CALL FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS

34-37 DEGREES SOUTH – SIGNS

CLOSING FRIDAY 9 AUGUST 2024

The SCWC invites members to submit poetry for an anthology of poetry on the theme of ‘signs’.

Signs are everywhere. They surround us, direct us while we’re driving, walking, or shopping. We look to the skies, walk the beach, watch the sun setting behind the escarpment, the shadows lengthening. We see signs of environmental collapse or green shoots of renewal. And poetry itself is sign-making: signs of resistance, of change, of love.

The editors are looking for engaging poetry of all forms. We want writing that is memorable and uses language well, writing that shows a clever take on the theme ‘signs’ and points the reader to the dynamic poetry of the Illawarra, South Coast, Far South Coast and Southern Highlands of NSW.

Send us your best new, polished work.

This year we are also accepting video poetry and audio poetry submissions, so focus that lens and adjust that microphone and send us your best work.

There are no prizes. Your reward is that, if selected, your poem(s) will appear in the anthology.

Your entry fees will support the work of the South Coast Writers Centre.

The SCWC Hardship Fund is available to members and their children who lack the financial means to attend SCWC workshops, events or courses, or to become members. If you need access to the fund, please email us.

Conditions of entry:

• Entry is open only to members of the South Coast Writers Centre (SCWC). If you are not a member, you can join our writing community and enter. JOIN NOW.

• Entries open 8 July and close 9 August 2024 at 11:59pm.

• Submissions will only be accepted via the SCWC website using the form below. 

• A maximum of three entries per person is permitted.

• An entry fee of $10 must be paid with each poem entered.  Please note, only one poem per entry form. Use a new form for each poem.

• Each entry may be a maximum of 30 lines or 300 words for prose poetry and should be written mainly in English.

• Each entry must be submitted as a Word file, formatted in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, with 1.5 line spacing.

• The poet’s name must not appear in the Word document or in the file name.

• We also accept video poetry  (MP4 and MOV files) and audio poetry (MP3, M4A, WAV files). Please keep your submission to around 2 minutes duration. For assistance uploading your file, please contact petercfrankis@gmail.com. 

• All entries will be ‘blind’ assessed by a panel of readers.  The judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into about the judgments or the judging process.

• Entries must be original works. Collaborative works are also welcome. No AI-generated poems please.

• Previously published, prize-winning or broadcast poems are ineligible. Poems self-published on your personal blog or personal website are permitted.

• Entries under contract to a publisher or broadcaster are ineligible.

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted. However, please inform us if your work is accepted elsewhere and we will withdraw it.

• Entry fees will not be refunded if entries are subsequently withdrawn.

• If you need to change your poem once you’ve submitted it, please get in touch (petercfrankis@gmail.com) before the submissions close on 8 August.

• All poets will retain the copyright over their work while assigning to the South Coast Writers Centre a limited licence to publish the work.