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Poems

The National Poetry Competition 2023

Information

Closing date: 
31 October 2023
Entry: 
Open to anyone 18 or over from all over the world to enter an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines. Entry fee £8 for first entry, £5 for unlimited subsequent entries
Prize: 
First Prize: £5,000, Second Prize £2,000 and Third Prize £1,000, Commendations £200

The National Poetry CompetitionAnnual poetry prize run by the UK-based Poetry Society established in 1978; accepts entries from all over the world; over 10,000 poems submitted each year

The 2023 National Poetry Competition is one of the world's most prestigious prizes for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines, open to anyone internationally who is 18 or over. It is judged anonymously and has been won by celebrated poets and by newcomers.

Ten Prizes  Read more

2023 Manchester Writing Competitions

Information

Closing date: 
1 September 2023
Entry: 
Open internationally to those aged 16 or over. Entry fee for both prizes £18
Prize: 
Two £10,000 prizes are awarded: the Manchester Poetry Prize for best portfolio of poems and the Manchester Fiction Prize for best short story

The Manchester Writing Competitions offer the UK's biggest literary awards for unpublished work, offered by the country's most successful writing school. The Competition was established in 2008 by Carol Ann Duffy (UK Poet Laureate 2009-19) and has awarded more than £220,000 to writers.  Read more

Ledbury Poetry Competition 2023

Information

Closing date: 
10 July 2023
Entry: 
All poets writing in English are eligible, no matter where they live. Entry fee £6 per poem
Prize: 
First prize £1,000 cash and a week's poetry course at Arvon, Second Prize £500 and Third prize £250

The Ledbury Poetry Competition has opened for entries, with a closing date of 10 July. All poets writing in English are eligible, no matter where they live.  Read more

Gingko Prize for Ecopoetry 2023

Information

Closing date: 
25 March 2023
Entry: 
Open to all poets from across the world over the age of 18. Entry fee: first submission £7 then £4 for each additional poem
Prize: 
First prize £5,000, second prize £2,000 and third prize £1,000

The Ginkgo Prize for Ecopoetry is a major international award for poems embracing ecological themes.

The first prize is £5,000, second prize is £2,000 and third prize is £1,000, with an additional £500 prize for the ‘Best Poem of Landscape' sponsored by the AONB family.  Read more

The Moth Poetry Prize 2022

Information

Closing date: 
31 December 2022
Entry: 
Open to all poets over 16 for an unpublished poem. Entry fee €15 per poem
Prize: 
1st prize €6,000, plus three runner-up prizes of €1,000 and eight commended poets will each receive €250

The Moth Poetry Prize is one of the biggest prizes in the world for a single unpublished poem. The prize is open to anyone, as long as the poem is previously unpublished, and each year it attracts thousands of entries from new and established poets from over 50 countries worldwide.The prize is for an unpublished poem, and entrants (over 16) are welcome from anywhere in the world.  Read more

The National Poetry Competition 2022

Information

Closing date: 
31 October 2022
Entry: 
Open to anyone 18 or over from all over the world to enter an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines. Entry fee £7 for first entry, £5 for unlimited subsequent entries
Prize: 
First Prize: £5,000, Second Prize £2,000 and Third Prize £1,000, Commendations £200

The National Poetry CompetitionAnnual poetry prize run by the UK-based Poetry Society established in 1978; accepts entries from all over the world; over 10,000 poems submitted each year

The 2022 National Poetry Competition is one of the world's most prestigious prizes for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines, open to anyone internationally who is 18 or over. It is judged anonymously and has been won by celebrated poets and by newcomers.

Ten Prizes  Read more

Carcanet open submissions window

Information

Closing date: 
20 January 2023
Entry: 
Poets with full-length poetry manuscripts in English, or translation No entry fee
Prize: 
Publication by Carcanet Press

Independent UK press Carcanet is launching an open submissions window to find new poetry talent.

Carcanet has revealed the dates of its next submission window, which will open on 2 January 2023 and close on 20 January 2023.  Read more

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2022

Information

Closing date: 
31 July 2022
Entry: 
Poets from anywhere in the world aged 11-17 years No entry fee
Prize: 
Top 15 winners get publication in the Foyle Young Poets 2022 Anthology

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is one of the biggest and most established prizes for young people aged 11 - 17 in the world. If you're an aspiring writer, enter your poems to the competition at foyleyoungpoets.org by 31 July 2022. It's totally free to enter and entrants can submit as many poems of any length as they like, on any theme.  Read more

The Bridport Prize 2022

Information

Closing date: 
30 September 2022
Entry: 
Eligibility please check on the individual category on their website for entry and fees for Poetry, Short Story, Novel, Memoir and Flash Fiction. Entry fees various, please check on their website
Prize: 
Various - please check on their website

The Bridport Prize has five sections: Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel Award and a new Memoir section.

Read the Rules carefully, as they have different prizes, rules, entry fees and closing dates.

The Memoir section closes on 30 September.

More details

 

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2022

Information

Closing date: 
31 August 2022
Entry: 
Open to all. Entry fee Poetry entries £12 | Short Fiction entries £18
Prize: 
£2,500 awarded to both the Poetry and Short Fiction winners and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology, which is awarded to 60 writers, shortlisted by the judging panel.

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is an international literary prize that is a hotbed for new talent in Poetry and Short Fiction. Now in its 16th year, the Prize supports both emerging and established writers. By entering, writers can showcase their work to key industry figures and organisations including The Poetry SocietyLively and well-presented UK site supporting poetry with 4,000 members internationally and some thoughtful content. www.poetrysociety.org.uk, Granta, VINTAGE and more.  Read more

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25 September 2023 - What's new

September 2023
  • ‘The way to tackle writer's block is to not believe it exists. If you run out of steam on something, switch to something else and come back later. Also, I don't get writers block because I am not writing - I am just typing, thinking, pushing into something to see what's there. I never sit down to produce a novel. I work a line or two, redraft endlessly, improvise.
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