Submissions for 2025-2026 are now open!
Prairie Margins accepts works of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and art from any undergraduate writer across the country. Specific guidelines for each genre can be found below. We're excited to review your work!
In the cover letter, please include the name of your university, status as an undergraduate student, year, and contact information including a permanent address and a reliable email. Any questions can be sent to prairie@bgsu.edu. While we accept simultaneous submissions, please note this in your cover letter.
Please note that we can only accept previously unpublished work, only from undergraduate students
Prairie Margins invites flash prose submissions on the theme: "prairie? margins? prairie margins?"
Deadline: October 1.
- Submissions may be up to 1000 words total. You may submit one flash of 1000 words, or two of 500 words, etc.
- Please remove identifying information from your submission. Contact information will be collected in your form and contest entries will be read without this information.
- Submissions must be previously unpublished, and not contracted for publication. This includes web and social media posting.
- The winner will be featured on our social media and published in the upcoming issue of Prairie Margins. All submissions regardless of contest placing will be considered for publication.*
- This contest is open to all undergraduate writers, excepting those on the Prairie Margins staff.
- Prairie Margins follows the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics. Learn more on their website: https://www.clmp.org/clmp-contest-code-of-ethics/
*Prairie Margins will make a good faith effort to select a winner, but reserves the right not to select a winner, depending on the number and quality of entries.
Prairie Margins invites poetry submissions on the theme: "prairie? margins? prairie margins?"
Deadline: October 1.
- Submissions may include up to 3 poems or 6 pages total.
- Please remove identifying information from your submission. Contact information will be collected in your form and contest entries will be read without this information.
- Submissions must be previously unpublished, and not contracted for publication. This includes web and social media posting.
- The winner will be featured on our social media and published in the upcoming issue of Prairie Margins. All submissions regardless of contest placing will be considered for publication.*
- This contest is open to all undergraduate writers, excepting those on the Prairie Margins staff.
- Prairie Margins follows the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics. Learn more on their website: https://www.clmp.org/clmp-contest-code-of-ethics/
*Prairie Margins will make a good faith effort to select a winner, but reserves the right not to select a winner, depending on the number and quality of entries.
We consider works of 6,000 words or fewer that show an in-depth knowledge of craft, as well as works that may tread more experimental ground.
In the cover letter please include the name of your university, status as an undergraduate student, year, and contact information including address and email.
Example Cover Letter:
Dear Prairie Margins Staff,
Thank you for considering my poems "In the Dark," "One Day I Will," and "Sometime this Year" for publication in Prairie Margins.
I am a junior at Ball State University, studying Chemistry.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Joe Smith
1234 First Street
Muncie, IN 47305
joesmith@gmail.com
Please submit a maximum of 8 visual art pieces as a TIFF file with a minimum resolution of 300 ppi.
In the cover letter please include the name of your university, status as an undergraduate student, year, and contact information including address and email.
Example Cover Letter:
Dear Prairie Margins Staff,
Thank you for considering my poems "In the Dark," "One Day I Will," and "Sometime this Year" for publication in Prairie Margins.
I am a junior at Ball State University, studying Chemistry.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Joe Smith
1234 First Street
Muncie, IN 47305
joesmith@gmail.com
In the cover letter please include the name of your university, status as an undergraduate student, year, and contact information including address and email.
Example Cover Letter:
Dear Prairie Margins Staff,
Thank you for considering my poems "In the Dark," "One Day I Will," and "Sometime this Year" for publication in Prairie Margins.
I am a junior at Ball State University, studying Chemistry.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Joe Smith
1234 First Street
Muncie, IN 47305
joesmith@gmail.com
In the cover letter please include the name of your university, status as an undergraduate student, year, and contact information including address and email.
Example Cover Letter:
Dear Prairie Margins Staff,
Thank you for considering my poems "In the Dark," "One Day I Will," and "Sometime this Year" for publication in Prairie Margins.
I am a junior at Ball State University, studying Chemistry.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Joe Smith
1234 First Street
Muncie, IN 47305
joesmith@gmail.com