Call for Submissions Horror Writers Association Poetry Showcase IX

Call for submissions for Poetry Showcase Volume IX 

The HWA is proud to announce that it will call for submissions from its members for the Poetry Showcase Volume IX beginning April 1. Angela Yuriko Smith will be the editor for the volume. This year’s judges, along with Angela, will include Lee Murray and Maxwell I. Gold.  

Only HWA members (of any status) may submit. The reason for this can be found in the word “Showcase.” The HWA is very proud of the tradition of poetry in the horror genre and of the HWA’s support for poetry. This volume is designed to showcase the talents of HWA members which is why it is now limited to members. We will verify membership and if a non-member submits he or she must obtain some level of membership prior to the final cut for the volume to be considered. 

The rules for this year’s volume will be similar to previous years: 

1. No more than 35 lines. Each author or group of collaborators on a single poem may only submit one poem. Speculative and dark verse is welcome but it should have a “horror” slant. 

1. No fancy formatting, dual columns, lining of poems in the center of the page, poems that require strange configurations to look like an image and similar formatting. This may certainly be pretty but are very difficult to translate to a single page for publishing. Poems should be submitted in .rtf, .txt or Word formats. 

1. Any form – free verse, metered, rhyming, haiku, Tanka etc. – is acceptable. But, if you do use a more traditional form, please remember that poor writing, overly heavy reliance on cliché and imitation will significantly reduce any chances of acceptance. We need good poetry. For example. George (Lord Byron) Gordon already owns the phrase “She walks in beauty, like the night.” Evangeline Walton and many others have overused the phrase “She Walks in Darkness.” Stay away from these type of archetypal clichés. HWA members are good writers for a reason; they write well. Your poetry needs to be written well and you would want to be if published. 

1. English only, please.  

1. No previously published works or simultaneous submissions. 

1. Rights will revert on publication with the HWA retaining the right to use the poem in relation to promoting the volume. 

1. PAYMENT: The HWA will pay contributors a one-time fee of $10.00 (ten USD). Contributors will also receive a paperback copy of the volume. 

1. HWA will also provide accepted authors with an e-copy of the volume. 

Submissions will open April 1 to celebrate National Poetry Month. 

Submissions will close May 31 at 11:59PM Pacific. 

Our hope is to have a decision on the poems that are accepted, along with the top three poems of the Volume, before the end of June with publication slated for October 1. This is a great opportunity to help the HWA celebrate and promote the contribution of poetry to the genre. We look forward to reading your work. 

https://horrorwritersassociation.submittable.com/submit/d8c12f4e-15d0-40a5-b006-073f3ecb71af/2022-poetry-showcase-submissions