New Writers Poetry Competition 2025
The latest New Writers Poetry Competition is up and running. So if you fancy a share of the £1,800 prize fund, with a top prize of £1,200, check out the details below and get writing.
By entering the New Writers Poetry Competition 2025, you agree to adhere to the rules, terms and conditions as set out below.
New Writers Poetry Competition 2025 – RULES
- All entries must be received by 23.59 (UK time) on Thursday 17th July 2025. Any entries received after this time will not be eligible, so please don’t be late to the party.
- You may submit up to three poems.
- The entry fee is £10.00 per poem if submitting individually.
- If submitting together, the following discounted fees apply: £18.00 for two entries; £26 for three entries.
- 10% of the proceeds from the competition will be split (5% each) between two UK-registered charities: First Story and The Funzi & Bodo Trust.
- The prizes will be allocated based on the head judge’s decision (which is final) as follows: 1st Place: £1,200; 2nd Place: £300; 3rd Place: £150; 4th Place: £50; 5th Place: £50; 6th Place: £50.
- The New Writers Poetry Competition 2025 is open to anyone aged 16 years or older (at the time of entry) from anywhere in the world.
- Entries can be on any theme or subject. There should be no potentially libellous material contained within any entries or anything that is under copyright.
- Entries must be written in English and be the original work of the entrant (plagiarism and AI-detection software will be used).
- Entries must be unpublished (including online/social media or personal websites) and must not have been awarded a prize or won another competition at the time of entry.
- Any entries that are published, set to be published or set to win a prize after the time of entry should be withdrawn as they will become ineligible to win the New Writers Poetry Competition (entry fees will not be refunded in this scenario).
- Poems must be of no more than 42 lines (excluding the title and line spaces). Any entries that breach the 42-line limit will be disqualified and no refund will be given (so please double-check before sending your entry). There is no need to write the number of lines on the entry.
- Entries must be submitted online using the Entry Form as attachments in one of the following file formats: Microsoft Word Document or PDF.
- Postal entries will not be accepted (let’s save the trees!).
- Your entry file name should be the title of your poem. Please do not include your name (or other details about yourself) in the file name or anywhere on the entry.
- Competition judges will be appointed by NewWriters.org.uk. Please note the decision of the judges is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
- Entries must be typed in a legible font, with a font size of 12pt or 14 pt.
- The author retains full copyright of any submitted poem. If your entry wins one of the three prizes, it is assumed the author grants a non-exclusive license to NewWriters.org.uk to publish your work online on our website and in a future anthology.
- Winners and authors who have made the shortlist will be notified by email no later than Wednesday 17th September2025. The announcement of winners and shortlisted entries will also be made no later than this date through the newsletter and on the website.
- Poem titles and poet names (or specified pen name/alias) will be published on the website for the winners and those on the shortlist and longlist.
- Payment to prize winners will be made by bank transfer (for UK residents) or PayPal payment, to be arranged with the winners, within one week of the announcement of winners (subject to receiving the relevant information from the winning authors).
- Low Income Entries: A limited number of free entries are available to writers from low-income households (less than £20k per year) and/or in receipt of the following benefits (or equivalent): Job Seeker’s Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit, Disability Living Allowance, Carer’s Allowance.
- If you would like to apply for a free entry (one per person), please email (david@newwriters.org.uk) before midday (UK time) on 10th July 2025 (though your entry can be submitted any time before the deadline on 17th July 2025). Please use ‘Low-Income Entry’ as the subject of the email.
Competition Summary:
- Deadline: 23:59 (UK time) on Thursday 31st July 2025
- Entry Fee: £10 per entry (£18 for two entries or £26 for three entries, when submitted together)
- Prizes: 1st: £1,100; 2nd: £300; 3rd: £100; 4th to 6th: £50 each
- Publication: The six winning entries will be published on the NewWriters.org.uk website and in the next New Writers Anthology
- Head Judge: Katrina Moinet (Prize-winning writer of poetry & prose)
- Word Limit: 42 lines (excluding title and line spaces)
- Charity: 10% of all proceeds will be donated charity (split between First Story & the Funzi & Bodo Trust)
Winners and poets who have made the shortlist will be notified by email no later than Wednesday 17th September 2025. The announcement of winners and shortlisted entries will also be made no later than this date.
Please be aware that failure to follow the submission instructions or the terms and conditions will result in your entry being disqualified and no refund will be issued, so please take care. And good luck!