We publish two issues of Passager Journal each year, as well as a number of books of poetry, short stories, and memoir. There are three ways to publish with Passager:
Poetry Contest
Submission period: February 15 – April 15
Publication: August/September
Accepted genres: poetry only
Up to 5 poems, 40-line max ea.
$20 reading fee, includes 1-year subscription to Passager
$1000 prize. Honorable mentions will be published.
Not accepting submissions at this time.
Open Issue
Submission period: June 1- September 15
Publication: January/February
Accepted genres: poetry, memoir, short fiction
Up to 5 poems, 40-line max ea. OR 4,000 words of prose
No reading fee
Not accepting submissions at this time.
Submission Guidelines
Writers must be age 50 or older at the time of publication to submit.
We prefer hard copy submissions, but for your convenience, you may also submit online via Submittable. All paper entries may be mailed to:
Passager
7401 Park Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21208
Include a cover letter and brief bio.
Include your name and contact information on each page (even for the Poetry Contest, or when submitting online).
Checks for the Poetry Contest reading fee should be made out to “Passager.”
No previously published work will be considered.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere!
No email entries accepted.
Unfortunately, we are unable to return submitted work to you.
Work received outside of the submission period will not be considered.
We urge you to become familiar with Passager before submitting. Browse through some of our older issues, or order sample copies.
Have a question that wasn’t covered here? Please check our FAQs page.
Passager does not read unsolicited book manuscripts.
Passager only publishes manuscripts from authors whose work has appeared in Passager Journal. This allows us to build a relationship with our authors and their work. Please submit to the journal so we can get to know you!
for a writer age 70 or older
2019 Submission Guidelines
Extended Deadline! January 15th, 2020
Judge: David Keplinger
Prize: $3,000
Applicant must be a U.S. Resident.
Applicant must be a living poet, age 70 or older, who has neither published, nor committed to publish a book-length collection of poems (30 poems or more) with a registered ISBN, either in the United States or abroad.
What counts as an ELIGIBLE manuscript:
– If some of the poems have appeared in a chapbook, of 25 poems or less, it is eligible.
– If the poems have been printed by a vanity press and given to family and friends, it is eligible.
What counts as an INELIGIBLE manuscript:
– If a book has been for sale at any venue.
– If a book has been self-published and sold on the internet (Amazon, for ex. or an author’s website).
Manuscript must be of original poetry, in English, by one poet. There are no restrictions on the style of poetry or subject matter. No translations.
Individual poems may have been previously published in journals or on the web.
Only one manuscript may be submitted per applicant.
Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied poetry with the judge within the last three years.
Manuscript must be between 30 and 40 poems, typed single-spaced (unless the poems are meant to be presented using non-standard spacing). Multiple poems may not appear on a single page.
Manuscript must be paginated and contain a Table of Contents.
Online and hard copy submissions are accepted.
Online manuscripts must be .pdf files.
The entry fee is $25. Hard copy applicants should include a check with their manuscript, made out to Passager/Henry Morgenthau Prize.
To assure anonymity:
For hard copy submissions: Include two title pages, one with the manuscript title only, and one with the title, author’s name, address, phone and email. The manuscript itself should not contain any information that would reveal the identity of its author. An acknowledgements page may be included.
Please do not include: explanatory statements, autobiographical statements, photographs, illustrations, or artwork.
Hard copy applicants may include a self-addressed postcard with postage to verify the manuscript has been received.
For online submissions: Use Submittable. All contact information will be entered separately in the applicant’s Submittable account. Use the “Acknowledgements” field of the submission manager.
Online applicants may verify the receipt of their manuscript by logging into Submittable. Passager assumes no responsibility for manuscripts not received due to user error.
Applicants may submit manuscripts elsewhere simultaneously but must notify Passager immediately if a manuscript is accepted for publication by another publisher.
Passager cannot consider manuscript revisions during the course of the contest. The winning poet will have an opportunity to revise before publication.
All applicants will be notified of the award results by email by March 1, 2020.
Passager will publish the winning manuscript in a paperback edition within one year of the judge’s decision.
All correspondence concerning the contest should be addressed to Passager, 7401 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore, MD 21208. Or email: editors@passagerbooks.com
