Public Announcement

The Prompt

Public announcements are meant to be clear, authoritative, and impersonal. They tell us what to do, what to avoid, and what is at risk.

Use that voice as a container for something more human. A notice can warn of danger, announce a change, or enforce a rule, but beneath the formality there is always a reason it had to be written. Let the language of policy, signage, or broadcast carry tension, emotion, or subtext.

Keep the tone official. Let the cracks show anyway.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• A poem (any style or structure is welcome)
• Between 100 and 500 words.
• Submitted to the Poets community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before January 28, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• 5 Winners: $200 each
• 15 Runners-up: $15 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be between 100 and 500 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until January 28, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Public Announcement Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://shopping-feedback.today/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.