OPEN TO POEMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
We are pleased to announce that our annual Open Poetry Competition is now open for your entries. It is being judged this year by Rishi Dastidar, a well-known poet and editor whose most recent collection Saffron Jack is published by Nine Arches Press.
The deadline for entries is 31st January, 2021.
As in previous years, we offer seven prizes:
1st Prize: £1000
2nd Prize: £300
3rd Prize: £100
4th Prize: 4 x £50
Entry fee: £5 per poem; 3 or more poems, £4 each.
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Email Entry
Email entries should be sent to kentandsussexpoetry@gmail.com after paying your entry fee using the Paypal buttons below. Please write COMPETITION ENTRY as the subject header.
Please attach all poems in a single Word file, with each poem starting on a new page. Pages should be formatted A4. All poems are judged anonymously and should not bear your name, nor any other form of identification. In the body of your email please include:
- Your name and address
- A list of poems submitted
- Where you heard about the competition
- Your Paypal transaction reference number.
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Postal Entry
Each poem must be printed on a separate sheet of A4 paper. All poems are judged anonymously and should not bear your name, nor any other form of identification. On a separate sheet of A4 paper, please give:
- Your name and address
- A list of poems submitted
- Where you heard about the competition
Entries should be sent with the fee by normal post (NOT registered post) to:
The Competition Organiser, 58 Glebe Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 9BD, UK.
For a receipt, please supply an email address, or enclosed a stamped addressed envelope/postcard marked Confirmation of Receipt.
Any number of poems may be submitted on payment of £5 per poem, or for three or more poems, £4 each. Cheques or postal orders should be made payable to Kent & Sussex Poetry Society. No foreign currency accepted. Pounds Sterling or Sterling Drafts are accepted.
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Closing Date: 31st January, 2021
All entries will be read by the judge.
- The competition is open to anyone aged 16 and over
- Poems must be in English, unpublished, not accepted for publication, and must be your own original work
- Poems may be on any subject in any form or style. They must be typed and be no more than 40 lines
- Winners will be notified by email or post. No person will be awarded more than one prize. The prize-winning poems will be published in the Society’s annual Poetry Folio in September 2021
- Winners will be asked to read their poems at a Zoom event on 20th April, and will be informed before then. The full list of winners will be announced on our website, on or shortly after that day. Rishi Dastidar, the judge, will also read from his own work at that same event.
- Poems cannot be returned to the contestants. The decision of the judge will be final, and there can be no correspondence concerning the result.
- The competition closes at midnight (GMT) on 31 January, 2021. Email entries should not be sent after that time. We will accept postal entries received by Friday 5th February, provided they are post-marked no later than 31 Jan.
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Pay here if you are entering UP TO TWO Poems, at £5 each
Pay £5 each here for UP TO TWO poems
£5.00
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Pay here for THREE OR MORE poems, at £4 each
Pay £4 each here if you are entering THREE OR MORE poems
£4.00
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Hello,
I read your guidelines but cannot see anything mentioned about the copyright of submitted poems to the open poetry contest.
I’ve got a few poems that I intend to publish by the year-end so it really matters for me whether I retain the copyright over the poems I submit.
I understand that the Kent and Sussex Poetry Society could publish my poems in their folios and that is alright with me.
Please advise,
Hopeful
Thanks for asking. All copyright remains with the poets.
Is the title included in the 40 lines or does the line count begin on the first line of the poem?
Neither title, nor blanks lines (between stanzas) are included in the 40 lines max. length
Hi – are there rules on the use of profanities in a submitted poem?
No rules.
Hi
I would like to enter this competition but had a query on the entry guidelines. I have a poem which i have online in my blog and also on a poetry website. Is it ok to enter these poems please?
Sorry, in common with most other competitions and magazines, we regard self-publishing as publishing. So they would not be eligible.
Hi,
I’m 17, is it okay for me to enter my poem?
Minimum age is 16. So you can certainly enter Christian.
My poems are on nature
The sun stirred like the empty cloaked dorm A silent eagle held in my hands the bird was clapping in celebration of a new world.
Mornings sun rouse like old life. Opening in front of me bleeding raw sore towering like a hot volcano erupting like a spot pussy with molten hot liquid mornings sun rouse through the dark red lens of life pouring blood through new raw veins pulling the old away through the sun’s womb.
Hi,
If the poem has been published in an online journal, will it be eligible to enter the contest?
Sorry, we regard that as already published.
Hello,
Are there any guidelines regarding self publishing after submission to the competition? I am hoping to self publish my book of poems in mid March, but would love to submit one of them for this competition. Would this be an issue?
Hi, the competition winners are announced on 20th April so we’d prefer that entries remain unpublished until then please, out of fairness to all entrants.
Hi I have one question what is the age limit I’m 11
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I wrote a poem the other night about Dover where I lived until I was taken into care. Im not very good as I left school at 11 and had to teach myself how to read and write but poetry has helped me learn over the years and I only entered to get some feed back as Iv never shown anyone any of my poems before and I have written loads.
Its probably atrocious compared to the standard that other people are writing poetry at, but its worth entering to learn and have fun.
All poetry is worth writing, and all poets should feel free to enter the competition. Our judge has no preconception of what the winning poems should look like, or say…. Good luck!
Hi Fay, the first positive step is that you are prepared to have a go at writing poetry. Some of the finest poets and artists in history had backgrounds that were dreadful but inside they had the belief and determination to overcome any obstacles in their way to produce some great works. The more poetry you write the better you become. I have written only one poem myself but I have re-written the same poem about thirty times. I have been trying to refine my poem so that it will at least be competitive in a poetry competition.
Kind regards
George
Hi, if it was posted to a personal Instagram page to share with friends, does this count as “published”?
OK if it was just shared with friends and not accessible publicly to others.
When it says unpublished does this include social media posts?
Hi Jacky. Yes, we use the normal interpretation: unpublished on social media, blogs, websites, as well as by formal publishers. Cheers.
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When will the results be announced?
Hi. We announce them formally on 20th April, but will inform the winners during the week or two prior to that.
Hi team, I’m also wondering if it’s open to non residents please? I live in Melbourne, Australia.
Many thanks 😊
absolutely. last year’s winner lives in Brisbane
Is this competition open to people living in London?
It’s open to people everywhere
Hi Team, I live in Australia … is this competition open to non-UK residents please?
yes, absolutely,. The winner last year is in Brisbane
We don’t have the capacity to publish books. Sorry
how can I submit a book to you
We don’t have the capacity to publish books. Sorry