OFFICIAL RULES

Eligibility

Poets: This contest is open to all poets at least thirteen years or older, published or unpublished. Current employees or volunteers of Web Del Sol or the InterBoard Poetry Competition are not eligible. Only one entry per poet per monthly contest is allowed.

Poems: Poetry must be the original composition of the submitter and may not have been published, either in print form or via electronic media. For this competition, published means any form of reproduction for which the writer received payment, either monetary or in kind. Poems which have been awarded prizes in other competitions are also ineligible, except school competitions, etc.

Multiple Submissions: If a poet has more than one poem submitted for consideration, the IBPC Managing Editor will select one for judging. Others will be returned and the submitting boards requested to submit alternate selections. If the same poem is submitted by more than one forum, the poet will be asked to choose which board it will represent. The remaining boards will be requested to submit alternate selections.

Forums: The minimum following criteria must be met before a poetry board can be accepted into the IBPC competitions. The board must number at least 25 posting members, be regularly critiquing and allowing postings of new and original poetry. (Note: though no minimum amount of poetry is required, competition administrators will monitor the boards to assure they are viable.), regardless if registration or a  password are required. Agree to publicize the winners in the competition.

Fees: There are no entry fees, no subsidy payments, and no purchases of any kind required to enter and win the contest.

Rights: All poems remain the property of the author. By having a poem entered, the author may also be eligible for the publication of the poem by the InterBoard Poetry Competition.

The InterBoard Poetry Competition is under no obligation to publish every contest entry and can disqualify an entry at any time.

Notification

All winners will be notified by email and posted on our internet site.

Monthly Competition

Submission

Board Level: Each participating board will devise and implement its own method of poem selection.

Competition Level: Each board editor may submit up to three poems, per month. These will be submitted via email on or before the third day of each month to the managing editor. Before poems are submitted, the authors will be notified and permission obtained. Copyright shall be retained by the author. Editors should request 
a best and final to assure the latest revision is judged.

If poems are not received by the managing editor by Noon of the 3rd, Pacific time, the managing editor reserves the right to not forward the poems to the judge.

Judging Level: The IBPC Managing Editor will remove all names and board titles to make each submission anonymous. These will then be forwarded by email to the judge on or before the 7th day of the month.

Submission Format: Board editors will submit the poems in the following format:

Poem title
Author
Author's email address
Board name

The Poem

An .rtf or .doc attachment (or a suitable substitute) is preferred in order to retain the work as formatted by the author. Poems may be in the body of email if the format can be preserved.

Prizes

Each month, the prizes of 1st, 2nd, 3rd places and an Honorable Mention will be awarded. These may be published in the periodically released IBPC Anthology. All rights remain with the author.

Decisions

Entries are judged on the basis of originality, creative imagination, characterization, artistic quality, technical merit, and the adherence to line limits. All decisions of the judges are final.

Judges

Judges will be appointed by the Managing Editor. Any participating board representative,
administrator, editor, or IBPC board member can suggest or nominate a judge. The judge shall be a neutral party who is not affiliated with IBPC or any of its participating boards or forums. Judges' tenure will be four months, unless that is not possible.

Suggestions for new judges will be considered at any time specified by the Managing Editor. Any current Director may call for a vote to remove any or all judges if deemed necessary. A quorum is not necessary. Judges may be removed by a majority vote of attending Directors.

Annual Competition

Submission:

Board Level: N/A

Competition Level: When a poem places 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in any of the Monthly Competitions, it is automatically submitted into the Annual Competition, unless otherwise requested by the author.

Judging Level: The IBPC Managing Editor will remove all names and board titles to make each submission anonymous. These will then be forwarded by email to the judge.

Multiple Submissions: There are no restrictions on number of poems per poet which may be submitted for consideration. The judge will consider all poems submitted for the Annual Competition.

Multiple Selections: Only one poem per poet may win or place in the Annual InterBoard Poetry Competition. Since submissions to the judge are anonymous, if more than one poems from a single poet are selected, that poet will be asked to choose one to represent him/her. The judge will then make appropriate alternate selections.

Prizes

Each year, the prizes of 1st, 2nd, 3rd places and an Honorable Mention will be awarded. These will then be published in the periodically released IBPC Anthology. As with the monthly competition, all rights remain with the author.

Decisions

Entries are judged on the basis of originality, creative imagination, characterization, artistic quality, technical merit, and the adherence to line limits. All decisions of the judges are final.

Judges

Judges will be appointed by the Managing Editor. Any participating board representative, administrator, editor, or IBPC board member can suggest or nominate a judge. The judge shall be a neutral party who is not affiliated
with IBPC or any participating board or forum. Suggestions for new judges will be considered at any time specified by the Managing Editor. Any current Director may call for a vote to remove any or all judges if deemed necessary. A quorum is not necessary. Judges may be removed by a majority vote of attending Directors.