FAQ
We know submitting can be a nerve-racking process, so we want to make it as easy as possible for you. Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about submitting with us. We hope you find these helpful and handy!
Q: How many times can I submit?
You may submit to us as many times as you wish, although we do suggest sending us your most polished work each time. Also, take note of our submission guidelines for contests for our poem and page limit requirements. While you are allowed to submit to a contest multiple times, you will have to pay the entry fee for each submission you create. In other words, if our guidelines state you can submit up to 3 poems per submission, and you wish to submit 6, you will have to create two submissions and pay the entry fee for each one. You do not have to pay the entry fee for each POEM, only each separate submission.
Q: Can I submit to multiple categories, i.e. New Voices and a contest, with the same poems?
Yes. We allow both multiple and simultaneous submissions. Just let us know if your work is accepted by another publication so we can remove it from our consideration. You may also submit the same poems to multiple contests at Frontier.
Q: Can I send you my work via email? Can I send submissions in the mail?
We do not accept submissions via email - please exclusively use Submittable to submit your work. If electronic submission is not possible for any reason, you may send your work via USPS with a US check or money order for any applicable entry fees to our mailing address at: 70 SW Century Drive Suite 100442 Bend, Oregon 97702
Q: Do you accept international submissions?
We absolutely accept international submissions.
Q: Are there any age restrictions?
Nope! We accept submissions from poets of any and every age to our contests and New Voices categories!
Q: Do you accept translations?
Yes, we do! As long as the translations are unpublished and you make clear that they are translated pieces in your cover letter.
Q: What is Submittable?
Submittable is the platform we use to collect, read, and accept work for our publication. An account is free to set up, and if you do not already have one, you may get one at www.submittable.com
Q: I lost my Submittable password / am having issues submitting / having my payment go through. Can you help?
The best thing to do for technical issues is contact Submittable directly, as they handle all the back end support for us regarding payments and passwords. Their email is: support@submittable.com
Q: I don’t see a line limit. My poem is seventeen pages long. Can I still submit?
Yes, you may still submit depending on our guidelines for the category. We do not have a line limit for poetry, but traditionally we see single poems totaling between 1-3 pages and our contests usually state no more than 5 pages per submission.
Q: How do I submit multiple poems in one file?
If the call for submission allows for multiple submissions, you will still only see one “Upload” button in Submittable, allowing for one file. Please place ALL POEMS IN ONE DOCUMENT and upload that single file. In other words, open a program such as Microsoft Word, add one poem, add a page break, add your second poem, add a page break, etc. This is how you submit multiple poems in one file.
Q: What am I supposed to title my submission if it contains four poems? Should I list all four titles or create a collective title, or just put “Submission 2017” or something like that?
If you are submitting multiple poems, you may title the submission something like “Four Poems for…” or "Frontier Submission." Or, you may give it a collective title, totally up to you. You do not need to try to squeeze all four poem titles into it unless you want to. If your poem is chosen, we will of course publish the poem as titled for that individual poem.
Q: Do you accept self-published works or works that have been posted on a Facebook or Instagram page? What about works that have a small publication?
Generally, we accept all self-published works and published works that have had a print circulation of LESS than 500 (500) copies. Work published only on social media / personal pages and sites like Amazon is also eligible.
Q: Your contest guidelines state "no more than two full-length published works forthcoming at the time of submission." Do published works in other genres count towards this guideline?
No. Only published poetry collections count towards this guideline. If you have published works of non-fiction or other genres, those will not be counted towards your publication history. We are talking about poetry only.
Q: I don’t have any money for the contest fee, can you waive it for me?
Unfortunately, we cannot waive contest and award fees except in special circumstances; however, our New Voices category is open year round, is always absolutely FREE to enter, and every author published is paid for their work.
Q: What are your guidelines about format, i.e Times New Roman, double-spaced, etc.?
We do not have guidelines related to font or spacing. We only ask that you be considerate of your reader and their experience of the work.
Q: What am I supposed to write in the cover letter?
A: Typically, cover letters give a bit of insight into your publication history (if any), your educational background, a short synopsis of your personal history, and the impetus for your passion for writing. Think of it as a brief author bio and what you would like posted on our site should your work be selected for publication. Don’t overthink it, we just want to know a little about you! NOTE: this is where you may include personal / identifying information. Please also use this space to include any content warnings about the piece that would help a reader keep themselves safe. An example:
Dear readers,
Thank you for taking the time to read my poetry! I'm excited to participate in this opportunity.
Content warning: the second poem contains scenes of domestic violence.
Best,
Josh
Bio: Joshua Roark is the editor and founder of the magazines Palette Poetry and Frontier Poetry. He received his MFA from Antioch University LA, and published his 2018 chapbook, Put One Hand Up, Lean Back, with Unsolicited Press.
Q: What do you mean by "no personal / identifying information" on my submission?
A: Our judges read all submissions "blind," so we do not want your name or any information about you on the actual file that you upload. We want to ensure all submissions are judged solely on content / craft, so we ask that you do not include this information on your uploaded document. It can be listed in your cover letter as mentioned above.
Q: My name is in the poem because it is autobiographical. Do I need to remove it because you say no identifying information?
A: You do not if it is part of the poem. We will assume it is just the author's artistic choice, not that it is actually the name of the author.
Q: I submitted my poems, but I need to make revisions. What do I do?
We fully understand that at times, revisions need to be made and errors corrected, even after submission. Please email us via Submittable in the event you need to make changes to your submission and we will open it for editing. You will be notified via email when your submission is open, and you will be allowed to make your changes and / or re-upload a new document if necessary. PLEASE NOTE: in order to make revisions to an attachment, you will need to remove / delete the attachment and re-upload a new file with your revisions. We cannot make edits to attachments in Submittable - this is to protect the integrity of your work.
Q: Can I get feedback on my work from one of your editors?
General submissions to New Voices or contests/awards do not receive personalized feedback; however, our Editorial Letter category is designed for just that: 1-2 pages of feedback on your work. Check our submissions page and / or submittable for Editorial Letter availability.
Q: Do I maintain ownership and first serial rights if my work is accepted for publication?
You do maintain ownership of your work when you submit to our platform, whether it is chosen or not for publication. If published, our platform retains first publication rights of the work for the first three months.
Q: I submitted to your New Voices, contest, or award awhile ago. When can I expect to hear back?
Regardless of acceptance or decline, you will hear back from us, we promise. For New Voices, you will hear back within 8-12 weeks from the day you submit. For contests and awards, the time frame is similar, but we frequently post information about exact announcement dates for the shortlist and winners online, via newsletter, and via our social media on Facebook and Twitter. Please check those at your convenience. You can also always review our previous winners here.
Q: Do my poems have to have a particular theme depending on the contest?
No. We are not looking for any specific themes or motifs. Please share your favorite pieces with us without reservation!
Q: Can I use curse words or questionable language in my submission?
A: You may use curse words in your poetry, but note that if it is chosen for publication and it contains extremely sensitive language, we may ask for some edits.
Still have questions? Email us at contact@frontierpoetry.com
