This page will cover everything you need to know about submitting your entry into the NSW Poetry Prize©. For anything else not covered here, please read the about page or email us at info@nswpoetryprize.au
Theme
The theme for this competition is discovery.
This is a theme to inspire your poem; the word ‘discovery’ itself does not necessarily need to appear anywhere in your poem. Allusions to this theme are acceptable. We welcome both literal and abstract interpretations.
What is the deadline for submission?
The deadline for submission is midnight 31 March 2025 Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Entries received after this deadline will not be accepted.
Very important rule!! Your poem must be anonymous!!
Please do not write your name anywhere on the poem!! This includes the name of the document / filename.
Entries that do not meet this requirement will be disqualified.
Please use the poem’s title as the filename (if untitled, write ‘Untitled’).
Is there a fee to enter the competition?
The entry fee is $15AU per poem.
Can I submit more than one poem?
Yes, by paying for a new submission for each poem. We will only accept one file upload and one entry at a time.
I am part of a poetry group. Can we make a group submission?
No, poems will only be accepted and judged on an individual basis.
Is there a word or line limit?
The limit is 50 lines of text, determined by number of rows. One row of text counts as one line. Putting a single word on one row counts as one line.
The 50-line limit does not apply to the poem’s title, line spaces or epigraph.
What format should I submit my entry?
Your poem may be of any style that fits within the parameters of the 50-line limit.
We recommend a font such as Arial or Times New Roman, point 12, double spaced.
The entry must be in a word document only. File extensions with .doc and some variations are accepted.
Please ensure your poem is anonymous. This includes the filename.
For the filename, please use the poem’s title (e.g. A summer day.doc). If your poem is untitled, write ‘Untitled’ (e.g. Untitled.doc)
Can I submit my poem in any language?
Poems must be written in English, however, we welcome the use of Indigenous and / or culturally specific words throughout your poem, as long as the overall poem itself does not require translation.
Can I receive feedback on my entry?
Once the competition winners are announced, you can request feedback on your entry by purchasing a critique package. This feedback option will be added to our website after the announcement of competition winners.
Can I get a refund if I withdraw my poem?
No refunds will be issued under any circumstances.
Can my poem be published elsewhere?
During the competition, your poem must not appear on any other website or publication, including your own blog or social media pages. If your poem is published elsewhere during the competition, you must inform us immediately and withdraw your poem. Refunds will not be given for withdrawn entries for any reason.
After competition winners are announced, you may publish your poem anywhere you wish. Please acknowledge NSW Poetry Prize© if your poem is published partially or in full on our website.
What happens if my poem is selected for publishing on your website?
We reserve the right to publish your poem partially or in its entirety, for perpetuity, on our website without any further remuneration beyond the stated prize pool.
If you wish your poem to appear elsewhere please credit NSW Poetry Prize© as the first date of publication.
I made a mistake in my poem / submission, can I withdraw it and fix it?
Participants may withdraw their entry for any reason by writing to us at info@nswpoetryprize.au, however, to resubmit your poem you must pay the entry fee again. No correspondence will be entered into on ‘what is meant’ by your poem. All entries will be regarded as final and judged accordingly.
When will the judges be announced?
Judges will be announced at the same time as the competition winners. This is to prevent bias in writing a poem that you believe a particular judge may like based on their profile or background.
Judges for the previous round have been announced on our results page; they will not necessarily be the same pool of judges for this round, or any future rounds of the competition.
What are the reasons for disqualification?
a) Plagiarism
b) Use of AI
c) Your name appearing on the poem including the filename
d) Going over the 50-line limit
e) Making any false claims at the time of submission
f) Using language that is racist, abusive, extremely offensive or inciting violence that does not serve any purpose other than to be racist, offensive, abusive or incite violence. We will not tolerate hate speech.
NSW Poetry Prize© reserves the right to disqualify entries without any further correspondence.