Start A Riot! Poetry Chapbook Prize — Publication, $3000 Prize, $1000 for Tour/Promo

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In response to rapid gentrification and displacement of QTBIPOC+ literary artists in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in celebration of these communities’ revolutionary history, Foglifter Press and Still Here San Francisco joined forces to create a poetry chapbook prize for local emerging queer and trans Black writers, indigenous writers, and writers of color. Each year, one chapbook author is awarded publication, a $3,000 prize, and $1,000 to support their book tour/promotion. The winner will work with Foglifter’s team to shape and bring forth the first chapbook of their dreams—directly engaging with the editorial, design, production, and promotion processes—and cultivating skills, experience, and relationships that last long after publication.

In keeping with ethical practices, all manuscripts remain anonymous throughout the reading & judging process for SAR! judges.

Judges:

  • Kim Shuck
  • MJ O'Brien
  • Brandon Logans

Eligibility:

  • Submitter is a QTBIPOC+ literary artist
  • AND is a current resident of the larger San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Napa, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Solano, Marin, San Mateo, Sonoma counties)
  • AND does not have a previous full-length poetry book publication

Manuscript Details:

  • Poetry (Literally anything that falls under the verse genre—prose poetry, hybrid, etc. We want all your wild experiments!)
  • 25 pages max
  • Remove all identifying information, including acknowledgments. There should be one title page with the name of the chapbook only.
  • Microsoft Word doc preferred; PDF also accepted

Production Timeline & Important Dates:

  • Submissions: September 1 to December 1, 2026
  • Author Contact & Info Deadline: January 15, 2027
  • Copy-Edit Deadline: February 15, 2027
  • Author Copy-Edit Deadline: March 1, 2027
  • Cover Design Complete: March 15, 2027
  • Final Proof Deadline: April 1, 2027
  • Chapbook sent to printer: April 15, 2027
  • Chapbook Release: June 1, 2027
  • Event materials and information for ASL interpreter request: May 15, 2027
  • Chapbook Release Party: June 15, 2027 (estimated)
  • Publicity period: February 1, 2027–June 1, 2027
  • Folio for winner and runners up will be published in 12.1 print issue
We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.
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