A Quarter-Century of Championing Underserved Writers

Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, since 2003, the organization remains a rare example of a literary enterprise that prioritizes author advocacy over profit. Founders Jendi Reiter and Adam Cohen, both Harvard alumni, built the platform to counter the exploitative practices often found in the industry. Their approach is marked by hands-on customer service, including a toll-free support line and a policy of issuing refunds for entry issues, which contrasts with the opaque nature of many vanity-focused literary contests.

The scale of their operation is significant, drawing thousands of entries across four major competitions, including the North Street Book Prize and the Tom Howard/John H. Reid awards. With a total prize pool reaching over $50,000 for 2027, the contests offer tangible support to poets and writers who often operate outside mainstream publishing channels. Beyond the cash awards, the organization maintains a free monthly newsletter reaching 63,000 subscribers, providing resources that have earned the site repeated recognition as one of the best for writers by industry publications like Writer’s Digest.