Able Muse Book Award: Less Than Two Weeks to Deadline
 

I do respect the organization and admire the work of the judge, but as a semi-formalist, I wonder if I would just be wasting everyone's time (and my $), as only a handful of my poems utilize end-rhyme, and maybe a third of my manuscript could be conventionally called 'metered' (though every line is indeed measured). Any thoughts from others?

Last year's winning book had very few rhyming poems--two or three, if I recall correctly--and the collection was mainly non-metrical.

The important thing is to be interesting and moving. What techniques you use to accomplish that are up to you.

Julie is right -- the contest guidelines also makes it clear that all styles are welcome, both metrical and free verse, and the judges are also reminded of this, and it shows in the wide range of styles of the winning books. The last predominantly rhymed and metered book to win was in the 2013--Melissa Balmain's Walking in on People. The 2014 winner, Carrie Shiper's Cause for Concern is essentially free verse, with occasional use of very loose meter. And last year's winner, Emily Leithauser's The Borrowed World, is as Julie described it--very few rhyming poems.

Cheers,
...Alex