Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry 2024 – Children’s competition rules

1. Entries close on Friday 19th July 2024 at 23:59 (BST). Entries submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
2. All entries must be submitted by an adult capable of giving permission on behalf of the child: parent/guardian or the child’s teacher who has obtained the parent or guardian’s permission.
3. The children’s competition has two age categories: 4-11 years or age 12-17. Please enter the relevant category based on the age of the child at the time of entering. 
4. The poem must be the child’s original work.
5. Previously published work is not eligible. The poem must not have been previously self-published, published online or in print, or broadcast, or accepted for publication. The poem must not have been a winner in a previous competition. If a poem is published elsewhere after being submitted for this competition, it must be withdrawn from the Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry 2024 by emailing: poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk  
6. Simultaneous submissions to other competitions are allowed on the understanding that you will immediately withdraw the poem from the Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry if it wins elsewhere. To withdraw the entry please email: poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk  
7. The responsible adult can submit one poem only, per child, to the competition – put their best poem forward! 
8. If you are a teacher entering on behalf of multiple children – i.e. class teachers – please fill in the ‘Teacher’s Entry Form’ (which can be found on our website) and send the poems alongside the completed entry form to poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk.  
9. Alterations cannot be made to poems once submitted.
10. Copyright remains with the author, but The Dennis Myner Trust and The Morrab Library reserve the right to have entries performed on the radio, TV, or stage, published on the internet, in a book or used for publicity purposes at any stage in the future. 
11. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into and the competition judges, staff of The Morrab Library and The Dennis Myner Trust will not provide feedback on entries.
12. The Dennis Myner Trust and The Morrab Library reserve the right to change the judging panel without notice. 
13. Should the entry be chosen as the winner, runner up or awarded as highly commended, the child’s name will be shared on The Morrab Library website, relevant social media posts and in a press release.
14. Winning entries will be shared on our website, social media, and used for press purposes. Physical copies of all of the shortlisted poems will be  displayed in the The Morrab Library and retained in The Morrab Library’s archives. 
15. Any photographs taken of the winning entrants may be used on our website and in social media and for press purposes unless consent is expressly withheld and recorded on the competition entry form.
16. When winners are selected we will check what name they wish to use before sharing  – pen names will be allowed.
17. The Dennis Myner Trust and The Morrab Library reserve the right to withhold prizes if such an action is justified.
18. No current employee or Trustee of The Dennis Myner Trust and The Morrab Library is eligible to enter The Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry 2024.

Entry formatting rules: 

1. For the children’s competition in 2024, poems can be submitted via the entry form on The Morrab Library’s website, or posted to (Children’s Poetry Competition, The Morrab Library, Morrab Gardens, Penzance, TR18 4DA) or delivered in person to the same address. 
2. If submitting a poem postally then the postal entry form must be printed and signed by the parent/ guardian and included in the envelope along with the poem. Poems without the accompanying form will not be accepted. We regret that we are unable to return any posted poems to the writer so please make sure to keep your own copy.
3. All entries are judged anonymously; therefore the name of the poet must not appear anywhere in the poem itself, or in the file name or title. Entries submitted with the name of the poet in the title, poem document, or file name, will be disqualified. 
4. The poem must not exceed 40 lines (the title and blank lines are not counted as a line).
5. The poem must be written in the English language. 
6. If the poem is typed out it can be in any legible font in 12pt, black. You can also write it by hand. 
7. The poem must be formatted as a pdf file. This ensures that the poem is entered with its intended formatting.
8. The file name should be the title of the poem, or, for untitled pieces, please use the first line of the poem instead.

Q: I am a teacher and would like to enter poems from all of the children in my class. Do I have to enter them individually on the online entry form? 

By submitting this form you are confirming that you have obtained the parent or guardian’s permission to submit their child’s poem to the competition. By completing the information on the form, you are giving us permission to record and use some personal information about the children you are responsible for. We use this information for the sole purpose of administering this competition. The Children’s Competition Privacy Policy can be found here and full Privacy Policy at morrablibrary.org.uk/privacy-policy you may withdraw your consent at any time.

Q: I have written lots of poems this summer, can I enter more than one poem to the competition?

A: No. We are asking for poets to put their best poem forward for this competition. It can be written in any form or style.

Q: Is the title included in the line limit (40 lines)?

A: No. The title is not included in the line count.  Epigraphs and dedications are not included in the line count either.  Your poem will be disqualified if it is over the line limit.

Q: Does the poem have to be typed out? 

A: Typing out the competition entry might make it easier for the judges to read your poem, so if you are able to type it out then please do. Handwritten poems will also be accepted.  

Q: Can I make changes to my entry after submission?

A: Unfortunately not.  If you would like to withdraw your entry from the competition then please ask your parent or guardian to email poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk.

Q: I have noticed spelling errors in my poem – will that affect my chance of winning?

A: Don’t worry, it is not necessary to have good spelling or perfect grammar to enter – poems will be judged on originality and creativity, rather than how they are executed.

Q: Do you accept entries by email or post?

A:  We are not accepting entries by email this year. You can enter the Children’s Competition for free online, through the entry form on our website (see the ‘How to Enter’ section below. If you’d prefer to post your entry please download, print and fill in the postal entry form (here).  We’re unable to accept a postal entry to the competition without a completed  entry form. 

All entries must be submitted by an adult capable of giving permission on behalf of the child – parent/guardian or the child’s teacher who has obtained the parent or guardian’s permission. Teachers – please complete the ‘Teacher’s Entry Form’ on our website.

Please do not post us your only copy of the poem. We’re unable to send your poems back to you so make sure to keep a copy.

Q: My poem was shortlisted in the Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry in 2022. Can I re-submit it?

A: Yes, unless it won (first, second, third prize) or has been published elsewhere in the intervening time. 

Q: Are simultaneous submissions to other competitions allowed?

A: Simultaneous submissions to other competitions are allowed on the understanding that you will immediately withdraw the poem from the Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry 2024 if it wins elsewhere. To withdraw your entry please email: poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk 

Q: Must entries be unpublished?

A: Yes. Previously published work is not eligible

Q: Does a poem on a blog and social media count as publication?

A: Yes. Your poem must not have been previously self-published, published online or in print, or broadcast, or accepted for publication. Your poem must not have been a winner in a previous competition. If a poem is published elsewhere after being submitted for this competition, it must be withdrawn from the Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry 2024 by emailing:  poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk  

Q: Are translations allowed?

A: The author’s translation of their own work into English is eligible but someone else’s translation of their work is not eligible. 

Q: Can I use a pen name?

A: Please complete the entry form using your child’s full name. When winners are selected we will check what name you wish to use before announcing the winners. Pen names will be allowed when we share the poems on social media, press releases and on our website.  

Q: Can I include artwork, photographs or illustrations in my poem? 

A: We will not be judging the poems based on any accompanying illustrations. 

Q: I accidentally included my child’s details on the poem I submitted to the competition. Will it be disqualified?

A: All entries need to be judged anonymously so it may be disqualified. If you realise that your child’s name is anywhere on the document then please email us as soon as possible and we will endeavour to remove it: poetryprize@morrablibrary.org.uk. 

Q:  Can you check that the poem I entered is the one I intended to enter?

A: Unfortunately we will not be able to check work once submitted. 

Q: How will I know that my entry has been submitted to the competition? Will I receive a confirmation email? 

A: Please tick the box at the end of the online entry form to accept receiving emails from us about the competition. You will receive an automated email once you have submitted your entry. Unfortunately, we will not be able to send email receipts for postal entries. 

Q: When will the competition winners be notified?

A: Shortlisted poets will be notified before the 30th September 2024 and invited to hybrid digital and in person awards ceremony which will take place in West Cornwall in October 2024.  We regret that we are not able to contact everyone who enters the competition to notify them of the results. The full results will be posted on the website before 31st October 2024 and any updates in the meantime will be shared on the website too. 

Q: Will you be having a prize giving ceremony and where will it be held? 

All shortlisted poets for both the adults and children’s competition will be invited to attend the same hybrid awards event which will take place in West Cornwall in October 2024. The competition winners will be revealed at the prize giving event. Winners will be invited to read during the prize giving event. Shortlisted poets will be asked in advance whether they wish to read their poem aloud, should it win the competition, or if they would prefer one of our judges to read it aloud. 

Q: When will the prize money be paid to the competition winners? 

A: The prize money will be paid to the winners as soon as possible after the prize giving.