Poetry Contests
Illinois State Poetry Society
ISPS sponsors an Annual Adult Contest, Student Contests, and a Book of the Year Contest.
The ISPS Annual Adult Contest is open to all poets. Our annual youth contest for Illinois students in high school and junior high school includes publication of winning poems in the Fresh Ink anthology, as well as cash prizes. Any current ISPS member living in Illinois at the time of their book publication is eligible for the book of the year contest.
Contest details and submission guidelines below.
Submission Guidelines
ISPS Annual Contest
Since the beginning, we have sponsored adult contests that offer a lot of opportunities for poets (members and non-members). There are several categories for which to enter. We do not publish the winning poems, so poets are able to submit them to other contests where eligible. This contest runs the August to September.
Submissions must be postmarked or uploaded on the website by…
Submission Deadline:
Contest Entry Fee:
ISPS Members $10.
Non-Members $20.
Eligibility. Contests are open to anyone.
Original, unpublished work. Not in print or published electronically.
Previous awards. Poems which have won monetary awards are not eligible.
Poem format In English, typed/computer-generated, 12 or 14 point font size.
No fancy fonts or illustrations.
40-line limit, unless specified. Title and one following blank line are not included in the line count. All other blank lines are included in the count.
One single-spaced poem per page.
Submission Limits
•Limit of one submission per contest category.
•No poem may be submitted in more than one category.
Titles. Except haiku, title all poems.
Submit two copies of each poem.
•Originals. In the upper left-hand corner include: Number and name of category; your name, address,
e-mail, and phone number; the word “MEMBER” if you have current membership in ISPS.•Duplicates. In the upper left-hand corner include ONLY number and name of contest category.
•Two Stacks. Separate originals from duplicates and stack in numerical order with originals on top.
Entry Fees (one poem per category)
• ISPS Members. $10 flat fee includes an entry in any or all categories.
•NON-MEMBERS. $20 flat fee, includes an entry in any or all categories.
ISPS Contest Submission Guidelines
To join ISPS visit Membership pg. ➔
Submissions can be mailed with a check payable to Illinois State Poetry Society or uploaded on the website.
How to Submit
List of all contest winners will be posted on our website: www.illinoispoets.org. and emailed to the membership via William Shakespeare. For a mailed copy, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your submission.
Winners’ List
Questions?
Contact the contest chair: Mary Beth Bretzlauf ISPS.manningham@gmail.com
ISPS & Highland Park Poetry US250 Persona Poem Contest
Submissions must be postmarked or uploaded on the website by…
Submission Deadline:
December 1, 2025
See highlandparkpoetry.org for more information
Contact the contest chair: Mary Beth Bretzlauf ISPS.manningham@gmail.com
Questions?
Submission Guidelines
ISPS Student Contest
The ISPS Student Contest was recently redesigned to give more opportunities for students to submit a poem by having more categories to choose from. Members sponsor the categories and are given the opportunity to judge them as well. The prize-winning poems and the first two honorable mentions are published in our annual publication Fresh Ink. Each winning student and their school library receive a copy of the book. Additional copies can be purchased on Amazon. This contest runs from November to February.
Submission Deadline:
Submissions must be postmarked or uploaded on the website by Feb. 28, 2026
Free. No entry fees.
Contest Entry Fee:
ISPS Student Contest Submission Guidelines
Any submission that does not follow ALL guidelines will be disqualified.
Eligibility. Original work of a single student in a public or private Illinois school or home-schooled in Illinois.
Entries. Only one poem per category. No poem can be submitted to multiple categories.
Unpublished. Poems published in print or online or accepted for publication (except in school publications) are ineligible.
Simultaneous Submissions. Poems currently entered in other contests are not eligible.
Poem & Page Formats
English only.
Lines. All text and blank lines count except the title and one blank line after title.
Line width. Maximum: 50 characters, includes punctuation marks and spaces.
Single-spaced lines.
One poem per 8.5” x 11” page.
Typed or computer-generated, 12 point, plain font (Times New Roman, etc.) on white paper. No artwork.
Title all poems except haiku.
Preparing Submissions
Submit two typed copies of each poem (one anonymous for the judge; one with ID). Include contest number and title on the upper left of both.
ID Copy Only: On the upper right include:
Student’s name, age, grade level.
School/home-school name and address
(city/state/zip required).
Teacher/Sponsor’s name (first and last name and Mr./Ms./Mrs.).
Teacher/Sponsor’s email address.
Add on the page a statement signed by the student: “I certify that this poem is my original work and has not been copied in whole or part from any author’s poem in print or posted on the Internet.”Signed_______________________
Copies. Do not separate the copies. Do not staple the copies together.
Batched Mailings: Teachers/Sponsors may send all students’ poems in one envelope.
Sort poems by contest number.
Keep anonymous and ID copies together (no staples or
paper clips).
Include your email address.Self-entered. An individual student may submit entries in a single mailing.
Fees. No entry fees.
Submissions can be mailed to Illinois State Poetry Society or uploaded on the website.
How to Submit
Contact the contest chair: Mary Beth Bretzlauf ISPS.manningham@gmail.com
Questions?
The Manningham Trust Student Poetry Competition
The National Federation of State Poetry Society (NFSPS) sponsors an annual poetry competition for students grades six through twelve. The Manningham Poetry Trust Competition provides cash prizes and publications for the winning students. This contest takes place from September to November. More information can be found on their website, NFSPS.net. All students (public, private and home schooled) are eligible to enter.
ISPS Book of the Year Contest
Submission Guidelines
A new contest! Only a couple years old, any current ISPS member living in Illinois at the time of publication is eligible for the contest. The Book of the Year prize is $100 and featured author opportunities.
Contest Entry Fee:
December 31st
Submission Deadline:
$10. Judge’s Reading Fee for each book submitted.
ISPS Book of the Year Contest Submission Guidelines
Eligibility. Contests are open to any current ISPS member living in Illinois at the time of publication.
Requirements. The book must include the current year’s copyright date and ISBN and has a minimum of 40 pages of poetry.
Entry Fee $10. Judge’s Reading Fee for each book submitted (payable to Illinois State Poetry Society).
To join ISPS visit Membership pg. ➔
Submissions can be mailed with a check payable to Illinois State Poetry Society or uploaded on the website.
How to Submit
List of contest winners will be posted on our website: www.illinoispoets.org.
Winners’ List
Questions?
Inquiries can be sent to: isps.bookoftheyear@gmail.com
