Once you've written and re-written your poems you may wish to get them published. The market for poetry is much smaller than that for fiction or non-fiction, so the sums you will earn are lower. If you're just starting out writing poetry it's important to read a wide variety of poetry from all eras. It's also good to join a writers group either in your locality or online. This will help you in the revision of your poetry, keep you inspired and help you to develop your critical ability and personal aesthetics. Magazines and journals often have limited space for poetry in their pages and many submissions per publication cycle, so it's important to only submit poems you feel have been well polished.
Getting Poetry Published
It's best to start slowly and build your publishing profile via publication of single poems in journals, magazines and newspapers before publishing a book of poems. Poetry books are mainly published by small publishing houses and university presses, so don't overlook these when searching for publishers. Literary agents rarely represent authors, so bypass these and prepare your submissions yourself.
Submission Guidelines
Each publisher will have a section of their website detailing submission guidelines. Follow these to the letter. Failing to do so may result in your submission being rejected outright or, worse, left sitting on a pile or in an email inbox, unread. Note that editors will look not only at the quality of the writing in the poem, but also at the cover letter. Find examples of good cover letters before preparing your own.
Know the Publisher
The number one rule when submitting to any editor or publisher is to understand the press, magazine or journal you're targeting. Make sure they are the right place for your kind of work. If you don't like reading the journal, don't submit to them. If you don't know what they publish, find out. Purchase the magazine or read it online. Review the publisher's book list and see if you see authors you like on the list.
Partial List of Poetry Publishers
Following is a partial list of popular publishers of poetry. Check the Resources and References sections of this article for links to larger lists of publishers.
- The Adirondack Review
- Albatross
- American Poetry Journal
- Southword Journal
- Bellingham Review
- Beloit Poetry Journal
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Contemporary World Poetry
- Crannóg Literary Magazine
- Creatve Writing Now
- Delaware Poetry Review
- Dublin Poetry Review
- Fish Publishing
- Ginosko
- Magnolia: The Florida Journal of Literary and Fine Arts
- The New Yorker
- Palehouse
- Picayune Magazine
- Salmon Poetry
About Self Publishing
Carefully assess the quality and validity of each publisher, journal or magazine. The publisher should never ask you for money. You should be paid in cash or at least in copies of your published book. The exceptions are vanity presses, where the writer pays a press to self-publish his book. You may choose to self-publish print book or an e-book. A partial list of self-publishing options includes:
- Smashwords
- Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon)
- Lulu
- Writersworld
Sources and Links
- Rutgers University: Poetry Publishers Who Accept Electronic Submissions compiled by Professor Louie Crew, 2010
- Salmon Poetry Publishers: Advice for Writers
- Poets & Writers - one of the best resources on the web for writers
- Southword Journal, published by the Munster Literature Centre
- Also check out: The CLMP Literary Press and Magazine Directory
Lory Manrique-Hyland - Lory Manrique-Hyland, Novelist ("Revolutions" Lilliput, 2004), trainer & contributor on parenting for a national Irish newspaper.
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