The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

Entry to this round of the Prize is free. Every writer who submits to The Letter Review is informed of their result via Submittable. 

We believe in poetry, in literature, and in the importance and magic of new writing. Poetry is one of the most ancient and revered forms of creative expression, stretching back to the dawn of literature. Poetry competitions represent a wonderful opportunity for writers to showcase new work, gain the recognition they deserve, advance their writing careers, and reach a wide audience. 

To gain the best understanding of the work we are seeking we encourage all entrants to consider subscribing to The Letter Review where they can familiarize themselves with our wonderful previous winning entries, and read our extensive professional writing advice section, along with our interviews with professional writers. Additionally, we offer The Literary Award which is a special category of our Prize available exclusively to subscribers. 

The literary mission of The Letter Review includes fostering accessibility to the professional writing industry, and supporting writers at all stages in their efforts to be published, performed, and produced. Pursuant to this our Prize offers:

• The top 2-4 winning entries of the Prize for Poetry are declared the Winners, and share equally in the Prize pool of $1000 USD. 
• To recognize the abilities of the writers who do not place as a Winner, 10-20 entries are Shortlisted. 
• All entries are considered for publication. 
• Winning entries are published by The Letter Review online, and in our Winners Anthology. 
• Winning entries are also frequently submitted to further prestigious anthologies such as the Pushcart Prize. 
• Winners and Shortlisted entries are celebrated on our mailing list, social media channels (FB 34,000 members), at our website (50,000 monthly visitors), and our Subreddit (11K). 
• Winners may request a professional recommendation / endorsement of their work in the form of a letter from our Judges which they may submit to agents, publishers etc.
• Winners may also participate in our interview series, further raising their professional profile. 

The Letter Review Prize is judged blind to ensure all entrants including emerging, established, and diverse writers have an equal chance of success. We do not assign entries to anonymous readers: Every entry is personally read by our highly qualified Judges. The Letter Review is a proud member of the international Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and we adhere to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.

Read inspiring comments, such as the one below, from our community about the life changing impact of the Prize here.  

"The Letter Review stands as a monument of writing wisdom and talent. Being part of this mosaic of narrative and verse is a true honor." - Frederick Joseph: two-time New York Times bestselling author, activist, philanthropist, and poet (First Place in Letter Review Prize for Poetry)

How To Enter 

• It is free to enter once, and $5 to enter each additional poem. 
• You may enter as many times as you wish. To enter multiple times, select the "Enter Additional Poems" drop down menu, and attach up to 10 files to your first entry form. If you wish to enter more than 10 times please start a second entry form. 
• We are seeking poems up to 70 lines.
• The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world.
• There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome.
• Please include a short biography (suitable for publication) of less than 200 words in the Cover Letter section.
• Ensure the file name of each document is only the title of your entry. Do not include your name inside your entry document(s) or in the file name as the Prize is judged blind.
• The judges will be Kita Das and Dr. Ol James. 
• Format: Original works only. Submissions must be primarily written in English. Any non-English phrases which are uncommon should be accompanied by a translation. The author must own the copyright to the majority of the poem: Light quotation from another work is acceptable if it is acknowledged in your cover letter or in the submission document.
• Your entry must be unpublished, and free from any claims by other parties. You must be the sole author of the work. 'Retellings' or contemporizations must be acknowledged in the cover letter or submission document.  
• No AI content.
• Entrants will receive automatic confirmation via email after entry.
• All Entrants are informed personally of the result of their submission via Submittable. 
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If you decide to publish your entry elsewhere, please withdraw from our Prize.
• You may submit work that has been awarded elsewhere, as long as no part of it has been published. 
• By entering you agree to our Terms and Conditions.
• Prize entry fees may be tax deductible (speak to your accountant).
• The Letter Review Prize offers monetary awards to the Winners, and also improves their public profile, increasing the odds of further publication, and lifting careers to new zeniths. The Letter Review Prize is a career-enhancing laurel.  
• Enter via Submittable using the form below: No entries via post please. Click here for a guide to using Submittable.