Searching for poetry contests can be frustrating. There are a few great poetry contests and publications on the web along with a number of poetry scams. One fine place to submit your poems is to the annual Festival of Arts 2008 Literary Awards. This poetry contest requires a theme. Poems that contend must have something to do with summer. The deadline is May 5, 2008. Therefore, residents of West Michigan, begin writing your poem now! There are three divisions in this contest: one for children, sixth grade and younger; another for young adults, grades seventh through twelfth; and yet another for adults, college age and up. There will be one winner per age group.
And if poetry isn’t your thing, you can enter in other genres. The contest includes short fiction (1,500 words or less), essays, and short non-fiction (1,500 words or less). Finally, if you’re not into writing at all, this contest offers a film competition. Email festfilm@gmail.com for more information regarding the film competition.
This is a wonderful opportunity. If you are interested and would like to enter, visit www.mlive.com/onthetown.com or www.festivalofthearts.org for complete details.
The second opportunity isn’t a contest, but a publication. Its name is Teen Ink. This national publication out of Newton, Massachusetts is a newsprint magazine and website solely for teenage writing and art. Although Teen Ink’s editors and writers are teenagers, this publication has a national reputation. Any teen in the United States is invited to submit their work (art, videos, poems, stories and reviews of their favorite (and least favorite) movies, books, colleges, and websites) anytime they wish. The website, www.teenink.com has a link right on the home page to submit work. The submission page also has instructions for submitting work from each genre. Teen Ink has published many teens since 1989, because they want teenagers to be heard. This publication does not have a required theme. In fact, Teen Ink advises that teens write about issues that affect their lives— everything from family and love to teen smoking or the ecosystem. Also, there is no submission fee. If you are age 13 through 19, then stop by the Teen Ink website and have your opinion heard or better yet, send them some of your poems!