Tips on getting poetry published

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Fri, 2007-08-10 17:02

bobblehat2023

Tips on getting poetry published

From Chris at Salt Publishing. I've only copied ten, the rest are at the bottom of this page:
http://www.saltpublishing.com/info/submissions.htm

"50 dos and don’ts

That’s enough background. Let’s take a look at the dos and don’ts of preparing a submission:

1. First off, read submissions guidelines carefully. Many publishers don’t currently take submissions, and find their poets from out in those literary communities you’re going to spend your time discovering and playing a part in.
2. Don’t ask for feedback on your poems. It’s not the publisher’s job to act as your advisor.
3. Don’t write to ask for submission guidelines. Check the publishers Web site for details. If you haven’t access to the Web, go to an internet café.
4. Do check whether a publisher is currently accepting submissions, Web sites often give detailed information.
5. Make yourself a player. A mover and shaker. If you are out there participating in literature, publishers will notice you.
6. Keep submission letters brief. Editors are ferociously busy people. Spend time planning what message you want to get across, and take time to ensure you’ve got it down in writing, clearly and concisely.
7. Be completely familiar with the publisher’s list. If you haven't bought any of their books, why should they bother to publish you? And don’t get caught out pretending.
8. At the same time as planning a submission, prepare a marketing plan for how you will personally promote your book. That’s for the publisher when you get accepted.
9. Make sure you include your magazine publishing history, citing where and when your poems have appeared.
10. Find out the name of the person you are submitting to. Find out what they like. Find out where they live. Follow them to work. Alright, just kidding, but find out their name."

Definitely worth reading all 50. Funny but also very useful.

Fri, 2007-08-10 21:54

poetjude

All very good! I think it was Banksy who said the first thing an artist should do is learn how to draw. A similar principle applies to poetry. The courses at city Lit have definite stated aims such as 'by the end of this course you should have three poems of publishable quality'. Then there is the day seminar called 'getting your poems published'. I think too many people seem to worry about part b. without taking enough time to ensure part a. is completed! jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

Sun, 2007-08-12 14:14

bobblehat2023

Yes, and unfortunately the desire to get published for getting published's sake is often in inverse proportion to the ability to write poems of publishable quality. Not saying there's anything wrong with being published but, in poetry terms, afterwards you're generally either in the position of having your work read by a few hundred people in a magazine or you've got several hundred copies of a book or pamphlet available, most of which (if you're not Seamus Heaney or Carol Ann Duffy or dead) you'll be expected to sell yourself. It is really good but it won't make up for all the things that have ever gone wrong in your life. I especially like this: "16. Don’t justify your work through a negative reading of contemporary poetry. “All this modern poetry is just rubbish; please find enclosed my 20,000 line Life of Hephaestus written in Alexandrines.”" Loads of people who send poems to magazines or publishers I've worked with start by slagging off all modern poetry. Given that the people receiving the submissions publish the modern poetry that gets published - from a massive selection of stuff that they're offered - these letters effectively say: "I think you are an idiot, please spend your money publishing my book."

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