$28.00

The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize

Prize: $10,000

2023 Judge: Richard Blanco


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  • Poems may have been published individually in magazines or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished.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, title page, and page numbers.
  • Do not include an acknowledgments page.
  • No more than one poem per 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 poet X. J. Kennedy.

$28.00

The George Garrett Fiction Prize

Prize: $1,000

2023 Judge: Manuel Muñoz


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 $1,000 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 100,000 words.
  • Please include a table of contents, 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).




TRP: The University Press of SHSU