Tennessee Williams Festival Poetry Contest

Submissions are open for Tennessee Williams Literary Festival Poetry Contest, which awards $1,000 to the grand prize winner!

This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry. Published books include self-published books, chap books, or any book with an ISBN. Those who have published books in other genres besides poetry remain eligible. Only previously unpublished poems will be accepted.

The 2025-2026 TWF Poetry Judge is Skye Jackson.

 Grand Prize

• $1,000
• VIP All-Access Pass ($600 value) for the next Festival
• Public reading at the next Festival
• Publication in French Quarter Journal
• Photo and bio on website
• Interview feature in newsletter and social media pages

Is this competition legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any event, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work.

FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it’s your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.

ProWritingAid
We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives. Visit their website and try ProWritingAid for free.