Monday, June 23, 2014

Ambit Poetry Competition 2014: Poets Under the Influence


First Prize: £500. Head Judge: Roddy Lumsden


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Do you like to write outside, inside, or off your head? Scrawling ink across paper, or scribbling in bed? Is it nature, is it nurture? Anything goes – from interpretations, translations, and fevered type. Whether you’re influenced by another poet (living or dead), music, sport, art or experience, show us your brilliance, and stand a chance to win cash, publication, and priceless Ambit hype.
What’s your influence? Send us your best poems and we’ll see who gets our hearts racing.
Judges: Roddy Lumsden, award-winning poet and editor of Identity Parade – New British and Irish Poets.
Declan Ryan, Faber New Poet and Ambit poetry editor.
The competition will run from June 10th until the deadline of July 31st, and winners will be announced on September 1st. There’s only a 7 week window, so get submitting!
Submissions can be made either via our submissions portal or by post.
Each submission costs £5. With 6 UK or 8 Overseas submissions, you’ll receive a free year’s subscription to Ambit Magazine.
All judging will be done anonymously.

Prizes

1st place – £500
2nd place – £250
3rd place – £100
The three winning entries will also be published in issue 218 of Ambit Magazine. The winners will be invited to read alongside Roddy Lumsden at the launch of the issue on October 22nd 2014 in London.

Rules and regulations

1. All entries must be the original work of the author.
2. The competition is open to anyone, of any nationality, aged 16 or over.
3. All judging will be done anonymously, so no names or addresses should appear anywhere on your poems.
4. If your entry is under the influence of another poet/writer, please write ‘After [author’s name]’ beneath the title.
5. Poems must not have been previously published, either in print or online – this includes self-publishing and blogs.
6. There is no minimum line requirement, but poems must not exceed 42 lines.
7. All entries must be written in English. Translations into English are accepted and encouraged, but the poem must be marked as ‘Translation’.
8. No simultaneous submissions – any poem published or placed elsewhere after submitting to the competition will be disqualified.
9. Each entry costs £5. With 6 entries you’ll receive a free year’s subscription to Ambit.
10. The winning entries will be announced on September 1st.
11. The decision of the judges is final.

Guide to Postal Submissions

Postal submissions must include with a cheque made out to Ambit. Each submitted poem costs £5.
Poems must come with a cover sheet, which will contain your name, postal address and email address. If you do not have an email address, please include an SAE with UK stamps. As the judging will be done anonymously, absolutely no names or addresses should appear on the individual poems.
The competition deadline is July 31st. Only submissions postmarked on or before that date will be accepted.
Send your postal submissions to: Staithe House, Main Road, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk, PE31 8BP, UK.

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