Poetry Contests

Tips To Win

If you really want to win, follow these steps to a road of success.

1. Follow the rules!!!

This seems really stupid to say, but surprisingly people have a problem with that. I would suggest to future contestants. BEFORE ENTERING PLEASE READ THE RULES/INFO CHAPTER!

Ever since the first contest, I've had people issue with people following the rules, specifically the word limit. I would suggest you count how long your poem is, yes you. Not Wattpad but you. I don't count every single poem, but if I feel like the poem might be too long, I'll count it to make sure.

I don't care if your poem goes one word above 100, IT WILL NOT BE ENTERED. I used to be really nice with the rules and let people, who had maybe 110 enter but not anymore. I'm buckling down on the rules and need to be firm.

Last don't feel like I'm targeting you this tip goes to everyone. If you are a person and I've had to talk to you about this issue don't feel attacked. Your not the only one.

2. Make sure your poem Really follows the theme

Ask yourself... If someone read my poem, would they be able to guess what the theme is correctly? If you say no, or you think the person will have trouble with guessing it. Chances are your not selling the theme hard enough and that will lower your chances of winning.

Example: What not to do
Let's say the theme is astronomy and you say this...

Her eyes sparked like a million stars
I would stare at her from afar

And then the rest of the poem be about you and her with no words relating to the theme.

I'm not saying that every line has to deal with astronomy, but each line should at least building up to the theme. I don't know if you understand, it's really hard to explain, but really focus on sticking to the theme.

3. CREATIVITY

I like to be wowed. I like poems that can take a pretty plain theme and make it the best poem in the whole entire world. Make me see something in a different lens, your lens. If you do that, that really will boost your chance of winning.

4. Details

I can't express enough how important details are. Details make a poem go from mediocre to exceptional. Being able to make the reader imagine the setting or characters is everything. Deatils are thing that make you really feel like your in another world when you read something. And that magical feeling is everything.

5. Reaction. Did you leave off with a big bang?

Who doesn't love a good ending? And it sucks when the last line of the poem doesn't rhyme with the rest of the poem or you read it and you're like okay? I want to feel something, reveal something miraculous. I don't know. It doesn't have to be a big bang or a smoking gun, but the last line makes the poem feel finshed and completed. Which makes for a solid poem.

6. Rhyming

I might be a little biased, but I only really like poems that rhyme. The only time that i like a poem that doesn't is if, it has a lot of good details. But even then it'll probably place second or third. Rhyming poems just sound right, I like how it reads. Its more easier to comprehend too.

That's it! I said that I would be making a chapter on tips. I hope that you understood what I said and use it. The tips only apply to me and what I'm looking for, but it might help you in general, dealing with poems or writing.