Entry information for Patricia Dobler Poetry Award

Open to women writers aged 40 and over who are United States citizens or permanent residents, currently living in the United States, who have not published a full-length book of poetry (chapbooks and self-published poetry books of any length excluded).

Submission information

Submission deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Submission email: dobleraward@carlow.edu
Submission fee: $20 for each 2-poem entry
Judge: Jenny Johnson

Prize

One prize in the form of $1000; round-trip travel, lodging, and a public reading at Carlow University in Pittsburgh in Spring 2026 with judge Jenny Johnson, and publication of the winning poem in Voices from the Attic. Prize valued at $2,000.

Eligibility

Open to women writers aged 40 and over who are United States citizens or permanent residents, currently living in the United States, who have not published a full-length book of poetry (chapbooks and self-published poetry books of any length excluded).

You are not eligible to submit your work if any of these apply: 

Submit

• Poems: 2 unpublished poems of any style per entry. You may submit multiple 2-poem entries. Each poem must be 75 lines or fewer, not counting stanza breaks. All entries will be anonymously judged, so your name, address, etc., should not appear on your poems. Simultaneous submissions accepted.

• Cover Sheet: A cover sheet with your name, address, phone number, email, poem titles, and a 1-paragraph bio. You do not need to include your birthdate.

• Format: Put your poems and your cover sheet into one Microsoft Word or PDF document and title it: Last Name 2025 Dobler Award (e.g., Jones 2025 Dobler Award). We accept only Microsoft Word or PDF formats (doc, docx, pdf). We will not accept poems submitted in the body of an email.
o Typewritten or handwritten entries can be accepted if necessary; please contact us if you need to do this so we can send you our mailing address.

Submission fee: $20 for each 2-poem entry. If you are not able to afford the submission fee, please contact us.

Poem Eligibility

Poems that have appeared in a self-published book of poetry of any length are eligible for submission. 

Poems are considered not eligible for submission if they have:

Copyright

The copyright reverts to the writer. The winning poem is considered a publication and thus could not be sent out to other literary magazines/anthologies; however, it could be included in a book of poems, with credit given in the acknowledgments to Voices from the Attic and Carlow University Press for first publication.

Deadline

All entries must be emailed to dobleraward@carlow.edu by Friday, October 31, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Payment

Our editorial team will review your submission to confirm its eligibility. Once they have done so, they will email you a link to pay your $20 submission fee online by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express). If you wish to pay by check, please note this in your submission email, and we will contact you to arrange payment.

Notification

The winner will be notified by phone or email by Friday, January 9, 2026. All other entrants will receive an email after this date, listing the winner and finalists. The results and winning poem will be posted on the Carlow University website (www.carlow.edu). All entrants will receive a copy of Voices from the Attic. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I am a past Dobler Award entrant. Can I reapply?
Answer: Yes. This includes finalists and honorable mentions.

Question: Is an editor of an anthology of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction eligible to submit?
Answer: Yes.

Question: Is a translator of a full-length collection of poetry by another author/s eligible to submit? 
Answer: Yes.

Question: I live on a Native reservation, in a United States district or territory, or on a U.S. military base. Am I eligible to submit?
Answer: Yes, as long as you have a permanent U.S. residence address.

Question: I live outside of the United States for part of the year. Am I eligible to submit?
Answer: Yes, as long as you have a permanent U.S. residence address.

Question: May I submit work on behalf of someone else?
Answer: Only with the writers’ express consent.

Question: May I submit work by a writer who is deceased?
Answer: No