Action, Spectacle's Prose & Poetry Chapbook Contest operates with a deliberate anonymity that distinguishes it from many contemporary competitions. The final judge—alternating annually between a male and a female poet—remains unnamed until the close of the competition, a structural choice that foregrounds the manuscript itself rather than the reputational pull of its adjudicator. The press seeks work that need not be thematically coherent or narratively linked; what matters is the integrity of the writing across the assembled pages. Translations are admissible, and co-authored manuscripts are welcomed, signaling an expansive rather than restrictive curatorial posture. The contest accepts 20–32 manuscript pages of poetry or prose, with the constraint that no more than one poem may appear per page. Individual pieces may have been published previously, provided the manuscript as a whole has not. This allowance acknowledges the working reality of most poets and writers, whose poems often first appear in journals before finding a book-length home. The requirement of a title page, table of contents, and acknowledgements page (where applicable) reflects a professional standard of assembly, while the prohibition on the author's name or contact information anywhere in the manuscript enforces the blind reading process. What the contest offers is concrete: $1,000, publication, and 25 author copies, described as beautifully printed. The submission fee is $25.00. The press discourages the use of Submittable's cover letter field, a small but telling instruction that reinforces the primacy of the manuscript over any accompanying self-presentation. The deadline is December 31st, 2026. For poets and writers working in the chapbook form—particularly those whose work engages with the experiences of women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, and queer communities—this contest represents a serious venue with a clear and unadorned contract between press and author.