PD30 Day 27: Poetry and Prizes
September 27, 2008 by John Hewitt
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Before I discuss the good side of entering poetry contests, I want to get the basic warnings out of the way:
- Contests offering big money for poems ARE too good to be true
- Any “prize” that requires payment by you is not a prize
- Any gathering of “finalists” is a glorified vacation package
- Contests with “reading” or “entry” fees use that money for the prizes (and keep what’s left over)
- Beware of any contests that “suggests” you use one of their editors or teachers
Most legitimate poetry contests are sponsored by newspapers, magazines, colleges and the occasional corporation. Some foundations also hold contests, but the prize money in any of these contests rarely exceeds a thousand dollars. Poet’s Market has a good list of contests, but a listing there does not guarantee legitimacy; always keep the five points from above in mind. A good online source is C. Hope Clark, but the same rules apply.
If you are looking to make a lot of money, poetry contests aren’t going to do it for you. Winning even a small poetry contest is no easy task, and winning a major contest is only slightly easier than winning the lottery, even for truly great poets. Poetry is subjective. Two sets of equally qualified judges could look at 1000 poems and come up with a completely different group of finalists.
The benefits of poetry contests are:
- They give you a reason to send your best work out into the world. Too many people who write poetry never get around to sending it out. They keep their poems in their desk or on their computer and never share. Contests are a way of interacting with the larger world of poetry.
- Publishers do notice winners. If you win a contest that has a good reputation, the people who publish poetry will probably see your work. Again, poetry is no roadmap to riches, but having a publisher show enough faith in you to put out a book is quite an honor. Just remember that there are as many scam publishers as there are scam poetry contests.
- Even second or third prize can offer a lot of encouragement to a poet. The grand prize might be nice, but it feels good to be mentioned at all.
- If you do happen to win some money, that’s always nice too.
Don’t stake all of your hopes and dreams on winning a poetry contest. I encourage you to enter them, but don’t take any losses personally. Just send your poetry out into the world and see what comes back.
Today’s Poetry Prompt
Write a poem about a contest, a win, or a loss.
Related links
- 30 Poems in 30 Days set for September (1.000)
- All About 30 Poems in 30 Days (1.000)
- PD30 Day 1: I Believe in Poetry (1.000)
- PD30 Day 2: Generally Be Specific (1.000)
- PD30 Day 3: A Review of Meter (1.000)
Contact John Hewitt
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Email: hewitt@poewar.comPhone: (520) 261-6104
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The Writing Contest
I spent the entire weekend being number one in the writing contest.
I make some money from Helium.com’s contests every few weeks.
I only enter when there is a writing topic I am interested in
Usually alternative health, nutrition, politics, or even holidays.
I have won second place a few times, but never first.
No one seemed able to touch me though this past weekend.
I felt unpressured to even write another piece but I did
And then on the fourth day I hit the skids.
Suddenly my peers didn’t rate my writing so highly anymore.
You try to figure out why they are suddenly running cold.
What did I do wrong, say wrong, where did I go wrong?
Writers from the bottom of the lineup were now on the top.
It makes me crazy when that happens.
I check my ratings so many times a day it’s sick.
I feel that there’s been some mistake made.
My readers love me, love my writing. Don’t they?
How could so many turn on me en masse
When I was the queen of the ball for three days?
I have learned not to use humor any more.
They don’t seem to have a sense of it.
I have learned to stick to the orthodox
They don’t like it when I wander from the path.
What makes these readers happy?
Why are they so very moody and fickle?
I ended up one lousy point from the money.
No matter how many times I checked I couldn’t go up one notch.
You try not to think of all the hours spent writing and rewriting.
Of how cocky you felt when no one could come near your score.
Twenty-Five Words Or Less
What happened to the contests
Of Twenty-Five Words Or Less?
Why Crunch-O was your favorite,
How Fun Iron gave Good Press . . . ?
Ever since I started using Nasty Master, my friends, and former friends, have been astounded by my verbal ripostes. Even God pays attention now! Woot!
A quarter and two boxtops
The standard entry fee,
And six to eight weeks later
The winner could be me!
Gargantobubble has given me new purpose in life. I know all Truth will greet me if the popped bubble ever completely envelops my questing head.
You do not need a contest
To write a Micro-Treatise,
Just pick a toothsome topic
Like how electric sleet is.
Fallow Fellows would mellow tellingly if issued marshmallows and SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM and a mantra that had a real Zing to it. Sign here!
Crystallization, Civilization,
Nat’ral Selection too,
Twenty-Five Wording can jazz up your brain,
No fuss, no muss, no goo.
The end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the end the
Game
Lost
Found
Lost again
We play the
Same game
Over and over
Again
With different
People
At different
Moment
Of our lives
But the same
rhythm
tempo
beat
we lose
our way
we find
our way
loss
gain
lost
and found
you
me
shall we
play?
(Let’s play
shall we?)
Game
Lost
Lost again
We play the
Over and over
Again
With different
People
At different
Moment
But the same
rhythm
tempo
beat
our way
our way
loss
lost
me
shall we
play?
Between a man and
It is always a game
(Let’s play
shall we?)
I rarely enter contests that have an entry fee. However, I have decided to make an exception for those which include a year’s subscription to the magazine with the entry fee. This is a win for all involved as:
1) I get something even if I do not win.
.
2) It is a good practice to read the poems which are published in a magazine to determine their style, but I do not always find this practical.
3. The magazine gets increased circulation, so if I *do* win there will be more people reading my poems
Jenn,
To be clear, I don’t object to all fees, I just feel that the contest should be VERY upfront about why they are charging and how much they keep.
contest are best suited
for the ones who want to win
so when they pay for a prize
they felt they achieved something
great in return