Submission Instructions

• SpecPoVerse accepts poems with or without known formalism and also experimental forms. An illustrated poem in which the illustration was created by the poet is also acceptable; this must be submitted as a .pdf file with the embedded illustration.
• Poems created by AI are not acceptable.
• To submit your poem, fill out this form by clicking the "SUBMIT" button below. You will be asked to provide contact information and to upload your poem. You may upload 1 file with 1 poem, including an illustrated poem. You may submit up to 3 poems per submission period. Because we review all poems author blind, please make sure that your poem(s) has(have) no information identifying the poet; these will be automatically rejected.
• Your poem must be submitted in .doc, .docx. or .pdf file format. Once a poem is accepted, the poet may later send an audio or video file of their spoken or sign language-interpreted poem, which will be made available on the Readings page from YouTube or Vimeo.
• Maximum length: 100 lines or 499 words for a prose poem
• Rights: SpecPoVerse acquires first publication rights only, so please do not submit poems that have already been published elsewhere. Poets retain their copyright on all works after first publication on the specpoverse.org website. By submitting content to SpecPoVerse, you agree that, should the content be accepted, you grant SpecPoVerse a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right and license to digitally archive and display the content (aka Digital Archive Rights). In the case that we later desire to include your content in any other format (e.g. print, anthology, etc.), those rights will be separately negotiated at that time. 
• Simultaneous Submissions: If your poem is a simultaneous submission, please notify us as soon as possible if it has been accepted by another publication. 
• Response Time: You will receive a response from the editor within 2 weeks before the publication date at the latest. If you don't hear from us by then, please contact us via the contact form on the Home page.
• Once your poem is accepted, the editor will contact you and request permission to publish your work. Once that is obtained, the editor will request your PayPal address to send payment. You will receive a proof of your poem for your approval, and after approval is obtained, your US $5 payment per accepted poem will be sent to your PayPal address. 
• SpecPoVerse issues appear online on April 30 (issue 1), August 31 (issue 2), and December 31 (issue 3).  There is no printed version.

Submission periods are:

• February 1 to March 31 (issue 1)
• May 1 to June 30 (issue 2)
• September 1 to October 31 (issue 3)