For every amateur writer, nothing is quite so exciting as entering your first contest! If you are a poet, a poetry contest is the natural choice to showcase your work and maybe even get a some high-profile recognition. But how do you prepare your work (and yourself!) for such a big step in your writing career? Read on to find out!
Preparing to Enter a Poetry Contest
There are a few things that you can do prior to entering a poetry contest in order to make sure that your work is in its best shape before it is seen by the contest judges.
1.) Find a Contest For Which You Are Eligible. Not all poetry contests are created equal. Some are only for previously published writers, some have very high entrance fees, and some are only for people who live in a certain geographical area. Other contests, such as Poetry Nation’s, are open to anyone who writes poetry! Be sure to read the eligibility requirements of any poetry contest carefully before entering.
2.) Find a Contest That is Current. Nothing is more disappointing than getting your poetry completely prepped to enter into a contest only to find out that you have missed the deadline. The entry dates for the Poetry Nation poetry contest are divided into two reading periods: January 1 to June 30 and July 1 to December 31.
3.) Discover More About the Contest Runners. The best way to decide whether or not you want to enter a specific poetry contest is to find out more about past winners and the contest runners themselves. Explore the contest site to find out more about the kind of work they might be looking for.
4.) Edit Your Poetry Before Sending It. In order to ensure you have the strongest chances of winning a poetry contest, it is important to send in your most polished, highly-edited work. Read over your work and check for spelling errors, grammar errors, and any other issues that might affect the quality of your work.
5.) Relax! Do not be nervous about submitting your work to a poetry contest. This is your chance to show your work to the world! If you are proud of what you have written and want to show others what you have accomplished, enter Poetry Nation’s contest today.