Poetry Contests

Poetry Contests, listed by deadline date

Nota bene: this list is for your convenience only! This website should not be construed as endorsing or supporting these contests in any way; while many of them are both reputable and prestigious, poets should read the rules and conditions carefully before entering. Discussions of poetry contest scams can be found at sfwa.org/beware/contests.html and literature-awards.com/bookawards/poetry_contests.htm.

Re accuracy: This site is maintained as a public service in the webmaster's oh-so-copious spare time, and receives no funds to support it, other than through the extremely sporadic kindess of individuals. Entities wishing to contribute may donate through PayPal to fibitz@hotmail.com, or press unmarked bills upon Jeannie when you see her at the poetic venues of Madison. For incredibly complete and up-to-date listings, pay for a WinningWriters.com subscription.

Reasons for which competitions might not be listed include:

geographically restricted to non-Wisconsin locations (this website is maintained as a local, i.e. Madison, Wisconsin, poetry public service).
has no website—we've become suspicious of entities that can't even manage to put up a free blog.
the entry fee exceeds 2% of the prize value without furnishing significant other compensation, e.g. a copy of the winning book, a subscription, a cool t-shirt, massive prestige, etc. We are somewhat more lenient when entries can be sent electronically, saving postage and other resources.
We haven't heard of it—send info to arachne@madpoetry.org.
We're thinking of also not listing—and recommending that you boycott—contests that fail to name the judge, give a notification date, or provide contact info other than a P.O. box. Entities sponsoring contests, take note. Poets, spend your $ on contest with user-friendly policies. More of my rants on this subject in the 2008 Poet's Market, on PoemFactotum.com, and at Disorient Express.

January	February	March	April
May	June	July	August
September	October	November	December

Local Contests

January 15: OddContest $500 for 500 SF Prose Poem/Flash Fiction Contest
Submit 500-words-or-less unpublished speculative prose poems or flash fiction for the $500 OddContest. $10 adult entry fee; $50 prize with no entry fee for youth. 2010 judge: John Rezmerski. Results posted by March 15. See oddcon.com/contest.html for guidelines.

January 31: WISCONSIN WRITING CONTESTS FOR POETS
The Council for Wisconsin Writers invites poets to submit work published in 2009 to the Posner Poetry Award contest for full-length (48+ pages) books of poetry and the Lorine Niedecker contest for a set of five poems, two of which must have been published in 2009. The submission period opened November 1 and closes on January 31, 2010, the postmark deadline. All submitters must be current residents of Wisconsin. An award of $500 and a weeklong residency at Edenfred, in Madison, will be made in each category. Entry fee is $15.00; out-of-state judges will make the selections. Nominations are also open for the $500 Christopher Latham Sholes Award, recognizing a Wisconsin resident or organization for outstanding encouragement of Wisconsin writers. Entry forms and additional information are available on wisconsinwriters.org. CWW is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Wisconsin’s literary heritage and writers.

February 1: Racquetball Chapbook Tournament
That's right. Win a raquetball tournament (to be held in Racine, WI), get a poetry chapbook published. Deadline February 1. For rules and entry form http://racquetballchapbooktournament.wordpress.com/.

February 1: Wis. Fellowship of Poets Muse Prize for Excellence in Poetry
Wisconsin poets. First Prize $200 and trophy; Second Prize $100; Third Prize $75. Contest opens December 1; deadline February 1. For rules and entry form http://wfop.org/muserule.html or send an SASE to: WFOP/Rafal, P.O. Box 34,0 Baileys Harbor, WI 54202.

February 1: Wis. Fellowship of Poets STUDENT POETRY CONTEST
The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets annual poetry contest for students attending public, private or parochial schools in Wisconsin: JUNIOR DIVISION (grades 6-8) and SENIOR DIVISION (grades 9-12). Prizes in each division: 1st $50, 2nd $30, 3rd $20, Honorable Mentions. The winners from each division will be published in the 2009 WISCONSIN POETS' CALENDAR. For rules: http://wfop.org/studrule.html

June 15 (biennial): 2010 William Staffford Award for Poetry. The contest opens June 1, 2009 and ends June 15, 2010 (postmark). The winning poem will be awarded $1,000, publication of the poem in Rosebud, and three copies of the contest issue. Four poets whose poems are judged to be "runnerups" will be awarded $100, publication and three copies of the issue. Send 3-5 original unpublished poems, any style or theme, (one copy of each poem, each no longer than one page, may not be handwritten) and the required entry fee of $10 (check payable to Rosebud/Stafford Prize; cash also accepted). The poet's name and address should be on the upper right-hand corner of each page. Include a cover letter with a brief bio. Enclose SASE. See http://rsbd.net/stafford2008rules.htm. Send to the judge:

R. Virgil Ellis
c/o Stafford Poetry Award
P.O. Box 614
Cambridge, WI 53523

October 1 (received): Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation/ Vermont Studio Center Fellowship for Madison, WI area visual artists & writers The Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation and the Vermont Studio Center are pleased to announce the availability of three Residency Fellowships available to visual artists and writers who are residents of the Madison, WI area. Each Fellowship provides a month-long Residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT and includes: Uninterrupted working time in a private studio, Access to the counsel of seven Distinguished Visiting Artists and Writers (3 painters/ 2 sculptors/ 2 writers) per month, Three meals a day, Comfortable, private accommodations, The companionship of a national and international community of talented working artists and writers. The Residency period: any month between January and May. Applications must be received by October 1. Notification of results December 1. For more information and to apply:

Download an application at www.vermontstudiocenter.org
email: info@vermontstudiocenter.org
call: (802) 635-2727
write: VSC, PO Box 613, Johnson, VT 05656.

Be sure to clearly mark "Rowland—Madison award" on the restricted fellowship line provided on the application.

December 15: Wisconsin People & Ideas Poetry Contest
Winners receive cash awards of $500 (first place, the John Lehman Poetry Award), $100 (second place), and $50 (third place). The first-prize poet receives a one-week stay at Edenfred and a three-hour CD recording/editing session at Abella Studios. Some familiar poets from the Wisconsin poetry scene will judge this year's contest. The lead judge is Linda Aschbrenner, poet and founder, editor, and publisher of the poetry journal Free Verse (now Verse Wisconsin). Aschbrenner is also the founder of Marsh River Editions, a publisher of poetry chapbooks. Other poetry judges include Lester Smith, Tom Montag, and B.J. Best. The contest is coordinated by John Lehman. Poets must reside or attend school in Wisconsin, and may submit up to three poems per entry. No poem may be longer than one page. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry fee of $10 (non-Academy members) or $8 (Academy members, including those who join while submitting an entry), payable to the Wisconsin People & Ideas Poetry Contest. A poet may enter more than one submission of up to three poems each, but additional submissions must be accompanied by a separate entry fee and cover letter. Contest deadline is December 15, 2009. Entries may be hand-delivered to the Wisconsin Academy (1922 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726) by 5 pm on December 15. Entries postmarked after the deadline will not be considered and the entry fee will be retained to cover handling. Previously published poems (online or in print) are not eligible. All work must be original. Any style or theme is welcome. The poet's name or address may not appear anywhere on the poems. Poems must be accompanied by a cover letter bearing the poem title/s, the poet's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if available). Keep a copy of your poems. Entries will be recycled, not returned. Do not send an SASE. Contest winners will be announced on www.wisconsinacademy.org and notified by the end of February 2010. Top three winners will be published in the spring 2010 issue of Wisconsin People & Ideas. Ten runners-up will be published in the summer and fall 2010 issues.

Wisconsin People & Ideas Poetry Contest
Wisconsin Academy
1922 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53726

http://www.wisconsinacademy.org/magazine/index.php?category_id=3755