**Write up a storm: Foyle Young Poets 2013 0pens for entries!**

We are delighted to annouce that this year's competition will have acclaimed judges Hannah Lowe and David Morley at the helm. It is once again on the search for exciting new young poets aged 11-17. So what are you waiting for, take the chance and enter your poem!  Take a look at the full rules and information on the prizes and opportunities.

Deadline for Entries is the 31st July 2013. Enter online here or download a postal entry form.

With entries from over 7,300 young people last year from a staggering 60 countries worldwide, it is one of the largest literary competitions in the world and its importance is widely attested. Each year 100 winners (85 Commendations and 15 Overall Winners) are selected by a team of high profile judges, and receive their awards at an annual prize-giving event on National Poetry Day on the 3rd October 2013. Thanks to funding from the Foyle Foundation the competition remains completely free to enter and we are able to offer a wide range of prizes, opportunities and resources to young people and schools across the UK. We are delighted to launch new Foyle Lesson Plans based on previous winning poems - a fantastic way to inspire new voices.

Overall  Winners from the 15 to 17 age category attend a week-long intensive residential Arvon course where they develop their creative writing skills alongside fellow poets. Winners aged 11-14 group benefit from poetry residencies at their school followed by distance mentoring.

You can find out more about the 2012 Winners, whose poems can be read online and in the new Foyle Anthology Gorgeous like a thunderstorm - free copies can be requested for both schools and individuals below.

These winners are among the most promising young literary talent in the UK, and the ceremony is the first step in an ongoing process of developing this potential; many of our former winners have gone on to publish work with major publishing houses such as Faber & Faber and Carcanet, and we support them through a number of initiatives helping them to establish themselves in the literary and publishing world, such as internships, editorial opportunities and showcasing events.

Download Press Release

How to enter:

The competition is free to enter. Individuals may enter more than one poem, however we strongly advise that you concentrate on drafting and redrafting your poems and send only a small selection of your very best (we suggest no more than 6-8 maximum). Remember, quality is more important than quantity! Please read the full rules carefully.

Individuals: Enter online here or download a postal entry form

Teachers:  Download a Class Set Entry Form here and you can also request a Class Set of Anthologies, Poster and Entry forms below

The Foyle Winners 2012 Anthology: Gorgeous like a thunderstorm

We are delighted to launch the Foyle Winners anthology Gorgeous like a thunderstorm featuring the top fifteen winning poems of the  2012 competition. It will be distributed over March and April 2012 free to over 20,000 Poetry Society members, schools, libraries, arts organisations, publichers, past entrants and individuals right across the UK. The anthology also has an entry form inside for postal entries to the 2013 competition.

Please note all past entrants from the past 4 years (aged 11-17) living in the UK will automatically receive an anthology by the end of March 2013- so hold on for yours first before requesting one please.

Individuals- If you live in the UK and would like to receive a FREE anthology please simply email fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk with your full name and postal address and 'FYP 2013 Anthology Request' in the subject header. (Please note this is for UK residents only, we are no longer able to send anthologies outside the UK due to prohibitive postage costs - See our online version of the Anthology instead)

Teachers - All UK teachers are invited to request a free class set of set of anthologies, commissioned poetryclass lesson plans, gorgeous A2 display posters plus entry forms. Simply email fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk with your full name, teaching position, and school address and postcode with 'Class set entry' in the subject header. Do take advantage of our new Foyle Lesson plans, based on two poems from the anthology: free and downloadable here.

International Schools: Do have a look at our online version of the Anthology and download a printable A4 Poster to use in schools and other institutions (Please note we are no longer able to send anthologies outside the UK due to prohibitive postage costs). We endeavour to send out all requests within 10 days, whilst stocks last.