.
• There are no formal restrictions for this prize; we welcome manuscripts of any style/form.
• Poems may have been published individually in magazines or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished.
• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. Please notify TRP immediately by withdrawing the manuscript via Submittable if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
• Current and former students and faculty of Sam Houston State University are not eligible.
• Family members and current or former students* of the final judge or TRP staff are not eligible.
• Current and former TRP authors are not eligible.
• Submitters must be 18+ years of age.
• Submissions are accepted through Submittable only.
• Winner will receive a $10,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 10 copies of the published book.

*Writers who studied with the final judge or TRP staff for a semester-length period are not eligible. Writers who studied with the final judge or TRP staff for two-week residencies, single workshops, or other instances less than a semester in length are eligible, provided the work submitted is previously unseen by TRP staff or the final judge.


Manuscript Guidelines
 

• Manuscripts must be between 50 and 100 pages in length.
• Please include a table of contents (if applicable), title page, and page numbers.
• Do not include an acknowledgments page.
• No more than one poem per page. (Multi-page poems are welcome.)
• Submissions are anonymous. Please remove any identifying information from the manuscript. 
• Submit as a .pdf, .docx, or .doc file format.
• No revisions will be accepted once the manuscript is uploaded.

TRP's X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center

Vermont Studio Center (VSC) and TRP: The University Press of SHSU (TRP) are pleased to announce a partnership to offer the TRP’s X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center. This fellowship offers a three-week residency, in the summer, to a recipient of the X. J. Kennedy Prize and includes a private studio space, a private room in shared lodging, access to the Visiting Artists & Writers Program, and all meals. The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize Fellow at VSC will join an inclusive international community of artists and writers located in northern Vermont.

This contest honors award-winning poet X. J. Kennedy.

The George Garrett Fiction Prize

Winner Receives: $2,000 Advance + Publication

2025 Judge: TBD

General Guidelines

• Submissions are open July 1 - September 30.
• Submissions are accepted through Submittable only.
• A fee of $28 must be paid at the time of submission.
• Open to anyone writing in English. Translations are not eligible.
• Stories or excerpts may have been published individually in magazines or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished.
• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. Please notify TRP immediately by withdrawing the manuscript via Submittable if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
• Current and former students and faculty of Sam Houston State University are not eligible.
• Family and current or former students* of the final judge or TRP staff are not eligible.
• Current and former TRP authors are not eligible.
• Submitters must be 18+ years of age.
• Winner receives a $2,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 10 copies of the published book.

*Writers who studied with TRP staff or the final judge for a semester-length period are not eligible. Writers who studied with TRP staff or the final judge for two-week residencies, single workshops, or other instances less than a semester in length are eligible, provided the work submitted is previously unseen by TRP staff or the final judge.

Manuscript Guidelines

• Manuscripts may be novels or short story collections with a total word count of between 40,000 and 80,000 words.
• Please include a table of contents (if applicable), title page, and page numbers.
• Please double-space and use a 12pt. font.
• Do not include an acknowledgments page.
• Submissions are anonymous. Please remove any identifying information from the manuscript.
• Submit as a .pdf, .docx, or .doc file format.
• No revisions will be accepted once the manuscript is uploaded.

This contest honors award-winning author George Garrett (1929-2008).