The contest is open to all poets aged 18 years of age and older. The entry fee is $15. This fee is non-refundable. Contestants may submit one entry of up to 3 poems.
Each of the 3 poems may not exceed 80 lines in length. We do not consider previously published work, which includes online publications. Poems should not include any information that reveals the identity of the author. Any entries that reveal the author’s identity will be discounted.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Email and mail submissions will not be read. All rights revert to the author upon publication of the poem. The winner and finalists will be announced at our website.
What to Submit
Poetry in any style or theme. Your entry should be your own original work. You may submit the same poem simultaneously to this contest and to others, and you may submit poems that have been published or won prizes elsewhere. (However, please do not submit work that has previously received recognition at Innovative Writers.)
For the purpose of the Poetique Prize, a poem in a traditional style employs regular meter and/or rhyme, or is written in a recognized poetic form. This includes traditional Western forms such as ballads, sonnets, and blank verse, and Asian forms such as tanka and haiku.
Prizes and Publication
The $2,000 Poetique Prize will be awarded for a poem in any style or genre.
The $2,000 Epic Prize will be awarded for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style.
The $1000 Haiku Prize will be awarded for a poem that follows traditional Haiku standard.
Twenty Honorable Mention awards of $100 each will also be made (any style).
All entries that win cash prizes will be published on the Innovative Writers website and announced in the Innovative Writers Newsletter (circulation 50,000+).
Length Limit
Each poem should not exceed 250 lines in length. Exclude the title and blank lines from your count. (Please check specific guidelines for each poem type).
Most Countries Eligible: English Language
Due to US government restrictions, we regret we are unable to accept entries from authors in Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea. Authors from all other countries are eligible.
The poems you submit should be in English. If you have written a poem in another language, you may translate your poem into English and submit the translation.
Anonymous Judging
Entries are judged anonymously.
Please omit your name and all identifying information from your entry. USE ONLY THE cover letter WE PROVIDE for identifying information.
Please also omit any publishing credits from your entry. All the information we need is collected on our COVER LETTER.
No Age Restriction Poets of all ages may enter. Privacy Your privacy is assured. We will not rent your information to third parties. Copyright If your entry wins any cash prize, you agree to give Winning Writers a nonexclusive license to publish your work online. This includes possible publication in one or more eBooks, with attribution.
From time to time, selected winning entries may also be published in printed collections. If you win a prize, we may ask you for permission to include your entry in one of these books. You may accept or decline this invitation as you choose. Your entry will not be published in print without your consent, and you retain all other rights. You are free, for example, to publish your work in print or online elsewhere, and to enter it into other contests, whether or not you win a prize in this contest.
Contest History
2021 will be the first year of this contest. We expect that prizes will grow as the following for this series grows.
If you have questions, please email the contest administrator at admin@innova-publishers.com.
