The mulit-talented Julie Laing @j_a_laing, winner of the 2023 #williambonarpoetryprize, with Jim Carruth from St Mungo’s Mirrorball and Sheila Wakefield from Red Squirrel Press. Julie’s winning pamphlet, the edge of rhizome, is available from Red Squirrel Press www.redsquirrelpress.com

Submissions opened on Thursday 2 October (National Poetry Day) for the 2025 #williambonarpoetryprize! Red Squirrel Press in partnership with St Mungo’s Mirrorball. The deadline is 31 December 2025. Please see below for full details and rules.

Closing Date:
The closing date is 31st December 2025 and the winner will be announced on 17 February 2026, on what would have been William’s birthday.

Judges
Sheila Wakefield, Founder/Editor of Red Squirrel Press
Elizabeth Rimmer (Red Squirrel Press poet, reviewer, editor)
Eleanor Livingstone (Former Director of StAnza)
Padraig MacAoidh (Scotland’s National Makar, Gaelic judge)
Lynnda Wardle, writer and William Bonar’s partner

Prize:
The winner receives:
• Pamphlet publication by Red Squirrel Press
• Editorial support from Gerry Cambridge, ‘The Dark Horse’ founder, poet, editor, essayist and Red Squirrel Press's in-house typesetter and designer
• 30 free copies and 50% discount on unlimited further copies

Process:
• 10-12 poems, the original work of the poet in English, Scots, Gaelic
• Poems should not be more than 5 years old
• Entries accompanied by bio 600 words max. Poems & bio to be included in a single document
• Email entries marked ‘The William Bonar Poetry Prize’ to [email protected]

Eligibility

• Entrants should be over 18 and currently based in Scotland
• They should not have had a pamphlet or collection published by a publisher
• Entry is free but restricted to one entry per year

Submissions will open for the 2025 annual poetry prize on National Poetry Day, Thursday 2 October for Scottish-based poets in memory of William Bonar. See posts below for details 👇