COMPETITION RULES

• By entering the competition, entrants agree to abide by these rules.
• Entries must be submitted under the entrant’s real name.
• All poems must have a title and must not exceed 30 lines in length (excluding title). 
• A poem in its entirety must be an original work by the person entering the contest. Plagiarism is a serious offense with serious consequences.
• Any plagiarized work will be disqualified along with any other work submitted by the entrant.
• The competition is open to anyone resident in Barbados or a descendant living abroad for the relevant age group.
• The start date to enter the competition is March 1st  2023, only online (electronic) entries will be eligible
• Closing date of the competition is midnight (Barbados time), April 5th 2023. (at this time the online entry process will be closed)
• There is a maximum of 2 poem entries per person. 
• Contest entries are judged based on poetic technique, effectiveness, style, and creativity. Age for younger entrants is also a consideration.
• Do not type poems in all capital letters (they will not be entered).
• All entries must be entered electronically online using the provided online account access.
• Under no circumstances can alterations be made to poems once entered.
• The competition organizers reserve the right to change the judging panel without notice 
• The judges read all the entries; their decision is final and no written or verbal communication will be entered into.. 
• Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on a website or made public on social media, broadcast or featured among the winners in another competition before April 5th 2023.
• Prizewinners in each category will be notified by June 8th 2023 and invited to a book signing event Prizegiving for Volume 2 in 2023 (date to be determined).
• All entrants must provide a valid email address AND phone number so they can be notified about the outcome of their entry.
• The copyright of each poem remains with the author. However, authors of all entered poems, by entering the competition, grant that their poem can be published in the Barbados Book of Poems and Puzzles printed or electronic versions or future promotions of the event– Vol 1, royalty free (at no cost), on the condition that full attribution will be made to the author next to each poem entered.
• All winning entrants also agree that their poem will appear in the digital and multi-media publication of the Barbados Book of Poems and Puzzles – Vol II electronic version. 
• No hardcopy or handwritten scanned/photographed poem entries will be accepted.
• The competition organizers reserve the right not to award prizes in a category if, in the judge's opinion, such an action is justified.
• Copies of The Barbados Book of Poems & Puzzles Book can be pre-ordered from participating Schools, churches, Mobile Media Marketing official office & for overseas people from Amazon online.