Entering haiku in poetry contests

[Julie B. K.]

I've been wondering whether it makes sense to enter haiku into standard poetry contests.  It seems like most journals have a bias toward short or long forms, so I would suspect that most contests do too, but many contests are worded as if they have no preference.

So, I was wondering what most of us here do - do you try to publish in other journals besides haiku journals or do you just stick to specialty journals?  Do you ever enter poetry contests with haiku that are not specified as haiku contests?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Julie B K

[Don Baird]

Contests and journals are incredibly biased based on the editors and judges involved.  Of course, that is to be expected; where does the place of non-bias exist in humankind?  There is no objective mind born ... not yet.  Even choosing to be objective is a subjective choice.  :)

I have had poems turned down by one editor and then accepted by another.  I remember one in particular that Charles Trumbull of modern haiku accepted that another editor turned down.  Charles is a fabulous editor (not just because he accepted my poem, LOL) and he happened to "see" what the poem was about and liked it.

Know your contest.  Know your editors.  Write what you really want to write ... never change your voice just to get published or win a contest (unless it is untrained) ... and then submit to contests/journals/magazines that seem compatible with your offerings. Read the submission guides at all times, first!!!

Just thinking out loud.

Don

[Seaview (Marion Clarke)]

I haven't entered competitions as such, Julie, but I have submitted haiku to mainstream poetry journals and was delighted to have had them published.

marion

[sandra]

Hello Julie,

Don't know if you're aware of the Contests listing on Haiku NewZ - there are masses of haiku contests coming up so you may not need to consider submitting to "mainstream" contests.

http://www.poetrysociety.org.nz/haikunews/competitions

And the Haiku Registry on this site also has a good list.

There is also a long list of journals on the Haiku NewZ site - English-language publications from all around the world. If you haven't been to the site before, please do stop by and have a look round. There's all sorts of information available.

Best wishes,
Sandra Simpson
Haiku NewZ editor

[whitedove]

Hi, Julie  My husband and I have entered about 4 or 5 contests, and entering was worth it as a learning experience. For example, we entered the Robert Speiss Memorial contest that invited writers to draw inspiration from one of Robert Speiss's speculations about haiku.  In the speculation chosen, Speiss advised writers to appeal to the senses and listed four of them.  We wrote haiku designed to stimulate all four senses named!  They were dreadful, but we did learn something by reading the winning entries.  Contests are fun, and they teach you about creative approaches and currently accepted standards.  My husband entered the British Snapshot Press calender competition, and his entry was chosen as one to be published in their 2013 calender.  I entered the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku International and won a Sakura award in the United States division.  We are relative newcomers when it comes to writing haiku, and our experiences prove that you can break in and become a winner even if you haven't been writing for years and years.  We and our local writing group also sponsored a haiku contest in our town.  I would strongly urge you to enter contests and submit your work to journals. Having your work affirmed by others can be a very positive experience.  Rebecca Drouilhet

[Julie B. K.]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts & suggestions.   :)

[Hosscooper]

Howdy there Julie I actually entered a 4 part Haiku in my college open poetry contest and won! Much to my surprise actually. Not that I didn't like it, but I sort of considered it a novelty ( it was about fly fishing) and just entered it to round out my submissions to 3. Hey, you never know.  HOSS

[Chase Gagnon]

Hoss, congrats! I dont have any poetry contests at my school :P