The OSP Poetry & Prose Competition 2024 Terms and Conditions

​

• The start date for the OSP Poetry & Prose Competition is 1st March, 2024.

• All entries must be received by midnight on 30th June, 2024.

• All entries must be submitted online.

• International entries are welcomed.

• IMPORTANT: One entry form covers up to three poems/prose works, it is up to writers to submit three works in one PDF.

• All submissions must be anonymous, with no author name appearing anywhere in the document.

• Online entries will generate an automatic confirmation of receipt at the time of submission.

• There is no limit to the number of entries an individual may submit.

• Open to all eligible entrants over the age of 18.

• Simultaneous submissions to other prizes and competitions are not permitted.

• OSP students are not eligible to enter work which has been composed when studying with the OSP to the competition. All other work is eligible.

• The standard entry fee is £10.00 per single poem or single prose work ; three poems or prose works entered in the same PDF (one submission) £20.00.

• Poems and prose works must not have been published, self-published, published on a website, broadcast, been placed first, second or third, or been awarded a prize in any other competition.

• Poems must be no more than 100 lines and be composed in English. 

• Prose (including non-fiction and fiction excerpts from longer sequences eg: novels, articles and short stories must be no more than 4,000 words.

• If a poem or prose work does not have a title, the first line will be used to identify the poem.

• Poems and prose works must be typed in Times New Roman, 12 point font.

• Please submit PDFs only.

• Poems and prose works cannot be changed by the writer once entered.

• The OSP editor reserves the right to suggest small editorial changes, subject to agreement.

• All entries will be considered by the relevant judge.

• The judge's decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into.

• If a poem or  prose work does not comply with the formatting rules, it will be disqualified.

• Any plagiarised work will be disqualified.

• Entry fees will not be returned in the event that a poem or work of prose is disqualified.
  
  Prizes​

• The Poetry Competition winners will receive: first prize a free Year-Long Poetry Course worth £1800, second prize a free Build Your Own Collection or Manuscript Assessment worth £600 and third prize any three week course worth £120 for free. A short list of up to 10 poems and a long list of up to 20 poems will be drawn up. These poems will also be published in The OSP Review (subject to editorial). Feedback will be given on all entries.

• The Prose Competition winners will receive: first prize a free Year-Long Prose Course worth £1800, second prize a free Build Your Own Prose Work or Manuscript Assessment worth £600 and third prize a dedicated three hour intensive mentored appraisal worth £120 for free. A shortlist of up to 10 prose works and a longlist of up to 20 prose works will be drawn up. These prose works will also be published in The OSP Review (subject to editorial). Feedback will be given on all entries.

• A poem or  prose work can only win one of the above prizes.

• The prizewinning, shortlisted and longlisted poems and prose works will be published in the following edition of The OSP Review.

• The copyright of the poem or prose work belongs solely to the author.

• The competition organisers reserve the right not to award prizes if, in the judges' opinion, such an action is justified.
  
  Results

• If a poem is shortlisted or has won the Poetry Prize then, once this has been made public, it cannot be withdrawn.

• The results of both poetry and prose competitions will be announced on the website on July 31st, 2024, after the winners have been informed.