Best 221 Poetry Writing Contests in 2023

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Showing 221 contests

Southword Editor’s Poetry Award

Munster Literature Centre

Each entrant for their €20 entry fee will receive a complementary postage-free, one-year subscription to Southword. Poems will be read and judged anonymously. The winning poet will have their three poems published in Southword.

Top prize

€1,000

Additional prizes

Published in Southword

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $22

Deadline: September 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition

Munster Literature Center

The competition is open to new, emerging and established poets from any country. One of these winners will be the highest scoring manuscript entered by a poet with no solo collection (full-length or chapbook) previously published. Up to 25 other entrants will be publicly listed as "highly commended".

Top prize

€1,000

Additional prizes

Chapbook publication with 50 free copies, 2nd prize €500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $27

Deadline: August 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Stephen Spender Prize for Poetry in Translation

Stephen Spender Trust

The leading annual competition for poetry in translation. Submit an English translation of a published poem from any language (max. 60 lines), together with a commentary of no more than 300 words. Open to adults aged 19+ from all over the world. Newcomers to poetry translation welcome!

Top prize

£1000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $13

Deadline: July 14, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Oxford Poetry Prize 2023

Oxford Poetry Magazine

Oxford Poetry hosts the annual Oxford Poetry Prize, awarded for a single poem in the English language. The guest judge for 2023 is Will Harris.

Top prize

£1000

Additional prizes

2nd: £200 | 3rd: £100

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $13

Deadline: August 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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All In The Mind

SaveAs Writers

SaveAs Writers invite entries of poetry and prose for their annual competition. 2023 celebrates the centenary of the publication of Freud’s The Ego and the Id. We hope that the theme of ‘all in the mind’ inspires you to write about the role of the unconscious in our daily experience and our culture. How do hidden forces motivate human beings in our spiritual, emotional, and mental lives?

Top prize

£200 for both Poetry & Prose

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50 for both Poetry & Prose

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $4

Deadline: September 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Poetry

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National Youth Foundation "I Matter" Contest

National Youth Foundation

Founded by Black women with a vision for change, the mission of the National Youth Foundation is to promote diversity, inclusion and gender equality through innovative literary programs. The “I Matter” poetry contest was launched by a 14-year old student who took action to educate the world about why Black Lives Matter. The contest calls upon students across the country to submit poems on this important topic.

Top prize

$500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: July 23, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Children's, Poetry

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Narrative Prize

Narrative Magazine

The Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative. The submission system is open all year.

Top prize

$4,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $27

Deadline: June 15, 2024

Genres

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story

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Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award

Tufts Poetry Awards

Kate Tufts – widow of Kingsley Tufts, and creator of the award – had said she wanted to create a prize “that would enable a poet to work on his or her craft for awhile without paying bills.” The legacy created with the Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Awards will continue to inspire countless generations of poets and lovers of poetry.

Top prize

$100,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Kate Tufts Discovery Award

Claremont Graduate University

The Kate Tufts Discovery Award was created in 1994, a year after the inception of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. It is presented to a first book by a poet of genuine promise. The Kate Tufts Discovery Award offers a hefty prize of $10,000. The work submitted must be a first book of poetry published between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Manuscripts, CDs, and chapbooks are not accepted.

Top prize

$10,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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SFPA Poetry Contest

Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA)

The annual SFPA Speculative (Dwarf/Short/Long) Poetry Contest is open to all poets, including non-members of the SFPA. Awards will be given across 3 categories.

Top prize

$150

Additional prizes

2nd: $75 | 3rd: $25 | Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $3

Deadline: August 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry, Fiction

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The X.J. Kennedy Poetry Prize

Texas Review Press

Established in 1998, The X. J. Kennedy Prize highlights one full-length collection of poetry per year. Since 2019 the Prize comes with a $10,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book.

Top prize

$10,000 advance

Additional prizes

Royalty contract with TRP, publication, 20 author copies

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $28

Deadline: September 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award

Red Hen Press

Established in 1998, in honor of the poet Benjamin Saltman (1927–1999), this award is for a previously unpublished original collection of poetry. The awarded collection is selected through an annual competition that is open to all poets.

Top prize

$3,000

Additional prizes

Book publication by Red Hen Press, a four-week PLAYA residency

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: October 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Edwin Markham Prize for Poetry

Reed Magazine

The Edwin Markham Prize honors outstanding works of poetry. Our taste is eclectic and celebrates the wonderful diversity of forms, styles, and levels of diction available to the contemporary poet. Writers may submit up to five (5) poems per submission.

Top prize

$1,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: November 01, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Songwriting Competition

Write the World

Songs can tell stories, evoke emotion, even deliver lessons. Dear writers, what issue is most pressing to your generation? In an original song, channel this urgency into music, to be sung and celebrated—a rallying call for listeners near and far. This month, write your own song of change. We’ll select a winner for best lyrics and best performance.

Top prize

Best Lyrics: $100

Additional prizes

Best Performance: $100, Best Peer Review: $50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 20, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Poetry

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Hastings Book Festival Writing Competition - POETRY

Hastings Book Festival

Entries for the poetry section of the 2023 Hastings Book Festival Writing Competition are now open. Submissions can be on any subject and should be no more than 40 lines long long.

Top prize

£250

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: July 14, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize

The Heartland Review Press

Submit 1-3 poems of any form or style for $10 in a Word document through Submittable (link on website). No pdfs. Include a cover letter in the same file. The cover letter should be the first page in the file and contain mailing address, email, and 30-40 word bio. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but poems placed elsewhere will not be included in contest. Finalists (there's usually about 20) who provide a United States Postal Address will receive a free copy of the Spring 2024 issue of The Heartland Review wherein winners and finalists will be published. All entrants, regardless of publication, can receive a discount on the publication cost.

Top prize

$750

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: November 15, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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TWFest Poetry Contest

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

Submit a collection of 2-4 original, unpublished poems of any style or theme, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry with an ISBN. Those who have published books in other genres besides poetry remain eligible.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

VIP Festival pass ($600 value)

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: October 15, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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THE MONO POETRY PRIZE 2023

MONO

We are excited to introduce the 2023 MONO. Poetry Prize judged by Instagram poet and influencer, Blake Auden. This year we are offering the highest prize fund to date, and one of the largest prizes for a single poem in the UK. We're looking for your short-form poetry - send us your Haikus, Sonnets, Tankas, Acrostics, Limericks and any other short-form poem up to 14 lines. The theme is 'BEAT' - which is open to wide interpretation. Please be as creative as you wish. You can enter up to five poems at a cost of £6 per poem (just adjust the quantity at checkout if necessary). There will be a number of sponsored entries for those in financial difficulty. Please email for info, they will be offered on a first come basis and no proof will be required.

Top prize

£650

Additional prizes

2nd: £200 | 3rd: £100

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $8

Deadline: August 01, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Rigel 2023

Sunspot Literary Journal

Sunspot Lit seeks one short story, CNF, artwork, poem, graphic novel, script, or excerpt that outshines the rest. Literary and genre works accepted. Feedback available for additional fee. See guidelines for details. Enter through Sunspot’s Submittable or through Duotrope.

Top prize

$500

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: May 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, Short Story

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The Paul Cave Prize for Literature

Tim Saunders Publications

The Paul Cave Prize for Literature, established in 2023 by Tim Saunders Publications, is in memory of Paul Astley Cave-Browne-Cave (1917 to 2010), a hugely inspirational magazine and book publisher. What we are looking for All forms of poetry: haiku, free verse, sonnet, acrostic, villanelle, ballad, limerick, ode, elegy, flash fiction, short stories and novellas. Work must be new and unpublished. International submissions welcome.

Top prize

£100

Additional prizes

Best Short Story: £50 | Best Flash Fiction: £25 | Best Poem: £25

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: September 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

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Quill and Keyboard Teen International Writing Competition

Quills and Keyboard

We are made of students hosting a contest for teen & YA authors. There are 15 categories, from journalism to a section for novelists’ favorite chapters. Qualified judges will send feedback on each piece. We partnered with many writing organizations such as Teen Author Boot Camp and Newpages and recognized by non-profits such as Polyphony Lit.

Top prize

Publication in Under the Madness and Skipping Stones

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: May 20, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

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The Poetry.com Contest

Poetry.com

Poetry.com offers monthly contests for poets worldwide to gain motivation, inspiration and exposure, while building passion and enjoyment for the written creative process! How are winners chosen? Our contest boasts a clever twist: poems remain anonymous whilst applicants vote on what they believe should be the winning entry.

Top prize

$500

Additional prizes

2nd place: 300 USD | 3rd place: 200 USD | Runner up personalized Poetry.com mug

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: December 31, 2023

Genres

Poetry

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The Bedford Competition

Short stories, any theme up to 3000 words. Poems up to 40 lines. Judges: short story Tim Jarvis, poetry Kirsten Norrie/MacGillvray.

Top prize

£1500

Additional prizes

2nd: £300 | 3rd: £200

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $9

Deadline: October 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry, Short Story

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Weekly Writing Competition

the archipelago

the archipelago is looking for great works of fiction, poetry, and personal essay. Eligibility: One piece per entry. One entry per person for each week (you can submit your writing for each round of competition repeating every week). The writing must be previously unpublished (including online). All entries must be in English. 700 - 1000 maximum word count for stories. 150 maximum lines for poetry. Submission Dates: April 10 - July 10

Top prize

$150 AUD

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 10, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story

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Reader Views Literary Awards

Reader Views

The Reader Views Literary Awards program helps level the playing field for self-published authors, recognizing the most creative and exciting new books in the industry. Our awards program is recognized industry-wide as one of the top literary awards programs for independent authors.

Top prize

$2,500

Additional prizes

Several marketing prizes (e.g. book review)

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $89

Deadline: December 31, 2023

Genres

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

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Yeats Poetry Prize

WB Yeats Society of NY

The Yeats Poetry Prize is open to anyone worldwide. Unpublished poems in English, up to 60 lines on any subject, may be entered at Yeats.Submittable.com from November 1st. Postal entries are also welcome. Fees: $15 USD for first poem, $12 USD for each additional one. This is a blind competition.

Top prize

1000

Additional prizes

2nd: $500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: January 02, 2024

Genres

Poetry

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Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year 2023

CANTERBURY FESTIVAL

All poems entered are registered, numbered and then judged totally anonymously. From the entries received around 35 poems will be chosen for the long list and these are published in an anthology; copies will be available from the Festival Office. From these a shortlist of around 15 poems is then selected, any of which may be the winning poem. The winners will be announced on National Poetry Day, Thursday 5 October 2023, during our on-line Awards Evening.

Top prize

£200

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $6

Deadline: June 02, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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2023 John Estey Student Writing Competition

American Writers Museum

"Give me a song of hope and a world where I can sing it.” – Pauli Murray, Dark Testament Pauli Murray (1910-1985) was difficult to define. They were a poet, a lawyer, a priest, a freight hopper, Eleanor Roosevelt’s friend, arrested for refusing to comply with bus segregation laws, a closeted member of the LBGTQ+ community, a professor, and so much more. Their work has influenced Supreme Court decisions, the Civil Rights movement, and countless individual people. This prompt is a quote from Murray’s collection of poems titled Dark Testament. It can be used as a first line, a last line, a jumping-off point, an inspiration for your students’ work. They can use the entire quote or portions of it to write a fiction or nonfiction story, poem, song, scene, short monologue or other form of writing. Submissions should be 1,000 words or less regardless of format.

Top prize

3x Elementary Grade winners: $500 | 3x Middle School winners: $1,000 | 3x High School winners: $2,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 05, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing

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The Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology

Auroras & Blossoms

Auroras & Blossoms is turning four this year. So, we want to celebrate in style. And what better way to do that than doing it with poetry? Welcome to the Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology!

Top prize

1% royalties per published piece ($)

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: May 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Blurred Genres Flash Contest

Invisible City

Theme: Levity. The world around us continues to move, spin and bring chaos. Levity helps ground us, keep us sane. What does “levity” mean to you? How has it made an impact in your life? We would love to read how you interpret “levity,” through prose or poetry, or some combination of the two. All genres and themes are welcome.

Top prize

$750

Additional prizes

2nd: $350 | 3rd: $100 | Publication for top 5

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: April 07, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Flash Fiction, Poetry

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Snowbound Chap Book Award

Tupelo Press

Submit a previously unpublished, chapbook-length poetry manuscript with a table of contents. Manuscripts are judged anonymously and all finalists will be considered for publication. The Snowbound Chapbook Award includes a cash award of $1,000 in addition to publication by Tupelo Press, 25 copies of the winning title, a book launch, and national distribution with energetic publicity and promotion.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication by Tupelo Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: March 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize

University of Pittsburgh Press

The award is open to any poet writing in English who has not had a full-length book of poetry published previously. We define “full-length book” as a volume of 48 or more pages published in an edition of 500 or more copies. Books whose publication costs have been borne by their authors are excluded from this definition.

Top prize

$5,000

Additional prizes

Publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: April 30, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize

The Georgia Review

The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize is an award for a single poem, to be published in The Georgia Review. The winner will receive an honorarium of $1,500 and an expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia, to give a public reading with the judge. We are pleased to announce that Hanif Abdurraqib will serve as the final judge for the 2023 Loraine Williams Poetry Prize.

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

Expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $30

Deadline: May 15, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

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Emerging Writer's Contest

Ploughshares

In the spirit of the journal 's founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. Authors are considered "emerging" if they haven 't published or self-published a book.

Top prize

3x $2000

Additional prizes

Publication in Ploughshares

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $24

Deadline: May 15, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story

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Flying South Contest

Winston-Salem Writers

Winning submissions in each of the three categories (Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry) will be awarded prizes of $400 for First Place, $200 for Second Place, and $100 for a total of $2,100 in prizes. All finalists will be accepted for publication and will receive one copy of the current issue of Flying South.

Top prize

3x $400

Additional prizes

3x 2nd: $200 | 3x 3rd: $100 | Publication in Flying South 2023

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: May 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

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