Four Tips for Entering a Poetry Contest

Power Poetry reports:

"There are lots of great reasons to enter poetry contests. A contest gives you a goal and deadline, so it may motivate you to finish a poem and make it the best it can be...If you win, the organization may publish your work and make it available to a wide audience (bonus: instant fame!). Plus, you could win prizes that are worth up to thousands of dollars...Find the right poetry contest for you. Poets & Writers is a magazine for writers. If you go to the magazine’s website, click on 'tools for writers' and then 'contests,' [where] you’ll find a searchable database containing thousands of magazines and journals that hold poetry contests...Quick tip: The contests that charge entry fees tend to award larger prizes but you’re likely to face greater competition...Read the contest guidelines. Sure, it’s tempting to skip reading the fine print—snooze alert!—but it’s important to learn how to enter a poetry contest so you don’t get disqualified...Pay attention to the details so you can find a contest that suits your style of poetry. The guidelines may ask for a certain form of poetry (i.e. haiku, sonnet, free verse) or they may ask for poems about a particular topic (i.e. nature, people, school)...Once you know what kind of poem contest organizers are looking for, write up a first draft well before the deadline—you’ll want to leave some time for revisions. Ask a mentor whose opinion you value (such as a friend, sibling, neighbor, teacher, or parent) to read your poem and offer feedback. Ask the person what he or she thought the poem was about to see if it matches your intention. Then ask if he or she can think of ways to make the poem even stronger...No matter what happens, entering poetry contests can only make you a better writer...Remember, there will always be more contests. It’s probably going to take some time to write critically acclaimed poems, so don’t get discouraged [if you don't win]. If you’re patient and keep working on your craft, you’re bound to eventually wow readers and win prizes from poetry contests!"