Updated September, 2025: They either didn’t open to submissions to the poetry prize on the 15th as planned, or they forgot to indicate that they hit submission caps almost immediately.
Blair is a nonprofit press combining the lists of Carolina Wren Press and John F. Blair, Publisher. To learn more about the history of both presses which merged in 2018, go here.
Based in the South, with roots in North Carolina, they strive to publish quality writing with a focus on authors and subjects historically neglected by mainstream publishers. This includes women, people of color, authors with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ authors. They take their inspiration from the many voices of southern US, and beyond. They publish poetry, literary fiction, and nonfiction. To get a good feel for what they publish, go here.
They only accept nonfiction directly from authors (as well as agents). Submissions of nonfiction proposals must be submitted via email. You can learn more here.
To submit unsolicited fiction, memoir, or poetry, you must do so through their contests.
To learn more about Blair, go here.
Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2020 Guide to Manuscript Publishers.
She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish. You can follow her on Facebook here.
