“Best
2023 POETRY PRIZE | MONO.
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MONO. POETRY PRIZE
2023
(ENTRIES CLOSED)

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We are excited to introduce the 2023 MONO. Poetry Prize judged by Instagram poet and influencer, Blake Auden. This year we are offering the highest prize fund to date, and one of the largest prizes for a single poem in the UK. We're looking for your short-form poetry - send us your Haikus, Sonnets, Tankas, Acrostics, Limericks and any other short-form poem up to 14 lines.

 

The theme is 'BEAT' - which is open to wide interpretation. Please be as creative as you wish. You can enter up to five poems at a cost of £6 per poem (just adjust the quantity at checkout if necessary). There will be a number of sponsored entries for those in financial difficulty. Please email for info, they will be offered on a first come basis and no proof will be required. 

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1st Prize £650

2nd Prize £200

3rd Prize £100

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First prize winner will be published in the October 2023 journal. The top 3 poems will be put forward to next year's Forward Prize, a prestigious award which is not open to submissions from the general public.

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3 x Highly Commended will be published on the blog.

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Deadline: 11.59pm Tuesday 1st August 2023

Results: September (exact date TBC)

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ENTRIES OPEN 1st MAY 2023

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TWO SIMPLE STEPS TO ENTER: 

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STEP 1. Please read the T&C's at the bottom of this page. Click on the button below to be taken to the shop. Go to 'Poetry Prize Entry' and add the chosen quantity to cart then click 'View Cart'. You will be taken through a secure checkout process where you can pay via card/Paypal.

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STEP 2. Please send your entry marked clearly as 'Poetry Prize' along with your order number to: editor.monosubmissions@gmail.com

You will receive receipt of your entry by email within 24 hours. Please send as a WORD DOC. or PDF and omit name from main document as all entries are judged anonymously. You can send in one doc or multiple docs in any font.

To ensure we don't miss anything we process entries manually, so do ask any questions at this stage and we will reply promptly. Please direct all questions or queries to the above email address, clearly marked 'Poetry Prize Enquiry'. 

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JUDGE
BLAKE AUDEN

‘Someone once said to me my head was a colony of bees…[and I thought] I guess that makes me a beekeeper then...'  ~Blake Auden~

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Blake Auden  was born in Manchester, UK, and now lives in Brighton & Hove, on the south coast of England. Growing up with a father in the military, Blake began reading war poems from an early age, becoming fascinated with the ability of poetry to capture complex emotions. He has a degree in Film & TV from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, alongside a degree in music from the University of Sussex. He eventually moved into graphic design and illustration, before returning to writing in 2019. Soon after, Blake began sharing his work on Instagram, publishing one new poem every day and has amassed a following of almost 300,000 followers to date. He is the author of three best-selling poetry collections, Tell the Birds She's Gone, Beekeeper and Murmurations all of which sold out as pre-orders. His chapbook The Things We Leave Behind was published in 2021, and was written during the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on loss, mental health and the experience of being in lockdown. He speaks out regularly in support of  men's mental health and awareness. He has been interviewed and published in Forbes magazine, The Mirror, METRO, The Paris Review and many more. 

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We asked Blake what he'll be looking for in the winning poems:

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'I'm always interested in poetry that subverts the reader's expectations, whether that's through the use of language, formatting or approaches to difficult themes. But more than anything, I'm looking for emotional resonance, for poetry that makes me feel something and stays with me long after I've finished reading. For me, writers that can achieve this in shorter-form poetry are a rare breed, and I'm excited to discover new poets through this collaboration with MONO. 

 

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T&CS

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

  • Entrants may submit up to 5 poems only and will be charged £6 per poem. Only the first 5 poems will be considered.

 

  • Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and by submitting you are confirming that the work is your own. Any evidence to the contrary will result in immediate disqualification.

 

  • Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed (as in 2nd, 3rd, runner up etc) in any other competition. If your entry has been long-listed or shortlisted in other competitions, and provided it has not won a prize or been published, it is eligible.

 

  • Simultaneous submissions are allowed but will become ineligible should they win a prize elsewhere or be published prior to the date of prize giving.  Entry fees will not be refunded. You must inform us immediately should your entry be published or win a prize elsewhere.

 

  • Entries submitted posthumously are not eligible.

 

  • Family members or close associates of MONO editors/judges are not eligible to enter.

 

  • Entrants must be over 18 years of age.

 

  • Receipt of entries will be confirmed by email.

 

  • Entries will be short-listed, and winners chosen by the judge, after the closing date. The judges decision is final.

 

  • By entering the competition, you confirm that all information submitted by you is true, current, and complete. MONO. reserves the right to verify the eligibility of all entrants.

 

  • Any personal data relating to entrants will not be disclosed to a third party without the individual’s consent. Please see our Privacy Policy for full details of our commitment to your data security.

 

  • Winners will be paid via bank transfer or Paypal (if preferred), so please make sure you are able to receive this.

 

  • No alternative prize or cash in lieu will be offered and the prize is non-transferable.

 

  • MONO. reserves the right to disqualify any entrant if it has reasonable grounds to believe the entrant has breached any of the rules.

 

  • In the event of any dispute regarding the rules, conduct, results and all other matters relating to a competition, the decision of the judge(s) shall be final and no correspondence or discussion shall be entered into.
     

  • MONO. will not be liable if a prize does not reach a prize-winner for any reason outside of their control.

 

  • No refunds will be given should an entrant change their mind.

 

  • MONO. reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition in the event of unforeseen circumstances or circumstances outside its reasonable control.
     

  • Winners may be requested to take part in promotional activity on our blog and MONO. reserves the right to use the names of winners in any publicity both in paper and online.
     

  • MONO. reserves the right to re-draw an alternative winner and re-allocate the prize, if after a period of 28 days, the original winner has not responded

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