Publishing Poetry

Lesson 2: Poetry Markets

Writer's Guidelines

Poet’s Market and similar publications contain abbreviated versions of writer’s guidelines for various publishers. Poet’s Market generally tells you how many poems you can submit, what style of poetry is accepted, and how long poems can be. Poet’s Market will also tell you other authors who have been featured in that publication.

That’s good information to have, but likely you’ll need to know more. You can write to most publishers to request a copy of their writer’s guidelines, which will give you more detailed and specific information. Sometimes these guidelines are available on the publication’s website, if they have one. If you write for the guidelines, be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).

The best way to learn what kind of work a particular publisher likes is to read the publication. While the writer’s guidelines will tell you something about the type of poetry sought, you will often find those descriptions a bit vague. For instance, Fat Tuesday seeks "poems of irreverence, gems from the gut." But what does that mean? Folio wants work "that ignites and endures, is artful and natural, daring and elegant." Clear as mud, right? Fourteen Hills is seeking "high-quality work." Shouldn’t that be obvious? Who would want low-quality work? That’s why you need to read the publication. You’ll see what a "gem from the gut" is, learn what kind of work "ignites and endures," and what the editor considers to be high-quality poetry. You’ll get a feel for whether or not your work would be a good fit.

Most publishers will send you a sample copy for a small fee. The writer’s guidelines will usually tell you how to get a sample copy. This can get fairly expensive, however, if you hope to submit to many publications. If the publication has a website, sample poems will often be posted there. To save time and money, check the website before ordering a sample copy.

Carefully read and follow all guidelines when submitting poetry. If the guidelines say no rhyming poetry, then don’t submit rhyming poetry, no matter how good it is. If the guidelines specify poems of no more than thirty lines, don’t submit a two-page poem, even if it is brilliant. You will be wasting your time as well as the editor’s, and you’ll look unprofessional.

Writer’s guidelines will tell you if a publisher accepts poems that have previously been published elsewhere. They will also tell you if a publisher accepts simultaneous submissions. Simultaneous submissions are work that you submit to more than one publisher at the same time. It’s tempting to do this because it can take several months before you hear back from an editor, and some publications don’t have a problem with it, but some don’t want to consider work that is also being considered elsewhere. Stick to the given guidelines.

Finding the right match for your work

Finding the right match for your work is simply a matter of carefully reading writer’s guidelines and selecting the right poems to submit. In some cases, you can edit or revise a poem that doesn’t quite match the guidelines in order to make it fit.

Identify at least three different magazines or literary journals to which you can submit your prepared poetry. Revise your poems further, if needed, in order to meet the guidelines for the publications you want to submit to.

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