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My Novel

UK Poetry Competitions (currently (23)

Paul Cave Prize for Literature.  Here’s a repeat of the new contest from Tim Saunders Publications of Southampton.  It is for novellas running to no more than 10,000 words, short stories of up to 1,000 words, flash fiction up to 300 words and poems of no more than 30 lines.
    Closing: 30.11.24.
    Prizes: Novella - £150.  Short story - £75.  Flash Fiction - £35.  Poem - £35.  Winners will receive a free copy of the anthology.
    Entry Fees: Novella - £26 for one, £42 for two.  Short story - £13 for one, £20 for two.  Poem/Flash Fiction - up to 3 for £10, up to 8 for £20.
    Comp Page: Paul Cave Prize

Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition.  This annual contest from the Munster Literature Centre in Cork, Ireland, is for poems of up to 40 lines in English on any subject.
    Closing: 30.11.24.  Opens for entries 1.9.24.
    Prizes: 1st - 2,000 euros, featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival (with 4-night hotel stay and full board), plus publication in the Southword journal and featured in the Southword Poetry Podcast.  2nd - 500 euros and publication in Southword .  3rd - 250 euros and publication in Southword.  Runners-up (10) - 50 euros and publication in Southword
    Entry Fee: 7 euros each, 30 euros for five.
    Comp Page: Greg OD Poetry .

Cafe Writers Open Poetry Competition.  This annual contest from Cafe Writers of Norwich (where the Man in the Moon was keen to go, according to a report I read as a child) is for poems of up to 40 lines.
    Closing: 30.11.24.
    Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200.  Runners-up (5) - £50.  Norfolk Prize (for a permanent Norfolk resident) - £100.
    Entry Fee: £5 each, £13 for three, £4 each thereafter.
    Comp Page: Cafe Poetry .

Edward Thomas Poetry Competition 2025.  The Edward Thomas Fellowship is running another of its annual poetry contests.  As usual, entries are limited to 40 lines, and there is no set theme.  Prize-winning poet Jane Draycott will be judging.
    Closing : 3.12.24 (extended from 3.11.24).
    Prizes: £250, £100, £100.
    Entry Fee: £3 each (maximum three entries).
    Comp Page: ETF Poetry.

WoLF Poetry Competition.  You don’t have to write about a wild animal for this one, as the name merely refers to the Wolverhampton Literary Festival.   The contest, which is international in scope, is being run by the local Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists who have probably been known to howl at the moon on occasions.  They want poems that surprise, astound and enthral them - all within a 40-line limit.
    Closing: 31.12.24.
    Prizes: £400, £150, £25.  Local prize (WV postcode) - £50.
    Entry Fee: £4 for the first, £3 thereafter.
    Comp Page: WoLF Poetry

Moth Poetry Prize. This annual contest from Irish magazine The Moth is for poems of any length and on any subject.  I should perhaps mention that the magazine is not devoted to the subject of moths, fascinating though these may be.  It is an arts and literature magazine.  Presumably the name is a reference to the way artists and writers are attracted to the light of recognition only to beat their wings in vain against an invisible barrier until finally, broken and defeated, they slide down to the windowsill of despair.  You’d think the magazine people could have come up with something a bit more cheerful than that, wouldn’t you?
    Closing: 31.12.24.
    Prizes: 1st - 6,000 euros.  Runners-up (3) - 1,000 euros.  Commended (8) - 250 euros.
    Entry Fee: 15 euros.
    Comp Page: Moth Poetry Comp.

Letter Review Prizes.  Here’s a repeat of the contest from the USA with four categories: Poetry (all kinds, up to 70 lines), Short Fiction (up to 5,000 words), Nonfiction (up to 5,000 words) and Unpublished Books (first 5,000 words of a novel, nonfiction or collection of short stories, or 15 pages of poetry).  In the Unpublished Books category, self-published books are eligible.
    Closing: 1.1.25 (5am).
    Prizes: A share of the $1,000 prize pool in each category.  Poetry, Short Fiction and Nonfiction winners will be published, while Unpublished Book winners can choose to have an extract published and receive a letter of recommendation from the judges.  Winners in the first three categories will also be considered for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other anthologies.
    Entry Fee: Short Fiction - $20.  Poetry - $15.  Essays and Nonfiction - $20.  Unpublished Book - $20.
    Comp Page: Letter Review Prizes

Shepton Snowdrops Festival Poetry Competition.  Back again for another year is this poetry contest from Shepton Mallet.  This time round the theme is Treasures of Nature (geology, landscape and flora).  You have up to 30 lines in which to explore it.
    Closing: 6.1.25.
    Prizes: 18 and over - £300.  12 to 17 - £100.  Under 11 - £50.  Shortlisted poems will be published in a pamphlet.
    Entry Fee: 18 and over - £4.  Under 18s can enter free (only one per person).
    Comp Page: Shepton Snowdrops

Hi Michael,
     Thanks for a very useful website. Since finding the contact details on your site, I've won the Txtlit competition twice, and the Write Invite competition four times. With the prize money I'm now entering other competitions. Thanks for keeping us writers posted!
     Best regards, Uta Coutts

Poems on the Move Competition.  Poems of up to 14 lines that fit onto an A4 page are required for this international contest from the Channel Islands ... or rather one of them: Guernsey.  Twenty-one poems will be chosen to feature on the Guernsey buses, and the top 9 of these will be exhibited at Guernsey Airport and then at other sites all over the island.
    Closing : 15.1.25.  Opens for entries 15.9.24.
    Prizes: Open category: 1st - £1,000, £500, £250.  Channel Islands; 1st - £250, £50, £30.  Young Poets: 1st - £250, £50, £30.
   Entry Fees: Open and Channel Islands categories - £4 each,  Young Poets - Free.
    Comp Page: Guernsey Poetry

Bournemouth Writing Prize.  Now an annual event, this international contest is for short stories of up to 3,000 words and poems of up to 30 lines.
    Closing: 15.1.25..
    Prizes: £500 per category plus a one-to-one session with the judges and the chance to perform in front of a live band during the Bournemouth Writing Festival in April 2025.  Shortlisted entrants will be published in a winner's anthology..
    Entry Fee: £10 (covers one short story or three poems).
    Comp Page: B’mouth Writing Prize

Arts Richmond Poetry Competition.  The theme for this one from Richmond in London is Changes.   You have up to 40 lines (200 words max) to play with.   Entries will be judged by the famous Roger McGough who, judging by his photo on the website, is not looking forward to it.  Think of the fee, Roger!
    Closing: 17.1.25 (12.30pm).
    Prizes: £250, £150, £75.  Winners will be invited to read their work at an event with Roger McGough.
    Entry Fee : £5 for one, £12 for three.
    Comp Page: Arts Richmond

Ó Bhéal Five Words Poetry Challenge.  Don’t panic, your poem for this international contest from southern Ireland, can be longer than five words (up to 50).  It just needs to include the five new words posted on the website each Tuesday at 12pm (Irish time).  You will have a week after that to write and submit your entry.  Purely as an example, for the week I wrote this the words were: shadow, vivid, compose, petal, surround.
    Closing (final round): 28.1.25.
    Prizes (in euros): 750, 500, 250.  Winners also receive an invitation to the anniversary event in April 2025, with B&B accommodation plus 100 euros\ for travel.
    Entry Fee: 5 euros.
    Comp Page: Five-words

Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition.  This annual contest from Kent & Sussex Poetry Society is for poems of up to 40 lines on any subject and in any style.  The judge, poet and novelist Kit Fan, will read all the submissions.
    Closing: 31.1.25.
    Prizes: £1,000, £300, £100, 4 x £50.  Winners will be published in the society’s Poetry Folio.
    Entry Fee: £5 each.  Three or more £4 each.
    Comp Page: K&S Poetry.

Keats-Shelley Prize.  There are two categories in this annual contest from the Keats-Shelley Association: poems of up to 30 lines (one A4 page) on the theme of ‘Exile’, and essays running to no more than 3,000 words on any aspect of the work and lives of Keats, Shelley and their circle.  You can interpret the poetry theme freely, they say, but they also say poems that stray too far from the theme will not be considered ... so that’s more like loosely than freely.  Poems can be comic or serious, experimental or traditional.
    Closing: 31.1.25 (10am).
    Prizes (in each category): £1,000, £500.  Winning entries will be published in the Keats-Shelley Review and on the website.
    Entry Fees: Poetry - £10.  Essays - free (you can enter up to two).
    Comp Page: Keats-Shelley Prize

The Young Romantics Prize.  Here’s a freebie from the Keats-Shelley Association for writers between the ages of 16 and 18.  It is for essays ranging between 750 and 1,000 words, and poems of up to 30 lines (one A4 page).  The poetry theme is ‘Exile’, while for the essay you have a choice of two questions to answer: ‘In what ways are Romantic-period writers relevant today?  And: ‘“Mad, bad and dangerous to know.”  How important is a knowledge of Byron’s Life to an understanding of his poetry?’
    Closing: 31.1.25 (10am).
    Prizes (in each category): £750, £300.  Entries will be published in the Keats-Shelley Review and on the website.
    Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
    Comp Page: Young Romantics

New Media Writing Prize.  Behold - another freebie!  Fiction or non-fiction written specifically for reading/viewing on electronic devices is required for this one which is facilitated and sponsored by Bournemouth University Higher Education Corporation Faculty of Media and Communications ... and various other organisations as listed on the website.  Interactivity is vital.  You can combine various digital media elements such as words, images and video clips, and I personally think that if you can include a comments section where bitter underachievers can slag off your efforts out of sheer spite, so much the better.  Short story, novel, poem, documentary, etc, are all acceptable.
    Closing: 1.2.25 (Noon).
    Prizes:  Chris Meade Memorial UK New Media Writing Prize - £1,000.  Opening Up Award - £500.  Digital Journalism Award - yet to be determined.  IDN for Social Good Award - £500.  Student Award - yet to be determined.
    Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
    Comp Page: NMWP

Elmbridge Literary Competition.  The RC Sheriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council have teamed up again to present this annual multi-category contest for poetry and short stories.  The theme this year is The River.   So let’s dive in.  Short stories should be a maximum length of 1,000 words for writers aged between 8 and 13, and 1,500 words for those aged 14+.  Poems can be up to 30 lines.  There is a Little Rhymes and Stories category for youngsters aged 5 to 7, with the rhymes running to no more than 20 lines and the stories to 500 words.  There are strict entry instructions in the T&Cs.  Read ’em or weep.
    Closing: 24.2.25 (5pm).
    Prizes: 19+ age group poem - £250, £150, £100.  19+ short story - £250, £150, £100.  14 to 18 category - £35, £30, £25.  11 to 13 - £35, £25, £20.  8 to 11 - £25, £20, £15.  5 to 7 - £20, £15, £10.  Elmbridge Prize (for an Elmbridge resident) - £50 book token.  Adult prizes, with the exception of the Elmbridge Prize, are in cash, the rest are in book tokens.
    Entry Fee: Adults £5.  Under 18s free.  Optional feedback: £10.  Optional full critique: £25.
    Comp Page: Elmbridge Literary.

Never Such Innocence Writing Competition.  Here we have an international freebie for youngsters between the ages of 9 and 18.  It has four categories - Poetry, Speech, Song and Art - but here I deal only with the first three.  Poems, which should run to no more than 40 lines, must answer the question: How Can We Prevent Future Wars?’  This question applies to the other categories too.  In the Speech category you are required to submit a speech of up to 5 minutes (750 words), in writing and with an audio or video recording.  If you are entering a song, submit a video or audio recording (maximum 4 minutes) plus the written lyrics.
    Closing: 28.2.25.
    Prizes:  The prizes will be announced later in the competition, say the promoters, and will include some exciting opportunities.
    Entry Fee: None - free to enter.  You can enter each category once.
    Comp Page: Innocence

Dear Michael
   I discovered your excellent site a few months back and entered some of the poetry competitions. I have in all my long years never received a payment for anything I have written, but I today received an email from Cooldog Publications to say I have won second prize in their E-mag Poetry Competition! £50! What a great way to start the new year.
   I just had to write and say thanks to you for the trouble you have taken with your site and how much I appreciate the sense of humour that underpins it.
  This has given me a terrific boost.
                                                                                -  Carol Browne

Plaza Poetry Prize.  You have up to 60 lines to impress the judge in this annual contest from Plaza Prizes Ltd.
    Closing: 28.2.25.
    Prizes: £4,000, £300, £100.  The ten shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology.
    Entry Fee : £12 for the first, £9 thereafter.
    Comp Page: Plaza Poetry Prize

Rubery Book Award.  This annual international award is for books of all genres published by independent publishers or self-published.  To enter, send a hardcopy of your book by post or submit an ebook electronically.
    Closing: 31.3.25.
    Prizes: 1st - £2,000.  Category winners - £200.  All winners receive a glass plaque.
    Entry Fee: £45.  If you are entering from outside the UK, see the website for pricing.
    Comp Page: Rubery Book.

Plaza Prose Poem Prize.  Prose poems of up to 750 words are requred for this annual contest.  Any theme is acceptable but poems must be written for adults.
    Closing: 31.3.25.
    Prizes: £750, £300, £100.
    Entry Fee: £10 for the first, £7.50 thereafter.
    Comp Page: Plaza Prose Poem.

Wergle Flomp Humour Poetry Competition.  This annual freebie from Winning Writers in the USA is for published or unpublished humorous poems (including inspired gibberish) of up to 250 lines.  Before entering, it is advisable to read some of the past winning entries.
   Closing: 1.4.25.
    Prizes: 1st - $2,000 plus a gift certificate.  2nd - $500, $250.  Runners-up (10) - $100.  The top 12 entries will be published online.
    Entry Fee: None - free to enter.  One entry per person.
    Comp Page: Wergle Flomp.

Tom Howard/John H Reid Fiction & Essay Contest.  This regular visitor from Winning Writers in the USA is two competitions in one.  The first is for fiction running to no more than 6,000 words, while the second requires factual essays, also with a limit of 6,000 words.
    Closing : 1.5.25.  Opens for entries 15.10.25.
    Prizes: Story - $3,500 plus $100 gift certificate.  Essay - $3,500 plus $100 gift certificate. Honourable Mentions (10) - $500.  The top 12 entries will be published online.
    Entry Fee: $25.
    Comp Page: Tom H Comp.

Hi Michael
     I spent a year or so reading all those comments on your website from people who, since consulting your list, seem have won just about every competition going. I read it and thought it must be too good to be true – but worth a try. Then, on my third submission, I have actually gone and won the Yeovil Literary Prize for Poetry. I am absolutely over the moon, unable to believe it, etc.  Thank you so much.
                                                                                   -  Andy Miller

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Notes: Unless otherwise stated in the rules, poetry should be single-spaced.  It is sometimes the case that your name shouldn’t appear on the manuscript. Check the rules.  If you put your name on there after being told not to, you’re out.  Don’t use coloured paper or fancy fonts.  The colour and pizzazz to make you stand out from the crowd should be in the words.  Plain white A4 80gsm paper is the stuff to use, with plain black typing or print.  My preferred font for poetry manuscripts printed on an inkjet or laser printer is Gill Sans in 12 point (13 if I’m not pressed for space).  This gives a clear, dark print that’s easy to read.  Although publishers and agents sometimes demand the feeble Courier font, which comes out on my printers like something produced by a typewriter with an antique ribbon, I’ve never known competition organisers to express any preference.  But as always, check the rules.  Finally, write on one side of the sheet only - unless asked to put your address, etc, on the back.
 

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Disclaimer

   
For other types of writing contests see the full list on my Writing Comps page.