What the Arizona State Poetry Society Actually Is
The Arizona State Poetry Society is the main umbrella organization for poetry writing and appreciation in the state. It runs workshops, publishes an annual journal called Borderlands, and organizes annual competitions. It's affiliated with the National Association of Poets and Writers. That affiliation matters because it affects how members get judged and how submissions are routed. I've been dealing with their submission process for a few years now, and it's not as straightforward as you'd expect from a state-level organization.
Arizona State Poetry Society Membership and Competitions
Membership runs about $25 per year. You get the journal, entry into the annual contest, and access to regional workshops. The annual competition is the big draw. They accept poetry, flash fiction, and sometimes creative nonfiction in separate categories. Fees per entry run $5-10 depending on the category. Here's the thing nobody tells you: the judging rotates each year. One year you might get someone who prefers traditional forms, the next it could be a writer who only reads experimental work. I learned this the hard way. Submitted three sonnets one year and got back a polite rejection that basically said my work didn't fit their current aesthetic direction. Didn't mention that the judge that cycle was known for breaking form. Changed my approach the next year, submitted free verse, got a quarter-finalist mention. The journal Borderlands is peer-reviewed but the review process is slow. Expect 4-6 months between submission and notification. That's standard for most literary journals, but it catches people off guard because the ASPS website doesn't make that timeline obvious.
How to Submit Your Work
Submissions are handled through Submittable. You create an account, find the correct call, and upload your files. They want .doc or .docx format. No PDFs, no Google Docs links. I had a submission rejected outright once because I pasted a link and they said it violated their reading protocol. Can't blame them entirely — reading directly in a browser breaks track of formatting and makes it harder to annotate, but still. Use the right format. Your cover letter needs to go in a separate document from your poetry. Don't embed it at the top of your manuscript. They use blind review for the competition, so any identifying information in your files gets you disqualified automatically. I wasted one entry fee on this mistake. Made sure I had a clean cover letter file after that.
Get the Full Details
Workshops and Regional Chapters
There are regional chapters scattered around the state — Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and a couple smaller ones. Workshops tend to be monthly and either virtual or at community centers. The quality varies a lot by chapter. Phoenix gets the most consistent group. Tucson is hit or miss depending on who's facilitating. If you're serious about getting feedback, don't just show up to one workshop and expect growth. Commit to a chapter for at least six months. The first few sessions are usually people being polite to each other. The actual constructive critique starts showing up around month three when people figure out you're going to be around.
Common Pitfalls
Most people mess up one of three things when they first get involved with ASPS. They submit work they haven't revised enough. They ignore the theme guidelines when there is one. And they don't read the current issue of Borderlands before submitting, so they have no sense of what the journal is actually publishing. The theme thing is especially important for the annual contest. Some years they have a specific theme like "water" or "borders." If you ignore it, your submission goes into the general pile and your chances drop significantly. Not always a hard requirement, but definitely a practical one. Also, the society doesn't publish a newsletter anymore. They moved everything to Facebook and their website. If you're waiting for email updates, you're going to miss announcements. They post contest deadlines on their site about 90 days before the due date. If you're not checking regularly, you'll find out too late.
When ASPS Might Not Be Right for You
If you're writing in a style that feels alien to the Southwest — say, dense formalist work or very abstract language poetry — you might find the local scene isn't aligned with yours. The regional groups tend to favor accessible, imagery-driven work. That's not a value judgment. It's just the aesthetic of the region. If that's not your thing, look into national contests or online journals instead. The annual contest payout is small. Winner gets maybe $500. Finalists get publication. It's not a career-making opportunity. It's good for building a regional reputation and getting a credible publication in your portfolio, but don't treat it like the Pulitzer. If you want the official website and current contest details, search for Arizona State Poetry Society on the National Association of Poets and Writers member directory. That's the most reliable place to find their current contact information and submission windows.
