We Subscribe to the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses Contest Code of Ethics
CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believe that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. We believe that intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree to 1) conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; 2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines — defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and 3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.
Tinderbox Poetry Journal Contest Selection Process
1st Round of Judging: Non-Blind
Read by editors with an accompanying panel of three readers. Finalists (12 submissions) will then be forwarded to the contest judges for the 2nd Round of Judging.
2nd Round of Judging: Blind Read by Contest Judge. Judges change on a yearly basis.
Conflicts of Interest: Anyone with affiliation with the final judge is ineligible to enter. Affiliation would include current and former students (brief workshops excluded), close friendships, and relatives. While we send the pieces to the judge anonymous, we hope the judge cannot recognize the submitters by the content.