Poetry is one of the most ancient and time-proven vehicles of the written word. Poetry is perhaps the best literary outlet for intense feelings and creative genius. With the coming of the Internet and its many avenues of information dissemination, the number of poetry publishers has increased, and the manner of publishing poems has changed. Finding your poetic niche and then working your way into it can be a tricky task. This web page will teach you how to publish poetry.
Here is some advice on how to publish poems:
Do Your Research. Find out who the poetry publishers are, where they are, and how to contact them. It helps to attend poetry conferences or seminars, learn the hot topics and trends specific to this industry--understanding these will help you present your manuscript in a more appealing light by tying it to a popular trend.
Choose the Right Publisher for You. The list of poem publishing companies is long. You need to understand what each publisher's specialties, strengths, and preferences are, so you can narrow down the publisher list and match up your material with their needs correctly. Be thorough and picky. Poetry publishers do not rely heavily on literary agents, but if you can get one, it certainly will not hurt.
Approach the Publisher Properly. Some poetry publishers want a call first, some want an email, some want a query letter, some just want your manuscript in the mail. You must show respect and approach them how they want to be approached--take the publisher's advice; otherwise, they will not listen to you or consider your material.
Learn to Shrug Off Rejection. On the average, 98-99% of submissions to poem publishers get rejected, especially if you've never been published before. That's just the way it is. It will help if you can learn from rejection. Be open-minded. You may need to revise and try again. If you have talent and perseverance, you will succeed in getting published.
I highly recommend a few outstanding books and guides on poetry publishing and how to publish your poetry:
The Poet's Market. This book provides many market listings devoted specifically to poets and their poetry, including contact information for magazine and book publishers, small presses, journals, conferences, contests and more. Each entry includes up-to-date contact information, types of poems accepted, submission guidelines, phone numbers, addresses, websites, e-mail addresses and more. You'll find valuable articles and interviews that will help you publish and share your poetry with others.
How to Publish Your Poetry: A Complete Guide to Finding the Right Publishers for Your Work. This is a complete guide to breaking into the world of print poetry. It provides a window to the publishing world so you can see the types of publishers available and the kinds of publications you should target. You will learn about great market resources for locating appropriate poetry publications, and you will learn the importance of defining your audience so that you can target the best poem publishers for your work. Also, the author helps you write a persuasive submission package, and presents a step-by-step system for sending your poetry package out-a system that maximizes results while minimizing time, cost, and effort.
The Directory of Poetry Publishers. This offers a complete list of poetry publishers.