The Colorado Prize for Poetry is an international poetry book manuscript contest established in 1995. Each year’s prizewinner receives a $2,500 honorarium and publication of his or her book by the Center for Literary Publishing.

The competition is open to anyone, except Colorado State University students, alumni, and employees. Entrants must be at least 18 years old.

Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages but no more than 100 pages. They may be composed of any number of poems. The theme and style are both open.

Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished.

There is a $28 online entry fee, which includes a one-year subscription to Colorado Review.

The winner receives a $2,500 honorarium and publication of his or her book by the Center for Literary Publishing.

We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives.