THE 2023 BLOOM WRITING CONTEST
The 2023 Bloom Writing Contest is the latest competition from The European Society of Literature.
Due to the overwhelming success of the #EuropeanWritingPrize and the growing preorders of The European Literary Review: First Edition, the society saw it fit to dive headfirst into the next competition.
This time, we will be accepting not only narrative short stories as submissions, but also essays and poetry. We believe that good literature isn’t confined to a particular category—a fantastic, meaningful essay can be lightyears better than some novels. So too can a simple, well-written poem say infinitely more than a story in prose.
The cash prize for the winner will be 500 Euros, with the entry fee being a flat rate of 3 Euros per submission.
More information below.
Overview
The 2023 Bloom Writing Contest is a writing competition that seeks to find hidden talent in the literary scene. Named after the late Harold Bloom, a renowned literary critic and scholar, the contest will place heavy emphasis on works of deep meaning, aesthetic beauty and literary quality—just as he did. Unlike the previous competition, The 2023 Bloom Writing Contest accepts submissions of all types, whether it be an essay, a poem, a short story, or even an exhortation (if that’s your style!). All will be judged equally and on the basis of your submission’s quality on its own.
The winner of the competition will be showcased in the second edition of The European Literary Review, the society’s quarterly literary magazine. The winner will also have their own ‘author showcase’ in the journal discussing their life, aspirations, literature, motivations, etc—this is optional, and not required. But it is a good opportunity to increase the value of your personal literary profile.
Each submission that makes the shortlist will also be fully showcased in The European Literary Review, along with some selected pieces from the longlist.
Dates
Submissions will open on 10 January 2023.
The submissions will close on 1 May 2023.
The longlist will be published 2 weeks later, on 15 May 2023.
The shortlist will then be published a week later, on the 22 May 2023,
The winner will be announced the following week, on the 29 May 2023.
Remember these dates; they are important. We expect to receive a lot of submissions, and it takes our judges time to sift through them.
Theme
The theme for the 2023 Bloom Writing Contest is ‘Beauty’. Writers should incorporate the notion of beauty into their work however they see fit. What matters most is whether you submit a fine piece of writing — it isn’t so much about how close to the prize theme you make your work. With that being said, the idea of beauty must be embedded somewhere within your piece, even if it is subtle.
Who can submit?
Anyone can submit to the writing competition. We are unconcerned with your race, your nationality, your age, your sexuality or your gender—we care only about good writing, that’s it. We only ask that your submission be written in English, as our judges mostly speak that as their first language.
Entry fee?
The entry fee is 3 Euros per submission. If you submit more than one piece of writing to the competition, then you must pay another 3 Euros. The entry fee helps keep the website running, covers the marketing costs, pays the judges and helps contribute to the proper functioning of our literary organisation. If you would like to pay a higher fee to help support the society and our mission, then feel free to do so at your own discretion. Your submission will still be valid if you choose to pay more than 3 Euros; that is simply the minimum. Further details regarding the fee can be found in the rules and terms at the bottom of the page.
Length of submissions
Whether it be an essay, a short story or a poem, the word count should be no more than 2500 words. There is no minimum word count, but be reasonable: don’t submit a piece with something like 5 words—it will not suffice.
Who will judge my writing piece?
The European Society of Literature’s competition team is made up of writers, authors, journalists, avid readers and people within the field of literature. Submissions will be passed between them all and judged on the basis of their literary quality. The judging process is a strict one, and there is a very high standard of quality at The European Society of Literature, so you can rest assured that a low quality piece of writing won’t be favoured over something fantastic.
What’s the prize if I win?
The prize for the winner will be as follows:
500 Euros paid via PayPal or bank transfer
Automatic lifetime membership into The European Society of Literature
Publication in The European Literary Review: Second Edition
Potential talks with literary agents — they may scout the longlist, shortlist, and winners.
The prestige associated with being victorious! An unmatched opportunity to get your foot in the burgeoning literary industry of Europe and the Americas.
How do I submit?
To submit to the competition, there is a 2-step process.
The first step is to submit your writing piece via the submission portal below. Enter your email address so we can tie the submission to you.
The second step is to click the button that says ‘Entry fee payment’ and follow the prompts. To validate your submission, you need to pay the 3 Euro fee. Make sure the email you enter is identical to the email you enter on the submission portal (so we can tie it to you).
When this is finished and the payment clears, you are officially in the competition! Good luck, and happy writing!
UPDATE: As of May 1st, submissions are closed. Thank you and good luck to all participants!
We recommend you follow us on Twitter to stay updated on news related to the contest, as well as various other opportunities the society offers.
Rules and terms
You must be at least 17 years of age to submit.
You must submit your piece in English
Closing date for entries is May 1, 2023 at 23:59 (Berlin time).
Your piece must be your own work, not the work of others. Evidence of plagiarism will have your work removed from the competition.
The minimum entry fee is 3 Euros, but if you choose, you can donate any amount you wish (as long as it is at least 3 Euros). If you donate 100 Euros, your submission to the contest is still valid.
You may enter the competition as many times as you want. Each time, you will have to pay the submission fee (min. 3 Euros).
If you enter the competition more than one time, don’t use different names. You can use a pen-name if you wish, but stick to that name.
Any entrant can opt to remove themselves from the competition prior to the closing date, but no later than that.
The submission must be in either DOCX or PDF form. Other file types are forbidden.
The formatting of your writing piece should be 12 point, double-spaced. Page numbers should also be included.
Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but let us know via email so we don’t mistake anything for plagiarism.
By submitting a piece, you accept all of the rules stated above and give The European Society of Literature permission to publish your work in the journal granted you win, or are shortlisted/longlisted. Entries that don’t conform with the rules stated above will be disqualified and you may have to resubmit. For any further information and inquiries, please contact admin@litsoceu.com. Thank you, and happy writing!