Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

We didn’t wait for permission.
We didn’t wait for funding bodies.
We made a prize to prove they’re no more meaningful than ours — and you backed it.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

No illusion of permanence.
No myth of transformation.
Just one editor’s taste and money raised by a community that showed up.
That’s real.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

This award won’t crown “the best”.
It’ll crown favourites — like all prizes do.
The difference is we said it out loud and built it together.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

We know this prize doesn’t matter in the grand scheme.
Neither does prestige.
But cash and care do — and you showed both, shoulder to shoulder.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

Our prize is as arbitrary as any other.
So we skipped the ceremony and kept the honesty.
You helped fund it because you care about poets.
We do too.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

This prize won’t make you famous.
It won’t rewrite your future.
It will say: we liked this work, and here’s money — raised together.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

No authority claimed.
No neutrality pretended.
One editor’s favourites, funded by peers.
You raised the pot with us. That’s the story.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

We didn’t build this to last forever.
We built it to prove a point.
Prizes mean nothing — community doesn’t.
You proved that with us.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

This prize won’t fix poetry.
It won’t fix publishing.
It will reward one editor’s favourites and pass on money — raised together.
We’re fine with that.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

Our prize doesn’t mean more than others.
It just admits what all prizes are: subjective and small.
You stood with us and funded it anyway.
That solidarity counts.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

This isn’t a ladder.
It’s not a launchpad.
It’s one editor backing poems they love — with cash you helped raise.
That’s enough for us.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

We’re not pretending this prize is important.
We’re saying it’s honest.
It rewards favourites, pays poets, and exists because you helped make it.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

No glass ceilings will be shattered here.
No doors magically open.
One editor’s taste. A bit of money.
Built shoulder to shoulder with the community.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

This prize matters exactly as much as any other poetry prize.
Because none of them matter.
We crowdfunded ours to show that plainly — with you beside us.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

One editor will pick the poems they love.
That’s it.
No career promises. No breakthrough narrative.
Just cash and community — raised together.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

We made this prize off the cuff to prove a point:
prizes mean nothing — and still somehow get taken seriously.
Ours does the same, minus the lie.
You funded it with us.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

This prize won’t change your life.
Neither do most prizes.
It rewards one editor’s favourite poems and pays them.
You helped build it with us. That’s what matters.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

Our prize matters as much as any other — which is to say, not at all.
That’s the point.
One editor’s favourites. Some cash. No myths.
You raised the money with us, shoulder to shoulder.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

So I’ll pick poems I actually love, pay poets actual cash, and refuse the lie that this “means” anything more than that. If that makes people uncomfortable: good.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

As editor + founder, I’m tired of presses cosplaying “community” while using prizes as sales funnels. It’s nefarious, it’s cynical, and everyone knows it. We just don’t say it out loud.
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

Black-and-white graphic of a vintage typewriter seen from above. Torn paper strips sit in the typewriter reading “£1200 RAISED” and “WIN CASH” in bold lettering. Below, the hashtags “#TheBrokenSpineAward” and “#ByPoetsForPoets” are printed. The overall style is gritty, high-contrast, and zine-like.

We know prizes are bullshit! They’re just taste cosplaying as authority. So we stripped away the lie & left the contradiction standing. No prestige. Just cash. We'll pick our favourite poems & won't pretend we're doing anything else!
#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky

In 2026, I'll give three poets substantial cash prizes. I'm not bringing in guest judges, I'm reading the work myself. I'm putting my own time into raising cash, profits from book sales, and funds raised #ByPoetsForPoets

If you're in it for prizes - you're doing it wrong. We're ripping up the award process and raising funds to run our own, independent with a substantial cash prize. #ByPoetsForPoets

Forgot to edit this scheduled post.

You've actually given 22% of our £5000 target in the first two months.

#TheBrokenSpineAward #ByPoetsForPoets

Tomorrow, we write.
Desire, stillness, shadow, sound.
Write the Night starts at 2PM GMT — and it's your chance to be part of something bigger.
A workshop with purpose. A prize with guts.
Join us → shorturl.at/L8DiE
#ByPoetsForPoets #TheBrokenSpineAward #PoetryCommunity #FundraisingCampaign

Two days. One workshop.
Write the Night is your chance to slow down, dive deep, and back a poetry award that doesn’t ask poets to pay to be heard.
27 April. Let’s go.
shorturl.at/L8DiE
#ByPoetsForPoets #TheBrokenSpineAward #PoetryCommunity #FundraisingCampaign

No gloss. No gimmicks.
Write the Night is all about language that lingers, images that glow in the dark.
Join us — and help fund something rare.
shorturl.at/L8DiE
#ByPoetsForPoets #TheBrokenSpineAward #PoetryCommunity #FundraisingCampaign

The Broken Spine Poetry Award won’t be funded by grants.
It’ll be funded by moments like this.
Write the Night is 3 hours of poetry and purpose.
£25. 27 April.
shorturl.at/L8DiE
#ByPoetsForPoets #TheBrokenSpineAward #PoetryCommunity #FundraisingCampaign

You’ve got late-night notes in your phone.
Fragments in the margins. Half-dreams and almost-poems.
Write the Night is your place to turn them into something that hits.
Book your spot → shorturl.at/L8DiE
#ByPoetsForPoets #TheBrokenSpineAward #PoetryCommunity #FundraisingCampaign

Night is where the poems come to life.
In shadows. In stillness. In the wild stuff we don’t say out loud.
Join Write the Night — a fundraiser with soul.
27 April. Online.
shorturl.at/L8DiE
#ByPoetsForPoets #TheBrokenSpineAward #PoetryCommunity #FundraisingCampaign