Editor Interview: The Backwaters Prize in Poetry Go to the listing List all editor interviews Edit answers (editors only) Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.Poetry booksEmily Casillas, Managing Editor on 23 February 2022What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?Louisiana Literature, The Minnesota Review, Portland Review, Plainsongs, North American Review, Arkansas Press, Red Hen Press, SFA PressJames Cihlar, Editor on 23 February 2022If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?Adrian C. Louis, Cynthia Cruz, Twyla Hansen, Greg Kuzma, Erin Belieu, Li Young Lee,James Cihlar, Editor on 23 February 2022What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?Founded in 1997, the Backwaters Press has published award-winning books by some of America’s finest writers. The University of Nebraska Press acquired the Backwaters Press in 2018, with its impressive backlist in poetry and prose that contributes to the cultural landscape of our state and region. As a general interest imprint of UNP, the Backwaters Press continues to plant it roots firmly in the Great Plains, delighting readers with literature of enduring value and consequence. Nebraska is proud to announce that titles under the Backwaters Press imprint will be available as ebooks as well.The Backwaters Prize in Poetry, an international poetry book competition, was initiated in 1998 and continues under the auspices of UNP. Contest winners are chosen by distinguished American poets; past judges include Hayden Carruth (winner of the National Book Award and the National Book Circle Critics Award), Philip Levine (National Book Award winner and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize), and Ted Kooser (Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize winner).Emily Casillas, Managing Editor on 23 February 2022What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?Our contest runs annually from April 1 to May 1. We consider full poetry manuscripts only, not individual poems, not prose. Check our website for more information.Emily Casillas, Managing Editor on 23 February 2022Describe the ideal submission.We look for manuscripts that feature original voices and fresh perspectives, with a sense of completeness and inevitability in structure and the order of poems as presented, which demonstrate technical proficiency, and that engage with the larger conversation of contemporary poetry and poetics.James Cihlar, Editor on 23 February 2022What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?Submitters to our contest should remember that the judging is blind, and therefore their names should not appear within the manuscript or in the file name.Michael Catherwood, Editor on 23 February 2022How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?Do not include an acknowledgements page or list of previously published works. The author may add this material if the manuscript is chosen for publication.Emily Casillas, Managing Editor on 23 February 2022If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?We read everything. Our submissions are thoroughly vetted.James Cihlar, Editor on 23 February 2022What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?All manuscripts are read by a preliminary judge. Finalists are read by a second preliminary judge, and those that make the final round are read and chosen by a head judge. These individuals change annually for each contest.Emily Casillas, Managing Editor on 23 February 2022How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?Authors approve final edits.Michael Catherwood, Editor on 23 February 2022 Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only