submissions are now open for Eavesdrop’s inaugural Poetry contest:
Queer Joy
Guest Judged by Brianna Ferguson
Brianna Ferguson is a writer and educator from the Okanagan Valley. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from UBC, where she also teaches creative writing. Her poems and stories have appeared in various publications across North America and the U.K. Her first book, A Nihilist Walks into a Bar, was published by Mansfield Press in 2021. Her collection Poor Substitute is forthcoming from Acid Bath Publishing.
What is Eavesdrop looking for?
We want to see everything that brings light into your life. Whether it’s a small gesture from a lover, friend, stranger, or family member that turned your day around or you were someone’s big gay hero during a boss fight, we want to hear about it. Take us on a journey that celebrates what it means to be unapologetically genuine. Guide us through what makes the rough patches smoother, what gives joy in a world designed to take without remorse. We are excited to experience your treasured memories.
Contest Details
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1-2 poems per entry.
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You can enter as many times as you like! The first entry is $12, and every additional entry is $5. Each entry allows 1-2 poems.
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This is an international contest with no age or experience cap. We also love reading work from past Eavesdrop artists :)
We prioritize submissions from BIPOC writers, writers with disabilities, LGBTQ2SIA+ writers, and writers from marginalized groups, but accept submissions from everyone.
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We are accepting all lengths! That said, if you are competing with Paradise Lost then please note we probably won’t be able to publish your epic masterpiece.
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No. Eavesdrop is a predominately digital publication, so we are accepting email submissions only. If you need any assistance with uploading your submission, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will support you as best as we can.
Prizes & Entry
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$250 CDN plus publication in Eavesdrop’s Summer 2024 Issue
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$75 CDN plus publication in Eavesdrop’s Summer 2024 Issue
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$50 CDN plus publication in Eavesdrop’s Summer 2024 Issue
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The first submission fee is $12 CDN, and each additional submission is $5 CDN. Each submission can consist of 1-2 poems.
To pay, you can e-transfer fees to eavesdroplitmagazine@gmail.com or follow the link below to pay online. If using e-transfer, please put your poem title in the message box so we can easily match your submission and payment!
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We are excited about this contest and want to let you know that all contest stories are eligible for publication offers!
The top three prizes receive publication in our next issue. Please read our Editorial Policy for more fine details.
Guidelines
We strive to make our submissions accessible and meet artists where they are. We accept poetry submissions in written form, but also in spoken word. Our goal is to transfer all of our written content into audio and all audio into written form so your work can reach every eye, limb, and ear.
Please keep audio/video time under ten minutes if possible. We are a small team and it will help us return responses much quicker.
We have been advised that Submittable is inaccessible to screen readers, so we have decided to host our submissions system entirely in-house. With in-house baking and a tight budget comes a bit of a submission shimmy. Please read the following submission instructions at least once, ideally twice, to ensure we receive your submission!
Eavesdrop accepts submissions via email. Please email us your piece at eavesdroplitmagazine@gmail.com with the subject line “(TITLE)” and “(CONTEST)” Submission. Alternatively, if you are more comfortable submitting audio through another platform such as YouTube or Vimeo, or on a personal website, please provide us access to a private link. As the judging for this contest is blind, please do not add your name to the actual body of your submission.
Upon submission, please also fill out the form to your right (below on mobile). To be considered, you MUST email your piece AND fill out the form AND submit your entry fee. To do that, you can e-transfer us at the same email, or you can follow the link to pay online.
Written poems should be single-spaced unless you are using unique formatting that requires additional space (if you’re unsure, email us at any time). All submissions should be set in a reasonably legible font (please, don’t make us return your piece because chalkduster font is edgy). Also, please send written submissions in DOC, DOCX, or PDF files (not .pages or other random files that we can’t open on any computer/leave comments easily, because that makes us sad).
Audio files should:
not have background music (unless there are sounds imperative to the performance/short play).
be submitted as a .wav file, as these are higher quality than a .mp3 file.
All submissions should be original and previously unpublished. We do not accept any work that has been partially or entirely written by Artificial Intelligence or pieces with computer-generated text or visuals.
Judging decisions are final. Brianna is cool as heck and she will love and care for your work just as much as we do <3
Lastly, please send us a short artist bio (located in the form) that you are comfortable sharing. If your piece is selected as a winner or for publication, we will use this to promote your work, and in the next issue of Eavesdrop.
Deadline to submit is May 7th 11:59 PM PST
If you have any questions or need assistance submitting, reach out to us at eavesdroplitmagazine@gmail.com and we will help you as best as we can :)
Please fill out the form below AND send us your submission via email AND submit the contest entry fee. Thank you, friends ❤️
Payment
E-Transfer entry fees to eavesdroplitmagazine@gmail.com and include the title of your piece in the message box.
Also, please send your payment around the same time as your submission so we can easily match it!