| Competition Advice |
Here are a few handy hints to help you to achieve maximum success with
your entries in poetry competitions.
DON'T use
a pen name.
DO include your
full first name.
DON’T add
explanations of what each poem is about.
DO put your full
address on the back of every poem including COUNTY, POSTCODE, your LANDLINE and MOBILE phone numbers and EMAIL address.
DON’T add
personal details, press cuttings, books, pamphlets or your
age unless requested.
DO send a loose stamp,
especially if you ask for a reply.
DON’T enter
competitions which could gain you fame and public exposure if you
don’t want to be famous.
DO always specify
the name of the competition you are entering. The organisers may
have two running at the same time.
DON'T use
coloured paper or illustrations.
DO always use black
or blue ink.
DON'T laminate your
poems or send them in plastic or card folders.
DO (if you want to
make sure your entry has arrived) add a self-addressed postcard
(with a stamp on it) which the organisers will send back as soon
as your entry arrives. This is accepted practice.
DON’T use oversized
or very small sheets.
DO try to get your
poems typed and spellchecked.
DON’T tape
up your envelope so much that it is difficult to open. Your poems
may get damaged.
DO always use A4
white paper.
DON’T submit
poems in unusual layouts unless the organisers have said they accept
them. If unsure, phone them to check.
DO always put your
home address, not your work address.
DON’T enter
poems written by a friend or relative.
DO give a
title to every poem, even if it is only "Untitled".
DON’T enter
more than once unless the organisers allow it. If unsure, phone
them to check.
DO wait at least
six months before contacting the organisers. Many big competitions
take this long to judge.
DON'T write in if
you can't wait.
DO phone instead.
You'll get personal attention and - probably - an immediate answer
to your question.