How to find a poetry contest fit for you

Every beginning writer is sending mass-mails to publishers with the hope of getting a contract to kick-start their poetry career. Many publishers never take a second look at those emails. Waiting for their response is like searching for a needle in an ocean. To capture the attention of publishers, win a contest. However, you must learn how to pick a poetry contest that fits you.

Priorities 

Why are you interested in poetry contests? If you intend to get rich and famous, your priorities are misplaced. You can win a competition and only gain the winner’s cash prize. Wealth and fame are products of an established poetry career. To attain that level, look for a contest that provides training and intense competition. That will expose you to the professional knowledge and skill to build a great career.

Audience 

The challenge facing many poets is the lack of an audience. No matter how creative you are, it is impossible to generate income without a loyal audience. The best contests will help you to market your work. Winning the contest guarantees recognition. Hence, after releasing another poem, you will have readers. Thus, you will start having a steady revenue stream from poetry.

Low-Quality Contests

When your poem is published, other contests will unqualify it. Hence, ensure your best work is published in a reputable competition. That will give it a broader reach. Audiences from all over the world will read it. It is wise to avoid low-quality contests. You can do that by checking their winner’s prize. That will reveal their sponsorship levels. Poetry competitions with more sponsors will give valuable prizes.

Handle Rejections Positively 

How you handle rejections after participating in contests is very important. Most people will give up on poetry after failing in several competitions will give up on poetry. Such folks joined the contest to get validation of their writing abilities. They fail to recognize there will always be better poets than them. To grow in poetry, take every rejection as a learning opportunity. The best contests focus more on training contestants.

Entry Fees 

To participate in some poetry contests, participants must pay an entry fee. Are you comfortable paying to compete? If you can, join the competition. Paying will give you enough reasons to strive to win. That is because you are focused on recouping your money. However, people on a tight budget should opt for free contests. Do not be deceived that paid competitions and better than free ones.

Topics & Themes 

Some competitions do not allow contestants to express their thoughts freely. They will want contestants to write about a particular theme or topic. Any poem that will not address the topic will be disqualified. Prefer a familiar theme or topic. If you dislike limitations by a theme or topic, choose a contest that allows participants to write freely.

Experience Level 

The poetry competitions can be organized for persons with a specific experience level. Judges can use age or professionalism to attract specific contestants. If you lack experience in poetry, do not participate at the professional level. You will have very minimal chances of winning the contest. Pick a competition that is favorable for poets of your experience level.