APOETICAL
A PLACE FOR POETS
Poetry Competitions
Each month, Apoetical invites poets from around the world to share their voices through our poetry competitions. Whether you're an emerging writer or a seasoned lyricist, our competitions are designed to celebrate the power, diversity, and possibility of contemporary poetry.
Our next competition opens 2nd June 2025
Our Ethos
A Place for Poets
We exist as an exclusive Poetry imprint of Big Thinking Publishing, and a place you can come to unwind, create, and be heard. We’re here for the messy drafts, surprise tears, tiny victories, and unfiltered lines you’ve been afraid to share until now.
Championing underrepresented creatives
Poetry is for everyone, but the spotlight hasn’t always made room for all of us. That’s where we come in. Apoetical exists to uplift the voices that have too often been sidelined. We’re here to celebrate your voice, on your terms.
Poetry with Purpose
This isn’t just for art’s sake. This is poetry with teeth. We want the personal and the political, the soft and the spiky. We believe poetry can be a form of resistance, joy, and survival. If you’ve ever been told your work was too much - welcome home.
INK Bookshop
inkbookshop.com
for books and e-books
Email: ink@bigthinkingpublishing.com
The Book Van
Lancaster City Centre every Wednesday
Garstang Market every Thursday
Instagram: @A.POETICAL
Why should I submit to Apoetical?
- Transparent judging by a team of international poets and writers
- Championing diverse and underrepresented voices
- Profile exposure through features in our anthology
- A home for poets who push boundaries
What format should I use?
- Submit poems in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format
How long is too long?
- For poetry competitions, each poem should be under 50 lines
- For collections, submit 3-6 poems with your author bio and a synopsis of your work