Terms and Conditions

Welcome to Apoetical.

By submitting your work to Apoetical (whether for a competition, anthology, or general publication), you agree to the following terms:

Submissions

• All submitted poems must be your original work and must not have been previously published elsewhere (including self-publication online) unless otherwise agreed in writing.
• You must be the sole owner of the rights to your work. Submissions that breach copyright or plagiarism rules will be disqualified.

Publication Rights

• By submitting your work, you grant Apoetical and Big Thinking Publishing the non-exclusive right to publish your poem(s) on our website, social media platforms, and in any related anthologies.
• You retain full copyright of your work at all times.
• Should you wish to republish your work elsewhere after it appears with us, a simple credit back to Apoetical would be appreciated.

Competitions

• Competition entries must follow the specific guidelines outlined on the submissions page (e.g., one entry per person, maximum 50 lines, submitted in English).
• Winners will be selected by Apoetical's editorial team and/or appointed judges. Our decision is final.
• People's Choice voting (where applicable) is open to the public; we reserve the right to remove fraudulent or suspicious voting activity.

Prizes

• Competition winners will be awarded as described in the competition guidelines (e.g., bookshop vouchers, anthology publication, eternal glory).
• No cash alternatives are available unless specifically stated.
• Prizes are non-transferable.

Communications

• By submitting, you agree to receive occasional updates regarding the status of your submission and competition results. You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
• We aim to respond to submissions in a timely manner but cannot guarantee feedback or publication for every entry.

Disqualification

• Submissions that promote hate, violence, discrimination, or plagiarism will be immediately disqualified.

Privacy

• Any personal information you provide (name, email address, bio, etc.) will be used solely for the purposes of the competition, publication, or communications directly from Apoetical and Big Thinking Publishing.
• We do not sell, trade, or share your data with third parties.

In short:

• Be original.
• Be respectful.
• Read the guidelines carefully.
• Keep writing — we're thrilled to read your work.