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Small Press

writerscenter.org

Slapering Hol Press (SHP)

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Independent publishing3 open opportunities listed

About the press

Slapering Hol Press (SHP) is the poetry imprint of the Hudson Valley Writers Center, founded in 1988 to publish emerging poets through its annual chapbook competition. The press takes its name from the Dutch term for the Sleepy Hollow region, grounding its identity in a specific literary landscape while maintaining a national scope. Its core mission is to provide a first book-level platform for poets who have not yet published a full-length collection, offering careful editorial attention and a commitment to the chapbook as a vital form. Over three decades, SHP has sustained a reputation for identifying poets of promise early in their careers, with a catalog that balances formal craft with emotional risk.

Publishing focus

Slapering Hol Press (SHP) advances the national and international conversation of poetry and poetics. The small press imprint of the Hudson Valley Writers Center is one of the oldest chapbook presses in the United States. Each year, SHP publishes a chapbook by a poet who has not previously published a poetry collection. Since 1991, SHP has published over fifty finely crafted poetry chapbooks by promising new poets; collaborations between new and established authors; books and chapbooks by poets from other countries who have not reached American audiences; and anthologies.

PoetryTranslationChapbookPoetry Collections

Selected authors
Elizabeth Alexander, Leila Chatti, Denise Duhamel, Toi Derricotte, Nick Makoha, Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Kim Addonizio, Weija Pan, Molly Peacock, Kimiko Hahn, and Dorianne Laux

Calls & opportunities

3 listed
OpenDeadline · 2027-03-01

Slapering Hol Press (SHP) — Submissions

View opportunity Official listing
OpenDeadline · 2027-03-01

Slapering Hol Press (SHP) — Submissions

View opportunity Official listing
OpenDeadline · 2027-03-01

Slapering Hol Press (SHP) — Submissions

View opportunity Official listing

Manuscript submissions

Reading periodMar 1 to Jun 15
Reading feeYes
Simultaneous submissionsYes
Unsolicited submissionsYes

SHP accepts submissions primarily through its annual chapbook competition, typically open in the fall with a reading fee. Poets should submit a cohesive manuscript of 20–30 pages, demonstrating a clear voice and structural awareness. The press favors work that is polished but not overworked, with a strong sense of line and image. Simultaneous submissions are generally accepted, but notify immediately if the manuscript is taken elsewhere. Include a brief bio and acknowledgments page; previous publication of individual poems is fine, but the chapbook as a whole should be unpublished. Response times can be several months, so plan accordingly. For current guidelines and deadlines, always check the Hudson Valley Writers Center website.

Every spring, Slapering Hol Press conducts an annual anonymously judged competition for the publication of a chapbook by a poet who has not previously published a poetry collection of any length. The winner receives $500 and ten copies of their chapbook. The press also hosts a reading for the winner with their mentor during the calendar year of the winning chapbook’s publication.

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Explore titles from the press’s catalogue.

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