PONTYPRIDD, Wales - s4story -- One of the few poetry book competitions in the world open exclusively to independent and self-published poets has relaunched under a new name - the Maya Poetry Book Awards - with an expanded prize fund and a redesigned website for its 2026 contest.

Maya is a concept taken from Hindu philosophy that describes the veil or illusion masking the true nature of reality. Perhaps poetry uses language to thicken the veil. Perhaps great poetry pierces through it.

Now in its sixth year, the Wales-based competition was founded to address a significant gap in the literary awards landscape: the near-total exclusion of self-published poets and small independent presses from mainstream prizes. Entry fees at many established awards run to thousands of pounds for shortlisted titles alone. The Maya Poetry Book Awards charges £40 per entry, or £35 per book when submitting multiple titles.

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Prizes for 2026 have been significantly increased, with £800 awarded to the first-place winner, £400 to the second and £200 to the third. A separate £200 prize recognises the best poetry book written for children. All winners receive professional reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and a dedicated listing on the website.

The new website includes, as well as a general facelift, a much simpler competition entry process and, if you look carefully, an extra little puzzle embedded in the site itself - with an extra prize.

The competition has attracted entries from poets across more than twenty countries, including the USA, Australia, India, South Africa, the UAE and across Europe, making it one of the most internationally diverse indie poetry prizes currently available.

Entries in English are accepted from any country, with no restriction on publication date provided the book remains in print. Physical copies only - no digital submissions. The closing date for entries is 31 May 2026, with the longlist published on 1 August 2026.

Full details and entry at https://poetrybookawards.co.uk/