Monday, November 12, 2018

How To Find The Best Poetry Contest Sites

By Stephen Burns


While poets do it for fun, honing your skills against those of others and making something out of it is not such a bad idea. There are numerous poetry contest sites you can explore. However, some of these websites will give you a raw deal and kill your writing career. You need a platform that allows you to thrive. How do you identify such a platform amidst the many that line the internet?

The website should be run by professionals who understand the world of poetry. The best professionals are literature departments, renowned poets and institutions interested in art. While individuals may also organize contests, they should have the support of institutions or gurus in the industry. This guarantees fairness and also ensures that you get the best experience from your creativity.

Choose a site with a reputation of holding genuine contests. Reputation is built over time. You might have to look at their previous contests and reviews by other poets who have engaged the organizers. A website with a reputation for treating poets well will also give you a memorable experience. If the reputation is nasty, there is no way you are going to have a good experience with them.

What level of exposure will you be getting by entering the contest? The best organizers will engage you after shortlisting and beyond winning. The manner of engagement includes holding seminars and displaying your pieces during exhibitions or readings. Such exposure means that you take home more than the prize. Even when you do not win, your writing skills will improve.

The reward for participating in the competition should meet the standards set at the entry of the contest. It takes a lot of effort to complete poetry pieces. While money is desirable, it is only available to the best poets. The deal is spiced by being entered into exhibitions and your work being showcased. Whether you won or not, you become a better skilled writer and your fame spreads in poetry circles.

The winners of the contest must be genuine and publicly announced. You ascertain this by ensuring that entry or participation rules are clear. The judging criterion should be publicized so that participants can determine who is in and who is out. Judges should be impartial and provide everyone with an opportunity to win. There should also be different categories of participation, for example, beginners, intermediate and pros, among other, in order to give an opportunity to all.

The rules of entry and participation should be fair to all. This also means easy modes of submission, well publicized contests and sufficient time to make your submission. It means that everyone can participate. This increases competition and gives you a perfect feel of the market. It is easier to make submissions online since you can do it anytime and from anywhere.

The website should not use the poems submitted for their own benefit without passing the gains to writers. In case they are published, you should be acknowledged as the author. Where funds are generated from the sale of materials resulting from your work, the money realized should trickle down to all writers.




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