Write Poetry for a Chance at $5,000 Cash (and More)!

For more than 80 years, Writer’s Digest has put on an annual writing competition for up and coming writers in a variety of disciplines, including poetry. The Grand Prize winner…

For more than 80 years, Writer's Digest has put on an annual writing competition for up and coming writers in a variety of disciplines, including poetry. The Grand Prize winner receives $5,000 cash, a paid trip to the annual Writer's Digest Conference, an interview in Writer's Digest magazine, and so much more!

There are 10 categories total and two specifically for poets: Rhyming Poetry and Non-Rhyming Poetry. And, in case you're wondering, poems shared in the comments section of this blog are eligible to be entered for this competition.

Beyond the Grand Prize, there are the following prizes:

  • First Place will receive $1,000 cash and $100 off a purchase from the Writer's Digest Shop
  • Second Place will receive $500 cash and $100 off a purchase from the Writer's Digest Shop
  • Third Place will receive $250 cash and $100 off a purchase from the Writer's Digest Shop
  • Fourth Place will receive $100 cash and $50 off a purchase from the Writer's Digest Shop
  • Fifth Place will receive $50 VISA gift card and $50 off a purchase from the Writer's Digest Shop
  • Sixth through Tenth Place winners receive a $25 VISA gift card and $25 off a purchase from the Writer's Digest Shop.

If you're interested in trying under a non-poetry category, here are the other eight categories:

  • Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
  • Memoirs/Personal Essay
  • Magazine Feature Article
  • Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
  • Mainstream/Literary Short Story
  • Stage Play
  • Television/Movie Script
  • Children's/Young Adult Fiction

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.