Discover our up-to-date guide with the best poetry contests to enter in 2023!
Many organizations across the globe reward cash prizes, publication rights, and more to poets who wow their judges. If you want to publish your poetry, these are some of the top poetry contests to pursue. Before learning about the different competitions, why not familiarize yourself with the different types of poems?
Contents
- 1. The Pushcart Prize
- 2. Joy Bale Boon Poetry Prize
- 3. Minds on Fire Open Book Prize
- 4. TWFest Poetry Content
- 5. MONO. Poetry Prize 2023
- 6. Robert and Adele Schiff Awards
- 7. Maine Artist Fellowship
- 8. Bellevue Literary Review Prizes
- 9. Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award
- 10. Los Angeles Review Literary Award
- 11. The Letter Review Prize for Poetry
- 12. Barrow Street Press Prose Book Award
- 13. New Writers Awards
- 14. Akron Poetry Prize
- 15. 42 Miles Poetry Award
- 16. Townson University Prize for Literature
- 17. Chapbook Contest
- FAQs About Poetry Contests
- Author
1. The Pushcart Prize
Deadline: December 1, 2023
Entry fee: $0
Prize: Publication in The Pushcart Prize: Best of Small Presses
The Pushcart Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the literary world. Each year, the prize is given for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by literary magazines or small presses. Editors can nominate up to six poems, short stories, novel chapters, or essays published this year. There is no entry fee and no published cash prize. However, winning this award ensures that writers will experience recognition in the literary world for their talents.
2. Joy Bale Boon Poetry Prize
Deadline: November 15, 2023
Entry fee: $10
Prize: $750
Poets and writers can submit 1-3 poems of any style to The Heartland Review Press poetry contest. All submissions must include a cover letter and author bio of 30-40 words. First place wins $750 and will be published in the Spring 2024 issues of The Heartland Review. Joy Bale Boone was an American poet who served on many committees and boards to encourage as many people as possible to experience the arts. This prize is dedicated in her honor to encourage creative writing, expression, and passion for arts.
3. Minds on Fire Open Book Prize
Deadline: November 3, 2023.
Entry fee: $25
Prize: $1,500
Conduit Publishing runs an annual open poetry contest to represent the best contemporary writing in high-quality editions. Entrants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Conduit, which states they found themselves on “originality, intelligence, irreverence, and humanity.”
This is an anonymous competition, so the author’s name should be omitted from the work. This competition is ideal for passionate and creative writers looking to build a career in writing. The winning poet will receive $1,500 and 30 author copies.
4. TWFest Poetry Content
Deadline: October 15, 2023
Entry Fee: $15
Prize: $1000
Tennesee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival hosts an annual competition for 2-4 unpublished, original poems of any style, with a combined length of 400 lines. This contest is only open to emerging writers who have not published a book of poetry. However, poets and writers who have published a book in another genre are still eligible.
5. MONO. Poetry Prize 2023
Deadline: August 1, 2023
Entry Fee: £6
Prize: £650
The MONO. Poetry Prize is judged by Instagram poet Black Uden. This contest is UK based and focuses on short-form poetry such as Haikus, Sonnets, Tankas, Acrostics, Limericks, and other poems of up to 14 lines. The theme for this year is “BEAT,” which is open to interpretation. Entrants are encouraged to be creative with their work and think about the theme in detail. Poets can enter up to five poems for £6 each.
6. Robert and Adele Schiff Awards
Deadline: July 15, 2023
Entry Fee: $20
Prize: $1,000
The Cincinnati Review offers three $1000 prizes and a publication in their publication for a poem, short story, and essay. This poetry competition is judged by Rebecca Lindenber – an acclaimed poet, author, and poetry editor of the Cincinnati Review. There is a $20 entry fee for submission, and our poem must be submitted using their online system. Competitors can submit up to eight pages of poetry by July 15, and all entries are considered for publication.
7. Maine Artist Fellowship
Deadline: July 6, 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Prize: Up to $5000
The Maine Artist Fellowship writing competition allows local residents to apply for a fellowship award. This is potentially a very lucrative writing contest. The online submission system allows applicants to enter up to five poems of any word count or not more than 20 pages of prose, an artist statement, and a resume. Each award will be assessed individually, and the prize awarded will be based on the judge’s decision. There are a few submission guidelines and requirements for applying; click here to view the full list:
- The applicant must have resided in Maine for a minimum of one year.
- The applicant must be 25 years of age or older.
- The applicant must have a Maine Arts Commission account.
8. Bellevue Literary Review Prizes
Deadline: July 1, 2023
Entry fee: $20
Prize: $1000
The Bellevue Literary Review Prize awards young poets who create work related to the themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body. Winners are published in the Spring 2024 issue of the BLR and receive a $1000 cash prize. Honorable mention is awarded $300. Poetry entries are encouraged to be written vividly with a strong narrative. Entrants are encouraged to read through the BLR archives to get a feel for the ethos and values they hold. All poetry contest submissions must be previously unpublished.
9. Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award
Deadline: July 1, 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Prize: $100,000
The Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award is an annual poetry contest open to mid-career US poets & writers. The generous cash prize is given to encourage poets to have the freedom to dedicate a year to writing their next book and honing their craft without having to worry about paying bills. The winner of this literary award also spends an open week in the residence of Claremont Graduate University in California. Poets & writers are asked to submit eight copies of a poetry collection published between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, along with a list of previously published work.
10. Los Angeles Review Literary Award
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Entry Fee: $20
Prize: $1,000
Los Angeles Review awards four first-place-winning writers a $1000 prize for the annual literary competition. Using their online submission, poets can submit up to three poems of no more than 50 lines each. First place will also be published in the new LAR Online and included in the annual best-of-print edition. Only previously unpublished poems are considered for this award.
11. The Letter Review Prize for Poetry
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Entry fee: $15
Prize: $400
The Letter Review Prize for Poetry is open worldwide to poets. This inclusive competition encourages a range of genres and writing styles. This particular competition asks poets to submit poems of up to 70 lines and encourages passionate, creative writing to be used. Poets must include a short biography with their submission and can enter as many times as they wish. AI content is not allowed, and entrants must be the sole author of the work entered in this competition. Runners-up also receive a prize, with second place receiving $250 and third place receiving $150.
12. Barrow Street Press Prose Book Award
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Entry Fee: $25
Prize: $1,500
Barrow Street’s 2023 Poetry Book Prize has an annual poetry collection prize of $1500 that will be awarded to the first-place winner. Writers and poets must submit a manuscript or book of poetry of 50 to 80 pages to be judged. The poetry must be in English and include a table of contents and an acknowledgment of any previously published poems. The submissions must be anonymous, with no markings of the poet’s name or other identifying markers appearing on the manuscript.
13. New Writers Awards
Deadline: June 25, 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Prize: $500
Great Lakes Colleges Association hosts an annual book prize competition for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. GLCA awards three prizes, one prize for each category, and each winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to several of the GLCA colleges, and they also receive a prize of $500, as well as give readings at the college, meet students, and lead discussions and classes. Books published in 2022 and 2023 are eligible for this book prize, and there is no entry fee. Publishers can submit four copies of one book in each category postmarked by June 25.
14. Akron Poetry Prize
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Entry fee: $25
Prize: $1500
The University of Akron Presson awards a first-place prize of $1500 for an English poetry manuscript of at least 48 pages and no longer than 90. Manuscripts must be submitted using the online portal, and all entries need to adhere to the guidelines available on their website. Online unpublished works are eligible, but individual posts that may have appeared in literary magazines are acceptable. As well as winning the cash prize, the first-place winner’s book will be published as a part of the Akron Series in Poetry.
15. 42 Miles Poetry Award
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Entry Fee: $25
Prize: $1,000
42 Miles Press hosts an annual competition with a $1000 cash prize for first place. The winner is also given a publication by 42 Miles Press and 50 author copies. Poets are asked to submit a manuscript of 49 to 120 pages using the online submission form. The competition encourages contemporary American poetry and asks poets to tap into their creative side when creating their manuscripts.
16. Townson University Prize for Literature
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Entry fee: $0
Prize: $1,000
Townson University hosts an annual literary prize for a poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction book. Books published within the past three years or scheduled for publication in 2023 are eligible. Publishers, institutions, or individuals can submit three copies of a book or manuscript. It’s important to note that only residents of Maryland who have lived in the state for at least three years can apply.
17. Chapbook Contest
Deadline: June 13, 2023
Entry fee: $30
Prize: $1000
Omnidawn Publishing hosts an annual poetry competition awarding first-prize $1000 and publication with 20 author copies. Manuscripts must be in English, and editors encourage a wide range of styles, forms, diversities, and aesthetics (for example: prose, haiku, lyric, and experimental verse). Previous winners have been reviewed in major print publications such as The Los Angeles Revie of Books, Colorado Review, Publishers Weekly, and more.
FAQs About Poetry Contests
What are the most prestigious poetry contests?
Poetry Competitions for newcomers to the writing industry can take a lot of work to find. However, some examples include the Montreal International Poetry Prize, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, the Walt Whitman Award, and the Dylan Thomas International Poetry Award. Prizes range from $2,000-$10,000, depending on whether a single poem or collection of poetry is submitted.
Should I submit to poetry contests?
Before entering a poetry contest, it is wise to consider if you are entering for fun or for professional purposes. Contests can be a good way to meet other poets and improve your craft, but several contests have a submission fee for entry, so be careful not to spend more on contests than you can realistically make from poetry, especially since contests are not a guaranteed way to get published.
Looking for more? Check out our guide on “What is meter in poetry?”
