The Barbara Stevens Poetry Manuscript Book Competition is administered by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, an organization with a long-standing commitment to supporting poets at the state and national levels. This annual contest seeks full-length poetry manuscripts, offering publication as the principal reward. The competition is open to all poets writing in English, with the exception of previous Stevens Competition winners. The judge for the 2026 cycle will be announced; entrants are advised that friends, colleagues, and students of the judge should postpone their submissions to a future year. The manuscript must consist of original work by a single author and may include previously published poems, provided the collection is not a compilation of entire previously published chapbooks. The competition requires a title page, table of contents, and 48 to 80 pages of poetry, counting section title pages but excluding front matter. Notes on poems, if any, are included in the page count. The manuscript must be single-spaced and free of any author identification, including bio notes, acknowledgments, or blurbs. The winner will be required to provide an acknowledgments page before publication. Content that is hate-mongering or abusive toward any social, racial, ethnic, religious, or gender group is prohibited, as is gratuitous use of obscene or profane language. The entry fee is $25. The competition does not specify a cash prize; the primary benefit is book publication. The deadline is October 16, 2026. This opportunity is suited to poets who have assembled a cohesive manuscript and are seeking a first or subsequent book publication through a respected national poetry society.