Thank you for sharing your work with CutBank! Visual art should be uploaded as JPEG or TIFF files of at least 300 dpi. CutBank welcomes submissions of all types of visual art for publication in our upcoming print editions. Painters, encausticists, draughtspeople, sculptors, printmakers, photographers, collagists, ceramicists, illustrators, comics-creators, metalsmiths, and Calderesque mobile constructors are welcome to submit. Conceptual and installation artists can join the party as well, as long as there is a way to exhibit your art in our journal. If your work is 3D, we recommend uploading multiple images to feature rotational perspective. 

Please submit no more than five high-quality files and include an artist biography. Artist statements are appreciated but not required. If your piece is accepted, it may be used in the print edition or as cover art, for which we pay $250 per piece. We will contact you with updates regarding selection and where we would like to display your work. Thank you for submitting! 

 Submission Period
    January 1 - May 31, 2026

Award
    Print publication, $1,000 cash prize (winner) or $250 (two runners-up), and 25 contributor copies

Eligibility
    This competition is open to original English-language manuscripts in the genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. While previously published stand-alone pieces or excerpts may be included in a manuscript, the manuscript as a whole must be an unpublished work. Translations and previously self-published collections are ineligible. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please note that reading fees are non-refundable and you must withdraw the manuscript immediately via Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere. Please do not include cover artwork with your submission; black and white illustrations are acceptable so long as you’ve obtained the rights. The author must not have a close personal or professional relationship with any current or previous CutBank staff members, and may not be a current student, faculty member, or employee of the University of Montana.

Reading Fee
    Your $20 non-refundable reading fee helps cover the costs of printing, awards, postage, and distribution. Our chapbook readers are an all-volunteer staff of University of Montana creative writing graduate students.

What We’re Looking For
    Startling, compelling, and beautiful original work. We’re looking for a fresh, powerful manuscript. Maybe it will overtake us quietly; gracefully defy genres; satisfyingly subvert our expectations; punch us in the mouth page in and page out. We’re interested in both prose and poetry – and particularly work that straddles the lines between genres. Manuscripts should be cohesive and coherent; in other words, your manuscript should resonate and make sense as a book.

Guidelines for Electronic Submissions
    Submissions are accepted exclusively through Submittable. Entries must be received no later than midnight MST on May 31, 2024. Please submit 25 to 40 pages of typed poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid work in DOC/DOCX/RTF/PDF format. For poetry, please include no more than one piece per page. Images are acceptable, but only in black and white; you must obtain reprint rights for any included images. Include page numbers, table of contents, and, if applicable, an acknowledgments page addressing where sections have been previous published. Submissions should include two cover pages as the first two pages of the document: one with the manuscript’s title, the other with the title, author’s name, address, and e-mail address. The author’s name should not appear anywhere else in the manuscript. Results will be announced via e-mail and posted at www.cutbankonline.com in September 2026.

The Long and Short of It
    The CutBank Chapbook Contest honors a book of original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid work by a single author. Translations are not eligible for this award. The winning author receives a $1,000 honorarium plus 25 copies of their published book. Two runners-up receive $250, publication, and 25 copies of their published book. The winners will be announced by CutBank, and the winning books will be featured and available for sale on the CutBank website. The contest will be judged by the CutBank editorial staff. Entries must be submitted between January 1 and May 31, 2026. Winners will be contacted and announced in September 2026.
  All entries must be made through our submission manager. Manuscripts should be 25-40 pages in length of poetry (a cohesive poetry manuscript), fiction (either a short fiction collection or novella), creative nonfiction (one long essay or a short collection of essays), or hybrid work. Please indicate in the acknowledgements if any sections of the manuscript have been previously published, and where; the manuscript as a whole must be an unpublished work. Manuscript revisions are not permitted during the contest. Multiple entries are fine as long as each is accompanied by a submission fee. The author must not have a close personal or professional relationship with any current or previous CutBank staff members, and may not be a current student, faculty member, or employee of the University of Montana.

The CLMP Code of Ethics
    CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. We believe that intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree to 1) conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; 2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines -- defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and 3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.

    It is truly an honor to read your work. We wish you the best of luck!

Submission Period
  January 1 - May 31, 2026    
Award
  Print publication, $1,000 cash prize (winner) or $250 (two runners-up), and 25 contributor copies    
Eligibility
  This competition is open to original English-language manuscripts in the genres of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and hybrid work. While previously published stand-alone pieces or excerpts may be included in a manuscript, the manuscript as a whole must be an unpublished work. Translations and previously self-published collections are ineligible. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please note that reading fees are non-refundable and you must withdraw the manuscript immediately via Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere. Please do not include cover artwork with your submission; black and white illustrations are acceptable so long as you’ve obtained the rights. The author must not have a close personal or professional relationship with any current or previous CutBank staff members, and may not be a current student, faculty member, or employee of the University of Montana.    
Reading Fee
  Your $20 non-refundable reading fee helps cover the costs of printing, awards, postage, and distribution. Our chapbook readers are an all-volunteer staff of University of Montana creative writing graduate students.    
What We’re Looking For
  Startling, compelling, and beautiful original work. We’re looking for a fresh, powerful manuscript. Maybe it will overtake us quietly; gracefully defy genres; satisfyingly subvert our expectations; punch us in the mouth page in and page out. We’re interested in both prose and poetry – and particularly work that straddles the lines between genres. Manuscripts should be cohesive and coherent; in other words, your manuscript should resonate and make sense as a book.    
Guidelines for Electronic Submissions
  Submissions are accepted exclusively through Submittable. Entries must be received no later than midnight MST on May 31, 2026. Please submit 25 to 40 pages of typed poetry or prose in either DOC/DOCX/RTF/PDF format. Images are acceptable, but only in black and white; you must obtain reprint rights for any included images. Include page numbers, table of contents, and, if applicable, an acknowledgments page addressing where sections have been previous published. Submissions should include two cover pages as the first two pages of the document: one with the manuscript’s title, the other with the title, author’s name, address, and e-mail address. The author’s name should not appear anywhere else in the manuscript. Results will be announced via e-mail and posted at www.cutbankonline.com in September 2026.    
The Long and Short of It
  The CutBank Chapbook Contest honors a book of original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid work by a single author. Translations are not eligible for this award. The winning author receives a $1,000 honorarium plus 25 copies of their published book. Two runners-up receive $250, publication, and 25 copies of their published book. The winners will be announced by CutBank, and the winning books will be featured and available for sale on the CutBank website. The contest will be judged by the CutBank editorial staff. Entries must be submitted between January 1 and May 31, 2026. Winners will be contacted and announced in September 2026.
  All entries must be made through our submission manager. Manuscripts should be 25-40 pages in length of poetry (a cohesive poetry manuscript), fiction (either a short fiction collection or novella), creative nonfiction (one long essay or a short collection of essays), or hybrid work. Please indicate in the acknowledgements if any sections of the manuscript have been previously published, and where; the manuscript as a whole must be an unpublished work. Manuscript revisions are not permitted during the contest. Multiple entries are fine as long as each is accompanied by a submission fee. The author must not have a close personal or professional relationship with any current or previous CutBank staff members, and may not be a current student, faculty member, or employee of the University of Montana.    
The CLMP Code of Ethics
  CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. We believe that intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree to 1) conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; 2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines -- defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and 3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.    
  It is truly an honor to read your work. We wish you the best of luck!

Open December 1 through February 1, the Montana Prize in Fiction seeks to highlight work that showcases an authentic voice, a boldness of form, and a rejection of functional fixedness. The winner will be featured in CutBank 105 and receive $500. All pieces will be considered for print publication. 

Renée Branum, author of the novel Defenestrate (Bloomsbury), will judge the finalists and choose the winner for the 2025-26 contest. We look forward to reading your work! CONTEST GUIDELINES:         Submissions are accepted December 1 through February 1. Submissions are accepted through our online submission manager only. The $20 contest entry fee covers the reading of a single submission in a single genre. Please send only a single work of no greater than 35 pages.         Please DO NOT include any biographical information in your manuscript, but do include a short cover letter in the space provided that mentions your address, phone number, and email address, as well as the title of your work.         Author names will be removed from the pool of submissions that goes before our contest judges. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your submission via Submittable immediately should it be accepted elsewhere. We are unable to offer refunds.         Entrants will be notified of their submission status no later than April 1, 2026. One winner in each genre, as chosen by our guest judges, will receive a $500 award and publication in CutBank 105, our summer/fall 2026 issue. All rights to selected manuscripts revert to the author upon publication. The author grants their permission to have their work electronically archived as part of CutBank 105 in EBSCO International's subscription-based research database. Current University of Montana students and faculty and former CutBank staff are not eligible for the awards.

Open December 1 through February 1, the Montana Prize in Creative Nonfiction seeks to highlight work that showcases an authentic voice, a boldness of form, and a rejection of functional fixedness. The winner will be featured in CutBank 105 and receive $500. All pieces will be considered for print publication. 

Danielle Zaccagnino, author of Suppose Muscle, Suppose Night, Suppose This In August, will review the finalists and choose the winner for the 2025-26 contest. We look forward to reading your work!

CONTEST GUIDELINES: Submissions are accepted December 1 through February 1. Submissions are accepted through our online submission manager only. The $20 contest entry fee covers the reading of a single submission in a single genre. Please send only a single work of no greater than 35 pages.     Please DO NOT include any biographical information in your manuscript, but do include a short cover letter in the space provided that mentions your address, phone number, and email address, as well as the title of your work.     Author names will be removed from the pool of submissions that goes before our contest judge. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your submission via Submittable immediately should it be accepted elsewhere. We are unable to offer refunds. Entrants will be notified of their submission status no later than April 1, 2026. One winner in each genre, as chosen by our guest judges, will receive a $500 award and publication in CutBank 105, our summer/fall 2026 issue.       All rights to selected manuscripts revert to the author upon publication. The author grants their permission to have their work electronically archived as part of CutBank 103 in EBSCO International's subscription-based research database. Current University of Montana students and faculty and former CutBank staff are not eligible for the awards.

Open December 1 through February 1, the Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry seeks to highlight work that showcases an authentic voice, a boldness of form, and a rejection of functional fixedness. The winner will be featured in CutBank 105 and receive $500. All pieces will be considered for print publication. 

Ruth Awad, author of the poetry collections Set to Music a Wildfire and Outside the Joy, will judge the finalists and select the winner of the 2025-26 contest. We look forward to reading your work!

CONTEST GUIDELINES: Submissions are accepted December 1 through February 1. Submissions are accepted through our online submission manager only. The $20 contest entry fee covers the reading of a single submission in a single genre. Please send only a single work of no greater than five poems or 35 pages.        Please DO NOT include any biographical information in your manuscript, but do include a short cover letter in the space provided that mentions your address, phone number, and email address, as well as the title of your work.        Author names will be removed from the pool of submissions that goes before our contest judge. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your submission via Submittable immediately should it be accepted elsewhere. We are unable to offer refunds.          Entrants will be notified of their submission status no later than April 1, 2026. One winner in each genre, as chosen by our guest judges, will receive a $500 award and publication in CutBank 105, our summer/fall 2026 issue. All rights to selected manuscripts revert to the author upon publication. The author grants their permission to have their work electronically archived as part of CutBank 105 in EBSCO International's subscription-based research database. Current University of Montana students and faculty and former CutBank staff are not eligible for the awards.

It's that time of year again! The CutBank editors can't wait to read your fiction submissions for this year, but please be sure to read the guidelines posted below before you submit. 

Fiction submissions should be double spaced. DO NOT include any contact info in the document. Fiction submissions should be no longer than 8,500 words.

Please only submit unpublished, original work. Include a cover letter with a brief biography and contact info, including name, address, phone number and email address. We're always happy to accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you withdraw your work immediately if it is accepted elsewhere. 

We appreciate the opportunity to read your work; however, please do not submit again until you hear back from us. Response time is typically 3 to 6 months. Thank you for submitting!

It's that time of year again! The CutBank editors can't wait to read your creative nonfiction submissions for this year, but please be sure to read the guidelines posted below before you submit. 

Nonfiction submissions should be double-spaced. DO NOT include contact info in the document. Submissions should be no longer than 8,500 words, unpublished, and original.

Please include a cover letter with a brief biography and contact info, including name, address, phone number, and email address. We're always happy to accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you withdraw your work immediately if it is accepted elsewhere. 

We appreciate the opportunity to read your work; however, please do not submit again until you hear back from us. Response time is typically 3 to 6 months. Thank you for submitting!

It's that time of year again! The CutBank editors can't wait to read your poetry submissions for this year, but please be sure to read the guidelines posted below before you submit. 

Poetry submissions may include up to five poems. All poems should be uploaded as one file, with page breaks between poems. DO NOT include any contact information in the document.

Please only submit unpublished, original work. Please include a cover letter with a brief biography and contact info, including name, address, phone number, and email address. We're always happy to accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you withdraw your work immediately if it is accepted elsewhere. To withdraw your entire submission, use Submittable. To withdraw part of your submission, email us at editor.cutbank[at]gmail[dot]com and let us know via message on Submittable.

We appreciate the opportunity to read your work; however, please do not submit again until you hear back from us. Response time is typically 3 to 6 months. Thank you for submitting!