A poetry competition judge has offered some tips, and an insight into how her own competition is going, a couple of weeks before its deadline. Carole Bromley, who is judging the £250 YorkMix / York literature festival competition, said entrants should remember to provide a really well thought-out title and a strong first line, as well as keeping “something up your sleeve for the ending”. Other tips include trusting the reader: “You don’t have to hand it to them on a plate. Let them work it out for themselves. So what if they have to read to the end before they 'get it'. It’s their job to read to the end.” However, she adds that “the vast majority of the poets entering clearly know their onions and this shows in the very high standard of the poems so far longlisted”.  

The deadline for  the poetry competition run by community website YorkMix  and York literature festival is 28 February. York literature festival  runs from 20-31 March. More details