Terms and Conditions

The opening date for the competition is Wednesday, 14th May 2025.

The closing date of the competition is Wednesday, 6th August at 11.59 pm.

• You can enter a maximum of 6 entries.
• No alterations can be made to poems or stories once entered.
• Entries must not have been published before (including self-published, published on a website or broadcast in any way).
• Entries must be entirely original work, written solely by the submitter.
• Work must not be produced or edited by Chat GPT or any other AI creation tool.
• We eserve the right to disqualify entries, cancel, or void entries immediately if they suspect fraud, misrepresentation, or any breach of the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs). Such actions often lead to the forfeiture of prizes and, in some cases, the banning of the user from future competitions without refund of entry.
• All entries will be online, and only accepted through Submittable – via www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk.
• Entrants must be aged 18+.
• Entries must be written in English.
• We welcome international entries, but they must be written in English.
• Non-cash prizes are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
• The Writers’ Conference ticket prize is not transferable for cash value.
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the decision.
• Writing East Midlands reserves the right to change the judges without notice.

Poems and Short Fiction

• Entries can be on any subject.
• All entries are judged anonymously so the writer’s name must not appear on the work itself or in the file title – any submissions which feature the writer’s name will be disqualified without a refund.
• All poems must have a title and must not exceed 60 lines (excluding title).
• All stories must have a title and must not exceed 2000 words (excluding title).
• Stories should be 2.0 line spaced, 12 point font.
• Poems and stories must be the original work of the entrant.

Fees

• The first poem/story submitted costs £9.00 Subsequent entries by the same writer cost £7.00 per poem/story.
• Payments must be made in £ sterling.

Shortlisted Writers

• There will be a published longlist of 25 poems and 25 short stories. You can choose whether to include your full work or just the title.
• There will be a shortlist of 10 poems and 10 short stories which will go forward to a final round of judging.
• The copyright of each shortlisted poem or story remains with the author. Authors of the winning poems or stories, by entering the competition, grant Writing East Midlands the right to publish the work on its website/social media and use it in promotional material thereafter.

Winners

• Prizewinners will be notified as part of a prize giving/celebration evening in October/November 2025 TBC.
• The copyright of each poem or story remains with the author. Authors of the winning poems or stories, by entering the competition, grant Writing East Midlands the right to publish it on its website/social media and use it in promotional material thereafter.
• Entry implies acceptance of the rules. Failure to comply with all the rules will result in disqualification.
• Writing East Midlands is unable to pay travel and accommodation costs for winners attending the prize giving.