How to Enter Poetry Competitions

With thanks to Eric Goldsworthy, whose advice helped shape this guide.

Entering a poetry competition is a chance to bring your work to new readers. A good poem matters most, but careful preparation can prevent an otherwise strong entry from being rejected for a technical reason.

Read the rules before you enter

Every competition has its own requirements. Check the closing date, eligibility, entry fee, permitted number of poems, line or word limits, and whether previously published work is allowed. Read the rules again just before submitting. If an official entry form is required, use it.

Choose and prepare your poems

Send work you believe is ready, rather than something you are still revising. If several entries are permitted, you may wish to submit more than one poem, but quality matters more than quantity. Keep a copy of every version you send: competition entries are not normally returned, and submitted poems usually cannot be changed afterwards.

Present each poem clearly, with its title and line breaks exactly as you want them read. Use a legible typeface and avoid unnecessary decoration or illustrations. For electronic entries, check the required file format and naming convention. For postal entries, use clean, clearly printed pages and number them if the rules permit a poem to run over more than one page.

Protect anonymous judging

Many competitions are judged anonymously. If so, do not put your name, contact details or identifying information on the poem itself. Supply these only where the organisers request them, such as on a separate entry form or through the online submission system. Do not add a biography, explanation of the poem or list of achievements unless requested.

Check publication and simultaneous submission rules

Some competitions accept poems that have appeared elsewhere; others require unpublished work. Check how the organisers define publication, including appearances online or on social media. If you are entering the same poem in more than one competition, make sure simultaneous submissions are allowed and follow any requirement to withdraw the poem if it wins or is accepted elsewhere.

Pay and submit correctly

For online entries, use the official submission link, pay the stated fee and make sure you complete every step. Save the confirmation email or receipt. For postal entries, follow the payment instructions precisely and check whether a stamped addressed envelope is required for results or acknowledgement. Do not send cash unless the organisers expressly permit it. International entrants should check whether postal entries and payments from their country are accepted.

Keep a record

Record the competition name, poem titles, date submitted, fee paid and expected results date. This helps you avoid entering the same poem where the rules prohibit it and makes it easier to follow up on results. Keep your own copies of all poems and correspondence.

Leave time before the deadline

Check the time zone for online closing dates and whether postal deadlines mean the date of posting or the date the entry must arrive. Submit early enough to resolve upload problems, payment failures or postal delays. Last-minute entries carry unnecessary risks.

After submitting

Unless the competition specifically invites revisions, regard your entry as final. Allow the organisers time to process entries and announce results. Whether or not a poem wins, entering can be a useful part of your writing life, but a competition result is never the only measure of a poem's worth.

For current opportunities, see the Poetry Kit competition listings.