With so many poetry contests available both online and in poetry journals, you dont have to look too hard to find one that suits your writing style and your wallet. While some poetry contests are free to enter, they may not have a great prize in return. On the other hand, some poetry contests that charge you ten or fifteen dollars to enter do not really offer you a lot in return. Spending fifteen dollars to win one hundred when you are competing with hundreds or even thousands of other writers is not a good gamble.
So when you find a contest that has both a tolerable entry fee and a reasonable payoff, you can enter. You may need to look at several contests before you decide on one that is right for you in terms of style. It is important to read the work of previous winners online if possible.
If the contest is sponsored by a university publication or a literary journal, you should pick up a copy or two of this journal to see what type of poetry appeals to the editors. Pay attention to the theme of the issue as it could affect the kind of poetry you read for that month. Try reading another theme to see if the style is similar even if the subject matter has changed....