To increase chances of winning poetry contests, writers should research and follow submission guidelines, avoid scams, and consider contests with various prizes and formats. They should also practice reading aloud and give themselves plenty of time to perfect their submissions.
Writers can increase their chances of winning or entering poetry contests by checking out a variety of contests, entering those with familiar formats, and following all submission guidelines. Since some writing contests are money-making or plagiarism scams, writers should research the host organization before entering a contest. Of course, giving yourself plenty of time to perfect your submission is also beneficial.
Entering poetry contests for money is a great way to get featured and earn some spending money. However, writers shouldn’t rule out contests that offer other types of prizes, such as writing courses and books, free seminar entries, and simple publications in online or print poetry magazines. Breaking into mainstream poetry publishing isn’t easy, and writers can increase their chances of winning and getting published by entering a variety of competitions.
Similar to other types of writing contests, some of the most common poetry contests are those that allow contestants to submit poems via email or snail mail. Others, however, focus on poetry readings or poetry slams, during which writers read their poems aloud. Writers should seek out poetry competitions seeking entries in the format they are most comfortable with. If the writer prefers to read poems aloud, he should practice in front of an audience before reading. When an audience is unavailable, the writer can record the performance and then listen to himself.
All poetry contests have submission guidelines, and any writer can increase their chances of keeping their poem in the running by making sure their entry meets all the requirements. Examples of common guidelines include sticking to a certain number of lines or pages and writing on a particular topic or avoiding certain topics. Other guidelines are more technical, including whether the poem can be published earlier, whether the poem judges accept e-mail attachments, and whether more than one poem is allowed. Contestants should also pay attention to where they should include their names, as some contests only allow names on the cover, front page, or within the body of an email. Of course, meeting the required application fee and deadline is also crucial.
While reading the submission guidelines, contestants should look for and be wary of poetry contests that ask for personally identifiable information other than your name, address, and phone number. For example, contests that require a Social Security number or require a physical address instead of allowing a PO Box should be avoided. There is absolutely no reason judges of poetry need that kind of information.
Many times, contestants will know the organization that hosts the poetry contests. These could be print or online poetry magazines, or poetry books or magazines. When a writer isn’t familiar with the organization, it’s important for him to research it. Unfortunately, many calls for submissions are scams designed to cash in on contestants’ entry fees, plagiarize their work, or simply publish anthologies of poetry containing each submission. Potential competitors can protect themselves from scams by considering how long the organization has been around, looking for reviews or testimonials from past competitors, and avoiding contests that encourage all competitors to purchase their poetry journals.
Once a writer chooses a contest that he is not only interested in but also trusts, he can start writing his poem. Each contestant should give themselves plenty of time to write, get feedback, and review their poetry contest submissions. This isn’t to say that it takes every poet weeks or months to write a winning poem. However, it is often helpful to work through a poem in stages to allow the creative process to foster and to be able to view the poem with fresh eyes. The more care a writer takes in writing a poem that adheres to the submission guidelines, the more he can increase his chances of performing well in the contest.
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