Deadline: We call it a deadline for a reason. Anything MP receives after the date/time listed in the Contest Announcement will be considered dead to us. (That means it’s disqualified.) Entry fees will not be refunded under any circumstance.
Who may enter: Any writer over age 18. This isn’t a contest for children. Because Menopause Press is a site designed for women readers and writers who have a lot of life experience, we want poetry written by adults with insight. Female authors are particularly encouraged. Yes, we welcome entries from men.
What to enter: Your best poetry of an appropriate length and style that will appeal to women. Remember, poetry should touch the soul, carry emotion, and convey the authors’ vision to the reader. Sorry, we can only accept entries written in English. See Contest Announcement for length and other specifications for the current contest.
Entry fees: First Entry: $15 (US). Second and third entries: $12 each (US). Limit three entries per author. (Please note: your entry fee is used to compensate winners and support MP administrative costs. This is NOT a reading fee.) Fees are non-refundable.
Paying the fee(s): Pay before you submit your writing! MP cannot stress this enough. We accept entry fees by PayPal only via MP’s shopping cart. No checks or alternative methods are accepted at this time—so don’t ask! Be sure to note your PayPal confirmation information and PayPal account email address in your entry submission. Failure to do so could result in disqualification if we can’t match your entry to your payment.
Submitting your entry: All entries must be submitted via the official Entry Form (Click here or look for the link with the Contest Announcement). Sorry, we cannot accept snail-mail submissions.
Copy/paste your poems into the boxes provided in the form. Place the TITLE in all capitals and the lined count (like this: LC 00) at the top of each poem. At the end of each poem, please insert the word END in capital letters so we are certain we have received the full text. In the event we do not see the word END, we may or may not contact you to request verification that the final line is the end of the poem .
All poems should be formatted single-spaced with an extra line return between paragraphs—so your poem will be formatted similar to this text.
Verify all your information and that you have included all your entries (with Title/LC at top and END shown at the bottom). Submitting multiple entries at different times when you’ve paid the fees all at once makes it more difficult to pair your payment and your entries and could lead to stories being disqualified.
Important stuff: Limit three entries per author. All entries must be paid at one time to receive multiple entry discount. Paying individually will result in each costing the First Entry fee. Any entries by a single author beyond the third will be immediately disqualified.
Judging & Winners: Judging is by a select panel of humans with taste, experience (writing, editing, and otherwise), and love of poetry. Impress them and you will be rewarded. Winners will be notified approximately 45 days after close of contest. At that time, MP will request details to complete the prize award process. All cash prizes are awarded in US dollars via PayPal. Winners will be required to have a PayPal account (it’s free and easy to create one at PayPal.com). MP is not responsible for exchange rates, fees, local taxes, or similar considerations incurred after prize distribution.
Good Stuff:
First Place receives $75* US; publication of the winning story on Menopause Press along with author’s name and location.
Second Place receives $50* US; publication of the winning story on Menopause Press along with author’s name and location.
Third Place receives $25* US; publication of the winning story on Menopause Press along with author’s name and location.
Five Honorable Mention entries may be listed on Menopause Press by title, author’s name, and location. Honorable mention entries may be considered for publication on the site at a later date.
* IMPORTANT: Since contest prizes are based on number of entries, Menopause Press reserves the right to increase or decrease monetary prizes based on participation. Also, in the event more than 100 entries are received, First, Second, and Third Place winners may also receive bonus books on writing or a reasonable alternative for non-US winners.
Legal Junk: All entries should be unpublished either by traditional press or online. For instance, if you post your poetry in your blog, don’t submit it here. If your poem has won a contest elsewhere and been published, don’t submit it here. (Non-published placers and honorable mentions are okay.) Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please notify us by email if the poem is accepted elsewhere so we can remove it from consideration.
Menopause Press reserves one-time digital publication of all winning poems for a minimum of one year. During and after that time, poems will also be available in our archives at the site’s discretion. MP will consider removing poems from the archive if the author submits a special written request. Please note that such requests will not be considered prior to one year from MP publication date. Authors retain copyrights and may reprint their poems by conventional means at any time, however they may not be republished elsewhere on the Internet for the one year period as specified above.
A generic receipt for a contest entry will be forwarded to author via email. This will be an automated response confirming contact with Menopause Press. It is not a guarantee that your entry is acceptable or complete. Do not contact MP to verify that your entry was received in good order. If there is a problem with an entry deemed not the fault of the author, MP will contact the author for verification or correction.
Entries cannot be altered or updated once submitted. Submitting multiple, revised copies of the same poem will lead to only the first entry being considered. Subsequent submissions of it will be disqualified.
The decision of the judges is final and irrevocable.
Menopause Press is not responsible for published poems appearing on other sites without MP’s permission or the author’s consent. We do not authorize re-publication of our contest winners. It is the author’s responsibility to sic the hounds on those who violate their rights.
By paying your entry fee and submitting your work you are agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth in the contest guidelines and rules.
