Submissions

We are open to translations of poetry by living poets from any language, but we are especially eager to receive work from languages and countries of origin that are traditionally underrepresented in the literary landscape. We also encourage submissions from emerging BIPOC translators. 

• A one-page cover letter that describes the vision for the translation, the cultural and historical context of the original work, and how this work would contribute to Graywolf’s poetry list.
• Brief biographies of the poet and the translator(s), including previously published works. Note that we are looking for contemporary poetry by living poets and translators.
• A sample translation of 10-15 pages with the corresponding 10-15 pages of the poems in the original language. If you have a complete manuscript, please indicate so in your cover letter. Do not send a complete manuscript unless specifically requested.
• Details about the original publication(s) (including each publisher’s name and contact information and the year and country of each publication), along with evidence that authorization has been granted by the rights holder to the translator(s) for translation of the work into English and publication of the original text.

• We will only consider one project from each translator or translator team.
• Submissions outside this period will not be accepted, and submissions that are not translations of living poets will not be considered. 
• Please do not contact Graywolf’s staff directly. Graywolf’s editorial team will contact translators with further interest and information. 
• This is not a prize; Graywolf is not required to publish any submitted work.
• We hope to find innovative book-length works of poetry in translation, for which we will make an offer for publication, including an advance against standard royalties for the author and the translator. We expect that initial publication will be in 2026 or later.

Walt Whitman Award
The Walt Whitman Award is a $5,000 first book publication prize given to an American poet. In addition to publication and promotion by Graywolf Press, the winner receives an all-expenses-paid six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in Umbria, Italy, and a trip to New York City to attend the American Poets Prizes ceremony. The Academy of American Poets purchases copies of the winning book to distribute to thousands of its members. For more information please visit the Academy of American Poets website. 

Cave Canem Poetry Prize
Graywolf Press is one of the publishers of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, a first book award dedicated to the discovery of exceptional manuscripts by African American poets. Graywolf publishes every third winner of the prize. More information is available on the Cave Canem website.