Home » Forum » I just Need to Talk » poetry contests on this site

Poetry Contests on this site

Posted by Ghairo Daniels on 7/23/2025 8:58:28 AM

Hello whoever lands here. I would like to get a couple of things off my chest regarding contests here. I will do it one at a time so as not to overwhelm you. I've been posting poems on this site for a long time, but only recently started entering its contests & noticed quite a few unsavoury things about them that I would encourage the PS team to address. The one for now is : I perceive it extremely UNPROFESSIONAL the way some contest organisers change the nature of contests half way through them. I will not mention names here though I'm sure you know who you are. One organiser of a premium contest went as far as deleting the actual prompt for a contest without any explanation AT ALL IN AN UPDATE. What does this indicate, would you say ? To my mind, nothing but an unhealed superiority complex. Another premium organiser said the topic presented was not what was meant !! Can you believe this ?! Surely contest organisers know that those who enter these contests give of their time & these organisers benefit from the energy delivered through poems as much as the entrants do, if not more. I find it DISRESPECTFUL to the efforts of poets to improve when organisers do this. Can these contest organisers think properly about what they want to present BEFORE posting topics or prompts ? And can they give COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS before posting, in a tone that does not indicate supercilious mannerisms. One organiser recently, half way through the contest set a limit to the ask, which was an gross inaccuracy of the genre he was asking for. NOWHERE on the contest site is it stated that contest entrants should regularly check updates, whilst writing, or am I missing an instruction somewhere? I know of no other contests where organisers change the nature of contests in this arbitrary way. Do you ? Enough for now. Next instalment soon. Ghairo.

Replies

Comment by maya nuzain on 6/8/2026 3:37:13 AM

Fair points raised clear rules from the start matter, and mid-contest changes can understandably frustrate participants.

Comment by Ghairo Daniels on 11/4/2025 3:17:10 AM

ThkU for read, Mona. Yes, the contest dept. & “judging” needs to be jacked & opened up for unbias assessment. There seems to be underlying “rules” to be played by, which regular contestants seem knowledgeable of. Contest topics, to my mind seems arbitrary. There are a couple of advantages to entering a contest. New contestants would be advised to study the personalities & biases of contest organisers as “judgement” is made from this perspective. Blessings your way, Ghairo.

Comment by Mona Ebel on 10/25/2025 9:33:39 PM

Thank you for sharing. I hope your post will wake up those who forgot what it good manners and good ethics consist of and act accordingly. Although, I, myself, have yet to enter a contest on this site, I have looked at the different contests that are available, and did not resonate with any of them. I didn't like the presentation presented. I do hope this will grab the attention of those who have caused the disillusion and redeem themselves. Poetry and integrity are synonymous. God bless...

Comment by Ghairo Daniels on 9/9/2025 7:57:55 PM

Thankyou for replying, Ryan. It took me some time to realise how Soup uses contests to maintain old societal paradigms. I now use it to help me with my own self-validation process. I do though still assert that it needs to be professional in administration thereof, since it has over 30 000 members, I understand. Also these contests impact on the evolution of poetry in general & so on consciousness, since it spreads across the ‘net. Most large sites are becoming transparent in use of algorithms to aid members, & some even state upfront how they use these to promote specific members. Soup should do this too, if it wants to be some kind of leader poetry site. If it wants to sit in community fun, I suppose that’s OK too. Be blessed for contributing to this topic. (PS. Some intellectual Poet should do a thesis on the Impact of Poetry Contests on the evolution of consciousness. Lol. )

Comment by on 9/9/2025 4:58:57 PM

I agree with Woody. Contests are good for inspiring writes but I stopped caring if I won or lost. The trophys are meaningless and the hosts often biased. Do it for fun only and to breed creativity with limitations.

Comment by on 8/6/2025 12:05:00 PM

Ghairo, I've been trying to address the problem(s) of peer sponsored contests off and on for years. Believe me, it's a waste of time. From lack of experience to bias to simply not being qualified to judge a peer's poetry, the issues are endless. Good luck

Comment by Team Poetrysoup on 7/26/2025 2:46:17 PM

Yes, a contest sponsor should not change the contest requirements once the contest has started. However, many sponsors are poets who are not used to running contests, so it's a learning process for them. I would kindly address this in their blog posts.

Poetry Contests on this site

Replies

Member Area

Soup Social

Member Poems

Member Poets

Famous Poems

Famous Poets

Poetry Resources