Poetry Guidelines:
Genre Overview:
Format:
General Advice:
For any additional questions please contact the staff directly.
- Poetry is a multi layered form of art that employs the use of syntax, intentional structure, tone, vivid language, and crafted techniques to enlighten, challenge, and inspire readers. Any poetry, especially your own submission, should attempt to utilize all the layers to give meaning to the work. Each work should not only attempt to invoke feeling in the reader, but also prompt the thoughts and feelings of the author in order to clarify some message. Your own poetry should expound some message meaningful to you or a message you have about society.
Format:
- Structure is not extremely limited
- Write no more than 2 pages
- Text must be in Times New Roman, 12-point font
- The text does not have to be double spaced
General Advice:
- Before submitting a poem, ensure that your message is clear enough for an audience to understand and double check that you have a message at all.
- Each word of your poem should be chosen with great care as every word is significantly important to the meaning of your piece.
- Should you choose to include controlled profanity, consider whether the poem itself gains anything from the word’s usage.
- It can help to read your poem out loud. The way it sounds in your mind can be radically different from how it sounds spoken out loud, and by doing both, you can make sure that you truly like the sound of the poem you have created.
- The work you want to submit is original so try to avoid typical clichés.
- You may also find it useful to show your poem to other writers before submitting it. In doing so, final revisions can be made on your poem before you turn it in.
For any additional questions please contact the staff directly.