OUR BOOKS! Steel Toe has published books since 2003! See our full catalog HERE! We've published 34 books and counting!

Please send us your edgy and risk-taking, diverse and dynamic work! All subject matter welcome, inclusive of historically marginalized voices.

2025 Poetry Prize, and 2025 Prize Deadline September 1! $500 Awards and Publication!

Alongside our prizes we host quarterly full-length book reading periods in each genre, and a chapbook category which includes an honorarium and copies. We publish 1-2 chapbooks per year. Books selected from our general open category receive a regular royalties-based contract, copies, and significant marketing for the title. We submit all titles to awards and reviews. Editors in house read general open submission titles blind and look for personal and emotional connections to the work.

Our full-length book submission period for poetry and prose until Deadline March 31 for the 1st Quarter (Winter), the 2nd Quarter (Spring) Deadline June 30, 3rd Quarter (Summer) Deadline TBA, and 4th Quarter (Autumn) Deadline TBA will be announced in succession. 

2025 PRIZES

We're pleased to announce the Steel Toe Books 2025 Prize in Poetry deadline is September 1, 2025! The 2025 Prize in Prose is also open!

​All books submitted to the awards are considered for general publication and are published as print and eBooks. In addition to the winner, we look to publish 1-2 other titles in each category. 

Awards Deadline September 1, 2025 All submissions are read blind and adhere to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.

2025 Full Length

Alongside our prizes we host quarterly full-length book reading periods in each genre, and a chapbook category which includes an honorarium and copies. We publish 1-2 chapbooks per year. Books selected from our general open category receive a regular royalties-based contract, copies, and significant marketing for the title. We submit all titles to awards and reviews. Editors in house read general open submission titles blind and look for personal and emotional connections to the work.

Our full-length book submission period for poetry and prose until Deadline March 31 for the 1st Quarter (Winter), the 2nd Quarter (Spring) Deadline June 30, 3rd Quarter (Summer) Deadline TBA, and 4th Quarter (Autumn) Deadline TBA will be announced in succession.
 

NOTES

Please see individual entry categories for guidelines. All submissions are read blind and adhere to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.

Multiple submissions are accepted, but please inform us promptly of a withdrawal. 

All submissions should be polished, final drafts.

Please see individual categories for deadlines.

Multiple submissions are accepted, but please inform us promptly of a withdrawal. 

A Note on Re-Submissions / Edits: Please take care to dot your i's and cross your t's. We cannot entertain most requests for edits once submitted. Folks are allowed to re-submit to the open or prizes, but it's typically best to allow some time to pass before resubmitting and or to have worked on the piece in a substantial way. It's best not to re-submit to the open in the same year.

*Please use direct messaging via social media for instructions on how to apply for a fee waiver if you are suffering hardship of any type.