Submissions for trade creative works under the Nebraska imprint (this does NOT include African Poetry Book, American Indian Lives, or the Outdoor Lives series) are accepted annually September 1 – June 1.

The Backwaters Prize in Poetry

The Backwaters Prize in Poetry submission period is April 1 – May 1.

The winner will be awarded a $2,000 cash prize and the honorable mention will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize. Both winners will be awarded the publication of their book by the University of Nebraska Press under its imprint, The Backwaters Press. The judge for the 2025 contest is Maggie Smith.

Zero Street Fiction

Submissions to the series are accepted annually November 1 – April 1.

Zero Street invites submissions of novels and short story collections, from LGBTQ+ authors new and established, that feature LGBTQ+ characters and/or themes. We are particularly interested in BIPOC authors, trans authors, and queer authors over 50. Zero Street is committed to literary fiction with commercial potential, and to providing marginalized authors opportunities for a wide readership in the trade fiction market. We are seeking literary fiction of all kinds, from stories of modern life to innovations on traditions of genre.